Numbers is a depressing book. The whole book is about a wonderful, intricate plan going south. How many of us can relate to this? In this case, God had a wonderful plan to rescue an enslaved people from Egypt and bring them prosperity in a new land. But over and over again the Israelites foolishly fought against the salvation, and over and over again God put many of them to death as a terrifying but utterly just punishment. It’s a cycle of continual sin. How many of us can relate to this even harder?
After the spies return from investigating the land and the people in it, only two of them are ready to trust God to guide them into conquest, while the other ten are unfaithfully fearful. Their fear is powerful enough to convince the rest of the nation to cower back as well. Understandably, God is ready to destroy them all and no longer deal with a people that doesn’t seem to want his gifts anyway. Moses, however, intercedes.
The wrath of God upon the Israelites was imminent; what they desperately needed was someone to step in between and contend on their behalf. So even though Moses would have otherwise flourished on his own, he begs God to show mercy on the people so that God may be glorified, and God listens. I don’t believe God changed his mind; rather, he wanted to display the fullness of his wrath, the fullness of his mercy, and the importance of an intercessor. Moses’ intercession sufficed for a time, until Israel messed up again only days later. But God intended for the story to prepare the people for a final, ultimate, perfect intercessor.
This story shows one of many ways that Moses prefaces Christ. Like Moses, Jesus gave up his own kingdom to save the people he loved. Like Moses, he stayed the wrathful hand of the Father so we could be graciously forgiven instead. And like Moses, he ensured that it would all be done for the glory of the Almighty who is holy and just and merciful and loving.
As Romans 8:34 says, Jesus is at the Father’s right hand interceding on our behalf. Despite our cycle of continual sin, he is continually advocating for our salvation. This wild story in Numbers should make us all the more incredulous at the incredible love that Jesus showed for us on the cross, for his Father’s glory. Praise Jesus our perfect intercessor!
