Reading in Numbers

As I was just reading in Numbers, a few things really stuck out to me:

First, in Numbers 33:55-56, God CLEARLY says, " 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.' " And this is not the only time he says something like this. Yet, the Israelites don't do it, and they're surprised when they have trouble... they blame God for abandoning them... They betray him because they feel that He has betrayed them first. Hello, Israelites! It doesn't get any clearer than this.

Why is it that we as human beings have such short/selective memories? We soak in the goodness of God in the times when His plan is clear, when things are moving, new, exciting, or just easy. Yet, when things get more difficult, monotonous, or tiring, we very quickly forget the promises that God gives, the clear instructions on how to live our lives.

Speaking of God's instructions, the second thing that really stuck out to me is that once again in Numbers 34 God is giving the Israelites incredibly detailed instructions on how to divide up the land that they will conquer. It's kind of a tax system - the tribes who have much give more towns as towns of refuge, give more land as pasture land to the Levites, etc. It's like the rules to a very complicated game... you know, the ones you make up when you're little and you just keep adding rules as problems arise or as your friend does something you don't like. But, God's rules aren't like that... it's as if God is once again ready to establish His perfect order on earth if only the Israelites would follow directions like Adam and Eve failed to do.... and yet the Israelites will fail.

In my mind, this all comes down to one thing: obedience. If the Israelites had merely obeyed and done exactly as God instructed, they wouldn't have had all the problems they face in the OT. Yet, what brings them down is, essentially pride. Assuming they know enough to handle the situation instead of continually relying on God.

I do that, all the time. I assume I know what I'm doing, I realize too late that I don't, and instead of being energized by serving the Lord in the way that He planned, I leave frustrated because I have failed to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. Stupid Israelites. Stupid me.