God delivers with power!
God promised the people of Israel freedom from the bondage they experienced in the land of Egypt. After ten plaques that when looked from the outside, would definitely confirm the power of the almighty was in action. The Egyptian sorcerers were only able to mimic three of the plaques done by the Lord; they turned water into blood, summon frogs, and turned their staffs into snakes, the rest were impossible for them. David heard it directly from God that the power belongs to the Lord (Ps62:11). When God is in the process of delivery one his manifest power is directly involved, and the method he chooses might not be according to what we would expect; he most of the time surprises us. But one thing for sure we know is that God delivers especially when we cry out to him (Ps43:17) and when we demonstrate our love towards him even more (Ps91:14-15). The people of Israel were delivered from their state of bondage, but only remembered the process for the delivery which was not a pleasant one. Being in the midst of those ten plaques must have not been pleasant.
Numbers 14:17-21
17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
The people of Israel had reached their point of destiny reaching the promise land, having a pillar of cloud and fire guide day and night. All of God’s promises are true and amen (2Cor1:20). They stood on a hill and saw the land and were getting ready to take it, so Moses sent out twelve spies to check out the land. When they came back, they saw the glory of God in the land. The harvest of grapes so great that the fruit were as big as melons; the land was perfect. But there was a problem, ten of the spies brought a report that was of fear and distress. They put their focus on the giants and mighty men that were in the land and not on the promise. The people believe their report and turned against Mose and the remaining two spies Joshua and Caleb. They were in enraged and decided to stone them for their report. Their report was focused on the power of God and his deliverance and not the problem (Nm14:8-9).
God decided to give up them and disown them, but Mose knew that his power was not focused on the things that we can see but on those that we cannot like his mercy. Jeremiah says that we are not consumed because of his mercy, and they are new every morning (La3:22-23). This trespass was huge before God, because the people decided to listen to words of fear and not of faith and yet he forgave them. The people were at the brink of seeing the glory of God in what he had promised them, but instead were denied and spent forty years in the desert until that faithless generation pass away. We see the glory of the Lord in that while we are still sinners Christ died for us and with the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus said that heaven rejoices over one sinner that repents (Lk15:7).
Psalms 62:11
11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
Psalms 43:17
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
Psalms 91:14-15
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
2 Corinthians 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Numbers 14:8-9
8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Luke 15:7
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.