“A Generation Gap”

Monday, May 25, 2020

Why did God want all the older generation to die off (wander for forty years in the wilderness), and the younger generation with Joshua go into the promise land?

Sincerely,
A Question For The Ages

Dear A Question For The Ages,

Numbers 14 explains why God had the first generation of Jews that left Egypt wander in the wilderness for forty years.  God was punishing them for their lack of faith in Him.  When Moses sent forty spies to investigate the land of Canaan, the majority of those spies came back and said that it was impossible to conquer the land.  The people were afraid, murmured against God, and planned on returning to Egypt (Num 14:3-4).
God was incensed by their cowardice, lack of faith, and grumbling (Num 14:27).  He decided to punish that generation by having them all die in the wilderness (Num 14:33-34), and their children became the ones to conquer the land (Num 14:31).

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