Back to Egypt?

Numbers 14:1-10 - That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.

I wonder if (too many of) the Israelites had come to take "the glory of the Lord" for granted. Here was this miraculous sign -- cloud by day, fire by night -- that led them from Egypt to Canaan, showing them where to go every step of the way, and yet when they arrive at their destination they act as if it's not -- God's not -- around anymore. They talk as if they're all on their own and would rather go back to their familiar surroundings than to where the Lord had led them and wanted them to continue to press toward.

I wonder...Did they not understand what "the glory of the Lord" really was?

I wonder what convinced the people to believe the discouraging report of the majority of the spies rather than the minority report of Joshua and Caleb. Was it the shear numbers, the 10 to 2? Or were there perhaps others lobbying behind the scenes against the correct choice?

I'm sure glad none of these kinds of things go on today.

Ahem.

I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.