Perhaps some readers remember the movie series Die Hard, in which the main character survives one deadly attack after another. He was “hard to kill”—difficult, if not impossible, to bring down.
Something similar happened with our ancestors after they left Mitsrayim (Egypt). Time and again, our Father Yehovah disciplined them in order to teach them obedience. Yet they consistently proved to be “hard to teach.”
Numbers 14 records in detail the people’s reactions, emotions, complaints, and plans after hearing the report of the ten spies. They even considered returning to Mitsrayim (Egypt), which may seem unbelievable to us. Yet that is exactly what happened. As a result of this foolish decision, the entire generation over twenty years of age was swept along by these rebellious thoughts and supported this disastrous proposal.
When Y’hoshua (Joshua) and Kalev (Caleb), together with Moshe and Aharon, opposed them, the people were ready to stone them. At that point, Yehovah determined to destroy the nation and begin again through the descendants of Moshe.
But Moshe intervened. Concerned for the honor of Yehovah’s Name and for what the nations would say about Him, he pleaded on behalf of the people. As a result, Yehovah relented from destroying them.
Unfortunately, many of us have been trained to follow the majority regardless of whether it is right or wrong. We have been taught that if everyone is doing something, it must be acceptable. This is a tremendous deception.
Modern society often assumes that if enough people approve of something, it must be right (abortion, marriage redefined…). Public opinion has become the standard by which many determine morality. Yet Scripture teaches that truth is not established by consensus but by the Word of Yehovah. Throughout history, societies have approved practices that directly contradict His instructions. The approval of the majority has never been a reliable measure of righteousness.
Human beings naturally assume that if most people believe something, it must be true. Yet Scripture repeatedly demonstrates that the majority can be wrong. On that occasion, ten spies persuaded an entire generation to reject the promise of Yehovah. Truth is not determined by popular vote; it is determined by the will of the Creator.
As a result, decisions made by a simple majority are often imposed on everyone else, even when those decisions contradict the Torah. The Kingdom of Yehovah does not operate that way.
A Look at Our Own Situation
Each of us is personally accountable before the Supreme Judge for the decisions we make day after day. The time will come when we must stand before Him individually. On that day, we will not be able to defend ourselves by saying, “Everyone in my church did it,” or “That was what was popular,” or “The great theologians taught us that way.”
No. On that day, our deepest thoughts and intentions will be revealed. The laziness that kept us from searching His Word for ourselves, our reluctance to obey the Torah, and our unwillingness to be a light in a dark world will all come to light.
Yet there is still time for us not to be “hard to teach.” Consider some of the lessons found in this portion of Scripture:
- Complaining poisons and destroys.
- It is easy to forget the mighty works Yehovah has done on our behalf.
- Fear can lead to rebellion.
- Like Moshe, we should be concerned with the glory of Yehovah’s Name rather than our own.
- Words have consequences, often irreversible ones.
The people who complained ultimately perished in the wilderness. The inheritance they were about to receive was delayed for forty years and was ultimately given to their children. Could we be delaying Yehovah’s blessings upon ourselves and our families because we are “hard to teach”?
The remnant that truly follows Yehovah is often very small. Out of thousands of men over twenty years old, only two entered the land: Kalev and Y’hoshua. Do not assume that the majority is right.
The qualities of Kalev and Y’hoshua:
- Confidence in Yehovah.
- A willingness to obey.
- Perseverance.
- A positive perspective. They alone focused on the goodness of the land and on the mission they had been given.
Hard to Kill. Harder to Teach.
After Yehovah pronounced judgment, the people suddenly decided to invade the land. However, they acted from the wrong motivation, at the wrong time, and after Yehovah had already given different instructions. In doing so, they rebelled against His word once again.
Israel had survived Pharaoh, the plagues, the Red Sea, and the harshness of the wilderness. They proved remarkably hard to destroy. Yet learning to trust and obey Yehovah was a different matter altogether. They were not hard to kill—they were hard to teach.
When we act out of pride rather than obedience, we end up fighting our own battles without the Presence of Yehovah. Victory does not depend on our determination, our sincerity, or even our good intentions. It depends on walking according to His will and in His timing (Philippians 2:3–4).
May we learn the lesson that generation refused to learn: faith obeys when Yehovah says “go,” and faith also obeys when He says “do not go.” Anything else is merely rebellion disguised as courage.