Psalm 106:13-23 NKJV
13 They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
15 And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.
16 When they envied Moses in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the Lord,
17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan,
And covered the faction of Abiram.
18 A fire was kindled in their company;
The flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshiped the molded image.
20 Thus they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
Awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach,
To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.
Reading the catalog of Israel’s sins in the wilderness can be frustrating. It is tempting to think, “How could they have sinned again?” “Why won’t they learn and believe God’s promises?” But these things were written for our learning, not so that we might puff ourselves up, but so that we might see the rebellious, unbelieving Israelite that dwells in us—our sinful flesh.
Do we forget God’s works—the good things He has graciously given us—and lust exceedingly for things God hasn’t given us? Do we envy the office God has given to our pastor and imagine that we can be our own minister? Do we build idols in our hearts by trusting things of this life for our identity and security rather than the true God and His promises? Do we forget God our Savior by living as if we were our own God? Do we forget His wondrous works for us on the cross by continuing in our sins? Do we neglect His awesome work accomplished in us in Holy Baptism by living as a child of this world rather than a child of God? For our sins, we, like Israel, deserve punishment.
But like Isael, we have one who stands in the breach between us and God’s wrath. For Israel, that one was Moses, who interceded for Israel by reminding God of His promise, saying, “Let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression” (Num 14:17-18). For us, that one is the Lord Jesus, who earned perfect forgiveness for all mankind by His death on the cross. He is the advocate of all who believe in Him, standing between them and God’s wrath, covering them with His forgiveness and righteousness. Having one greater than Moses who stands in the breach for us, let us turn away from our sins as soon as we recognize them and turn to our advocate who is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.
Let us pray: Instruct us, O Lord, from Israel’s example, that we may not sin. And if we sin, teach us from Moses’ example to look to You for mercy, as our only mediator with God the Father. Amen.