Reckoning With Rebellion and Rediscovering Grace

When God Asks, “How Long?”

By Rob Riesmeyer, Elder

Something is unsettling about a question that doesn’t need to be answered out loud. It hangs in the air, waiting—not for a reply, but for reflection.

In Numbers 14:11 and 12, we witness such a moment. God, speaking to Moses, declares:

“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? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.'” (ESV)

These verses land like a thunderclap. God, who had rescued Israel from slavery, split the sea for them, fed them miraculously, and traveled with them as a cloud by day and fire by night—He is grieved. Furious. Ready to bring judgment.

But before we distance ourselves from the scene, let’s ask the honest question: Aren’t we like them?

This isn’t just an ancient Hebrew problem. It’s a human problem. And it’s still happening. Rebellion, disbelief, and spiritual apathy didn’t end in the wilderness. They’ve just dressed differently.

So let’s journey into this text, not to judge them, but to understand ourselves—and to discover, at the heart of God’s holiness and justice, a relentless grace that still seeks to redeem the lost.

The Scene: A Rebellious People on the Edge of Promise

Let’s rewind for a moment. In Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve men to scout out the land of Canaan—the land God had promised. It was a kind of “preview of coming attractions.” And when they return, their report is split.

Ten say, “The land is good, yes, but the people are giants. There’s no way we can take it.” Only Caleb and Joshua believe God can deliver the land into their hands.

The people—fearful, faithless, and full of grumbling—don’t just doubt God’s plan. They reject it. They talk of returning to Egypt. They want to appoint a new leader. They even speak of stoning Moses and Aaron.

It’s mutiny. It’s spiritual treason.

And God sees it all.

So, He turns to Moses and asks a question not for information, but for confrontation.

“How long will these people despise me?”

The word “despise” is strong. Some translations say “treat me with contempt.” This isn’t just doubt. It’s dishonor. It’s saying to the Creator of all things: You’re not trustworthy. You’re not enough. We’d rather go back to bondage than believe You’ll take us forward.

The Problem: Unbelief Isn’t Just Ignorance—It’s Rejection

For the modern ear, unbelief can sound innocent. Intellectual. Even noble. “I just don’t have enough evidence,” someone says. Or “I’m not a religious person.” And we nod, politely, as if unbelief is merely a preference, like coffee over tea.

But God sees something deeper.

The people in Numbers 14 had evidence: plagues in Egypt, the parted Red Sea, manna from heaven, water from a rock, daily miracles, and a moving, visible presence of God in the wilderness.

They didn’t lack proof. They lacked trust.

“How long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have done among them?”

Faith, then, isn’t about having more information. It’s about surrender. Trust. Relationship.

And disbelief, in this case, isn’t neutral. It’s rebellion. It’s relational rejection. It’s saying, even though You’ve been good, I don’t want You.

That’s what makes God’s response in verse 12 so jarring—and so just.

“I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them…”

It’s a divine breaking point. A holy God confronted with unholy people. He’s not throwing a tantrum. He’s delivering a verdict.

But even here, the story isn’t over.

Because judgment, in Scripture, is often the doorway to mercy.

The Intercession: Moses as a Picture of Jesus

The verses we’re looking at today are heavy, but they’re not hopeless.

Just after verse 12, Moses steps in.

He pleads. He prays. He intercedes on behalf of the people, saying:

“Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love…” (Numbers 14:19)

Sound familiar?

It should. It’s a foreshadowing of something far greater.

Thousands of years later, another mediator would step in—not just to plead for mercy but to be mercy. Not just to intercede for sin, but to become sin on our behalf.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, entered the brokenness of our rebellion not with condemnation, but with compassion. He lived the perfect life we couldn’t, died the death we deserved, and rose again to give us the life we could never earn.

When He hung on the cross, He bore the weight of every “How long?”—every ounce of contempt we’ve ever shown God. And He answered it with love.

The Gospel Connection: From Rejection to Redemption

We all wrestle with the truth: We are the people of Numbers 14.

We’ve seen glimpses of God’s goodness. We’ve received His blessings. We’ve known right from wrong. And still, we’ve chosen our way over His.

We’ve grumbled. Distrusted. Walked away.

But the Gospel—the good news of Jesus—is that God didn’t walk away from us.

Even though we rejected Him, He pursued us.

Even though we broke the covenant, He made a new one.

Even though we deserve disinheritance, He offers adoption.

That’s the miracle. That’s the message. And it’s not just religious fluff—it’s rescue for the soul.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’ve felt distant from God and carried doubts, resentment, or even indifference, I want you to know this story isn’t meant to condemn you.

It’s meant to wake you up.

God’s question isn’t just for Israel. It’s for you.

“How long?”

How long will you live without Him? How long will you look for answers in everything but the One who made you? How long will you resist His love?

The Gospel isn’t about fixing yourself first. It’s about coming home.

It’s about trusting Jesus—the One greater than Moses, who didn’t just pray for sinners but died for them.

And He’s still inviting you today.

Final Thoughts: When Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment (That's Grace)

Numbers 14 is a hard chapter. But it’s real.

It reminds us that God takes sin seriously. That unbelief has consequences. That grace is never cheap.

But it also reminds us that God is patient. That intercession matters. That mercy is still possible.

Moses pleaded for a sinful people, and God listened.

How much more will He listen when His own Son stands on your behalf?

So if you’re reading this and wondering whether God has given up on you, He hasn’t.

If you're wrestling with whether your past is too far gone, it’s not.

If you're asking whether there’s still a place for you in His story—there is.

All you have to do is trust. Not in your ability to be “religious.” Not in your ability to “get it right.” But in the One who already did—Jesus.

If today you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.

You’ve seen the signs. You’ve heard the story. You’ve felt the stirring.

So the only question left is:

How long?