Numbers 14:39-40: “When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. Early the next morning, they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, ‘Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!’”

At first glance, these verses make it seem as though the Israelites had a change of heart and were ready to claim God’s promise for them.

However, in the preceding verses, we see that God had already declared the consequences of their decision to follow the report of the ten spies instead of Joshua and Caleb. Because of their unbelief, they would wander in the wilderness for forty years. In v37, we read that the ten spies were struck down and died of a plague. When Moses reported this to the Israelites, they mourned bitterly and assumed they could immediately go up and take the promised land.

Despite Moses warning them not to disobey God, they went ahead. V44 states that they proceeded even though the ark of the covenant remained in the camp. As a result, they were attacked and defeated.

True repentance is not just about feeling sorry—it also involves surrender and obedience to God’s will. Is our motivation simply to avoid the consequences of sin, or do we genuinely experience a change of heart? Do we try to fix our mistakes on our own instead of humbly accepting God’s discipline?