Gods response to Israel’s refusal to trust Him was harsh because they had seen Him do mighty things and to whom much is given, much is required. This is not His usual response because few have been given that much today.
As believers under the grace of the cross and his forgiveness we forget how brutal holiness is.
Steadying a cart holding the ark of the coventant, death. Grumbling against the Lord, a plague only limited by the work of Aaron and Moses. The Lord is so Holy, we do not deserve to live for one second in His presence.
For rebelling by building the golden calf,
27 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'"
28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died
Exodus 32:27-28
7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."
Numbers 21:7-8
We do not understand harsh in our world, because we have such help, wealth and medicine.
Israel saw the Eqyptian army killed by the red sea closing on them, a whole conquering army being wiped out with no effort on their part, when they would have 100% died. It is often hard to put all the incidents into order or scale because they are so vast and many. It tires me out just thinking about them, when just one person close to me dying is so hard through grief to bare.
My uncle found the history of Israel so violent and brutal he could not believe this was a loving God.
In context the world of man was much worse and literally full of torture and the worst behaviours.
What the law of God was suggesting was real justice and honesty, a light in a dark world.
Today with what we have, it is like an alien world being described.
God bless you