Psa 106:29 | KingComments | STEP | The previous sins were in connection with the wilderness; now follow two sins that relate to the promised land. The despising of “the pleasant land” ( ; ; cf. ) occurred after the spies had been there and reported their findings. The cause was unbelief. They believed the report of ten unbelieving spies. They did not believe the word of God, His promise to give them the land, nor what Joshua and Caleb testified ( ). The result of their unbelief was that “they grumbled in their tents” ( ; ; ). They were dissatisfied with God’s dealings with them. Over this they sat in their tents sulking and grumbling. They doubted God’s love and were disobedient ( ). They influenced each other with their discontent, but had no ear for what the LORD had to say: “They did not listen to the voice of the LORD” (cf. ). Therefore, He “swore to them”, He swore the solemn oath “that He would cast them down in the wilderness” ( ). None of this grumbling, disobedient generation would enter the land. Only Joshua and Caleb would get in ( ). The same would happen to “their seed” ( ) because they revealed the same spirit of grumbling, unbelief and disobedience. God would “scatter them in the lands” ( ; ). This happened when the Assyrians carried away the ten tribes realm and when the Babylonians carried away the two tribes realm. Almost forty years later, they found themselves in the plains of Moab, on the border of the promised land. There they joined themselves to the idol Baal-peor, a local Moabite idol ( ; cf. ). Their horrible, adulterous union with the Moabites involved eating “sacrifices offered to the dead”, that is, the sacrifices to the dead idols ( ). Possibly they are also sacrifices for consulting the dead ( ). That are also sacrifices that result in the death of the offeror. What a contrast to the living God Who committed Himself to them. This abominable connection was a thorn in the LORD’s side. “They provoked” Him “to anger with their deeds” ( ). Their deeds were sinful acts, crimes. In doing so, they defied Him. Their defiant attitude and actions toward Him He answered with “the plague”, an epidemic, which “broke out among them” ( ). Paul refers to this event in his first letter to the Corinthians to warn us not to fall into the same sin ( ). When we fall in love with persons who want nothing to do with God, we commit adultery in a spiritual sense. James does not beat about the bush about it when he clearly states: “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?” ( ). In this case, intercessory prayer by Moses is not the solution to make the plague stop, but the execution of the judgment on evil. That is what Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, did ( ). He killed the Israelite man who had defied God by bringing a Midianite woman into the camp. He also killed the woman. Then the plague stopped ( ). What Phinehas did is an act of righteousness ( ), making atonement for Israel ( ). It is an act of dedication to the LORD, a standing up for His honor, the proof that he was a righteous man. God reckoned that act “for righteousness” to him (cf. ). It is a righteous act that will never be forgotten. In fact, his descendants “to all generations forever” will experience the blessing of it ( ). With a little less than six months to go before Israel would enter the promised land, the people “also provoked [Him] to wrath at the waters of Meribah” [Meribah means strife, quarrel] ( ). The Israelites complained about water as if God were incapable of providing them with water. God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses struck the rock, twice ( ). The striking of the rock was to take place only once ( ). This is a picture of Christ dying under the striking hand of God, which took place only once ( ). Next, Moses was to speak to the rock. The water would then come on the basis of the rock once struck. Similarly, Christ’s suffering and death took place only once, after which we can speak to Christ. This picture is damaged by the disobedience of Moses. Moses is severely punished by the LORD for his disobedience: he is not allowed to bring the people into the land ( ). The fault lies with the people: “it went hard with Moses on their account”. The side of Moses’ disobedience is not highlighted here. Here it is the side of the people. They made Him very angry. Time after time they had taunted Moses and time after time he had stood up for them before God. He had become the humblest man on earth in the school of God ( ). A lot had to happen for him to lose his temper. But the people finally caused it. They started arguing with Moses about their lack of water ( ). Then Moses’ patience ran out. He became so vexed in his spirit that “he spoke rashly with his lips” and came to a wrong deed ( ; ).

‏ Psalms 106:29

The Land Despised

The previous sins were in connection with the wilderness; now follow two sins that relate to the promised land. The despising of “the pleasant land” (Psa 106:24; Jer 3:19; cf. Eze 20:6) occurred after the spies had been there and reported their findings. The cause was unbelief. They believed the report of ten unbelieving spies. They did not believe the word of God, His promise to give them the land, nor what Joshua and Caleb testified (Num 14:3-10).

