According to the Greatness of Thy lovingkindness

“In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:19).

When the ten spies out of twelve gave “a bad report” (Num.13:32), it made the Israelites to weep (14:1) and to grumble against Moses and Aaron (v.2).  And the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt (vv.3-4).  How did God respond?

This is what He said to Moses: “How long will these people treat me with contempt?  How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?” (v.11). “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me?” (v.26). So the Lord said to Moses “I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they” (v.12).  But Moses cried out to God for forgiveness as he relied on God’s great love (v.19).  And God’s great love has been manifested “from the time they left Egypt until now” by forgiving the Israelites (v.19).

When we forgive each other, we can experience the power of God’s love.  And His love is greater than no one can phantom.  It is our duty to forgive others as God has been forgiven us.