IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Moses’ Intercessory Prayer

Date: Mar. 5, 2022

Passage

Numbers 14:11-25 (ESV)

11 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, 14 and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people. For you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, 16 ‘It is because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, 18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ 19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

20 Then the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word. 21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, 22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. 25 Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 14:19

Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

The people thought their issue was a lack of power, or direction, or their leaders. But it was a lack of faith: they refused to trust God even after he brought them out of Egypt and provided everything for them. They were holding God in contempt. Unbelief is a great sin before God. God was going to destroy them and start over with Moses. They really deserved no better.

Moses interceded in prayer, remembering how God revealed himself to the world through powerful acts when delivering these people from Egypt. They were bound to his name. God’s great strength is shown through this: he is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. God willingly forgave the people (20). God cares about justice: he does not leave sin unpunished. They disobeyed and tested God ten times. They would be disciplined for their rebellion. Not one of those who treated God with contempt would see the promised land. God wanted to break the pattern of rebellion and testing, with hope that the next generation (and us 1Co 10:11) might learn from this. God also blessed Caleb’s faith. In a rebellious generation, we are called to have a different spirit; to follow our God wholeheartedly, trusting in his reward.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, your mercy and justice reveal your great strength of character. Help me to follow you wholeheartedly, and intercede for this rebellious and sinful generation on the basis of your love.

One Word: One Word: Forgive our sins based on your mercy

Daily Bread

Rebekah’s Decision of Faith

Genesis 24:50-67

Key Verse: 24:58

And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

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