The result of their unbelief was that “they grumbled in their tents” (Psa 106:25; Num 14:1-2; 1Cor 10:10). They were dissatisfied with God’s dealings with them. Over this they sat in their tents sulking and grumbling. They doubted God’s love and were disobedient (Deu 1:26-27). They influenced each other with their discontent, but had no ear for what the LORD had to say: “They did not listen to the voice of the LORD” (cf. Deu 1:32).

Therefore, He “swore to them”, He swore the solemn oath “that He would cast them down in the wilderness” (Psa 106:26). None of this grumbling, disobedient generation would enter the land. Only Joshua and Caleb would get in (Num 14:29-30).

The same would happen to “their seed” (Psa 106:27) because they revealed the same spirit of grumbling, unbelief and disobedience. God would “scatter them in the lands” (Lev 26:33; Eze 20:23). This happened when the Assyrians carried away the ten tribes realm and when the Babylonians carried away the two tribes realm.

Almost forty years later, they found themselves in the plains of Moab, on the border of the promised land. There they joined themselves to the idol Baal-peor, a local Moabite idol (Psa 106:28; cf. 2Cor 6:14). Their horrible, adulterous union with the Moabites involved eating “sacrifices offered to the dead”, that is, the sacrifices to the dead idols (Num 25:1-2). Possibly they are also sacrifices for consulting the dead (Deu 18:11). That are also sacrifices that result in the death of the offeror. What a contrast to the living God Who committed Himself to them.

This abominable connection was a thorn in the LORD’s side. “They provoked” Him “to anger with their deeds” (Psa 106:29). Their deeds were sinful acts, crimes. In doing so, they defied Him. Their defiant attitude and actions toward Him He answered with “the plague”, an epidemic, which “broke out among them” (Num 25:1 ; 9).

Paul refers to this event in his first letter to the Corinthians to warn us not to fall into the same sin (1Cor 10:8 ; 11). When we fall in love with persons who want nothing to do with God, we commit adultery in a spiritual sense. James does not beat about the bush about it when he clearly states: “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?” (Jam 4:4).

In this case, intercessory prayer by Moses is not the solution to make the plague stop, but the execution of the judgment on evil. That is what Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, did (Psa 106:30). He killed the Israelite man who had defied God by bringing a Midianite woman into the camp. He also killed the woman. Then the plague stopped (Num 25:6-8).

What Phinehas did is an act of righteousness (Psa 106:31), making atonement for Israel (Num 25:13). It is an act of dedication to the LORD, a standing up for His honor, the proof that he was a righteous man. God reckoned that act “for righteousness” to him (cf. Jam 2:21-25). It is a righteous act that will never be forgotten. In fact, his descendants “to all generations forever” will experience the blessing of it (Num 25:10-13).

With a little less than six months to go before Israel would enter the promised land, the people “also provoked [Him] to wrath at the waters of Meribah” [Meribah means strife, quarrel] (Psa 106:32). The Israelites complained about water as if God were incapable of providing them with water. God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses struck the rock, twice (Num 20:8-11).

The striking of the rock was to take place only once (Exo 17:6). This is a picture of Christ dying under the striking hand of God, which took place only once (Heb 9:26-27). Next, Moses was to speak to the rock. The water would then come on the basis of the rock once struck. Similarly, Christ’s suffering and death took place only once, after which we can speak to Christ. This picture is damaged by the disobedience of Moses.

Moses is severely punished by the LORD for his disobedience: he is not allowed to bring the people into the land (Num 20:12). The fault lies with the people: “it went hard with Moses on their account”. The side of Moses’ disobedience is not highlighted here. Here it is the side of the people. They made Him very angry.

Time after time they had taunted Moses and time after time he had stood up for them before God. He had become the humblest man on earth in the school of God (Num 12:3). A lot had to happen for him to lose his temper. But the people finally caused it. They started arguing with Moses about their lack of water (Num 20:2-5). Then Moses’ patience ran out. He became so vexed in his spirit that “he spoke rashly with his lips” and came to a wrong deed (Psa 106:33; Num 20:10-11).