March 15, 2010
Moses sent out the twelve spies to explore the promised land. Exodus 23: 20-33 - God had already told them who lived in the land and how He was going to give the land to them. Yet ten of the twelve came back with panic. We can't do this! Why...so and so lives there. They are bigger and stronger than us! They had lost focus. Instead of looking at who God was, what God had told them, and God's promises, they looked only at themselves and their (lack of) strength. We can't. BUT God can!! Their lack of faith and self dependence started the negative ball rolling. They started feeling sorry for themselves and complaining. Poor us—it would have been better if we were still slaves in Egypt. Let's choose a leader to take us back.
Caleb and Joshua speak up. Hey! Wait a minute! The land is good. God will lead us! Don't turn against the LORD. (The truth is, in their hearts they had already turned. This was just an outward action of what was already there.) Don't be afraid! Don't you remember what God said? Exodus 23:20-33 - That He will be the one who fights for us? That our enemies will be afraid of Him? That He will confuse them? That they will run from us? That He will send terror in front of us, not to us? Don't you remember? Don't you remember? Numbers 14:9 - Our enemies don't have any protection! They have no defense! (KJV) God is with us! Don't be afraid of them.
The peoples response? They wanted to kill Joshua, Caleb, Moses, and Aaron. They would rather trust in themselves—and be slaves—than to trust in God.
God is angry! How long will these people ignore me? When will they get it? God is ready to destroy all of them right then and there. Moses pleads their case. What's it going to look like, God? The Egyptians know what you have done. They've spread the word to all the other people. God, it's going to look like you didn't have the power to do what you said so you took the easy way out and just got rid of the problem. Then Moses says, "Show your strength LORD." I understand the guilty need to be punished, but LORD, by your great love please forgive them.
God answers Moses. I have forgiven them. Those individuals who chose to reject me will not see the promised land. Those who have chosen to follow me completely, those—those people will inherit the land.
We cannot escape the consequences of our wrong choices, and others cannot prevent God from giving us the blessings HE has prepared for us because of our good choices. The glory of God will be shown. His people needed to be disciplined. He had the right to get rid of the entire group in a very public way. He instead chose to privately discipline his children so non-believers would not question His ability or diminish His glory.
Consequences. Numbers 14:28 - "I heard what you said...I will do those very things to you." God makes it very clear that our choices not only affect us but the generations to come. For 40 years they wandered the desert and none of the people who chose to reject God entered the land.
After the Israelites hear what their consequences were going to be they decided to do what God had earlier said to do. The problem is—it was too late. We cannot choose when, how, or why we are going to obey. Delayed obedience is disobedience. They weren't submitting to God. They weren't listening to what God was saying now (don't go). Numbers 14:44 - says, "They were proud." They were now going to obey because they wanted to avoid the consequences they were going to have to suffer. It had nothing to do with following God. They were going to plow ahead and do things their way and then expect God to bless them.
It doesn't work that way. Moses tries to tell them—don't do this! Why are you still disobeying? Don't go, you will not win! The LORD is not with you! You will be beaten! "You have turned away from the LORD, so the LORD will not be with you." (Verse 43) But, "they were proud." They went ... and they were defeated.
God knows our hearts. He knows whether we have submitted ourselves totally to Him OR whether we are trying to use Him to get what we want.
Galatians 6:7-9 - Do not be fooled: You cannot (mock) cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. If they plant to please the Spirit, they will receive eternal life from the Spirit. We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up.
Joshua 24:15 - As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Next Entry: Numbers 15:1–41
Moses sent out the twelve spies to explore the promised land. Exodus 23: 20-33 - God had already told them who lived in the land and how He was going to give the land to them. Yet ten of the twelve came back with panic. We can't do this! Why...so and so lives there. They are bigger and stronger than us! They had lost focus. Instead of looking at who God was, what God had told them, and God's promises, they looked only at themselves and their (lack of) strength. We can't. BUT God can!! Their lack of faith and self dependence started the negative ball rolling. They started feeling sorry for themselves and complaining. Poor us—it would have been better if we were still slaves in Egypt. Let's choose a leader to take us back.
Caleb and Joshua speak up. Hey! Wait a minute! The land is good. God will lead us! Don't turn against the LORD. (The truth is, in their hearts they had already turned. This was just an outward action of what was already there.) Don't be afraid! Don't you remember what God said? Exodus 23:20-33 - That He will be the one who fights for us? That our enemies will be afraid of Him? That He will confuse them? That they will run from us? That He will send terror in front of us, not to us? Don't you remember? Don't you remember? Numbers 14:9 - Our enemies don't have any protection! They have no defense! (KJV) God is with us! Don't be afraid of them.
The peoples response? They wanted to kill Joshua, Caleb, Moses, and Aaron. They would rather trust in themselves—and be slaves—than to trust in God.
God is angry! How long will these people ignore me? When will they get it? God is ready to destroy all of them right then and there. Moses pleads their case. What's it going to look like, God? The Egyptians know what you have done. They've spread the word to all the other people. God, it's going to look like you didn't have the power to do what you said so you took the easy way out and just got rid of the problem. Then Moses says, "Show your strength LORD." I understand the guilty need to be punished, but LORD, by your great love please forgive them.
God answers Moses. I have forgiven them. Those individuals who chose to reject me will not see the promised land. Those who have chosen to follow me completely, those—those people will inherit the land.
We cannot escape the consequences of our wrong choices, and others cannot prevent God from giving us the blessings HE has prepared for us because of our good choices. The glory of God will be shown. His people needed to be disciplined. He had the right to get rid of the entire group in a very public way. He instead chose to privately discipline his children so non-believers would not question His ability or diminish His glory.
Consequences. Numbers 14:28 - "I heard what you said...I will do those very things to you." God makes it very clear that our choices not only affect us but the generations to come. For 40 years they wandered the desert and none of the people who chose to reject God entered the land.
After the Israelites hear what their consequences were going to be they decided to do what God had earlier said to do. The problem is—it was too late. We cannot choose when, how, or why we are going to obey. Delayed obedience is disobedience. They weren't submitting to God. They weren't listening to what God was saying now (don't go). Numbers 14:44 - says, "They were proud." They were now going to obey because they wanted to avoid the consequences they were going to have to suffer. It had nothing to do with following God. They were going to plow ahead and do things their way and then expect God to bless them.
It doesn't work that way. Moses tries to tell them—don't do this! Why are you still disobeying? Don't go, you will not win! The LORD is not with you! You will be beaten! "You have turned away from the LORD, so the LORD will not be with you." (Verse 43) But, "they were proud." They went ... and they were defeated.
God knows our hearts. He knows whether we have submitted ourselves totally to Him OR whether we are trying to use Him to get what we want.
Galatians 6:7-9 - Do not be fooled: You cannot (mock) cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. If they plant to please the Spirit, they will receive eternal life from the Spirit. We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up.
Joshua 24:15 - As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Next Entry: Numbers 15:1–41
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