Num 13-14, Some decision are irrevocable

The Expedition
Num 13:1-2, 17-25 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders."
. . .
17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, "Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land." (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)


21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.


• Where are we in the trip from Egypt to Exodus, timewise?
• It turns out, that it was not God's original plan to explore the land, but rather God accedes to the wishes of the people
• Deut 1:22-23 (NIV) Then all of you came to me and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to." // 23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe.
• The concern is the route. Interestingly, when they finally do attack, the go after the two main fortified cities in the middle of the country, Jericho and Ai
• What other reasons might there be for exploring the land?
• God's perspective: it shows his faithfulness in providing exactly what he promised
• Moses' perspective: it helps in determining where to divvy up the various tribes according to their particular gifts and strengths
• Could be the first signs of doubt
• James 1:6-8 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
• I think this verse is easily misunderstood. Faith is not getting what you want, but believing God will answer your prayer in his wisdom (which could be NO or WAIT)
• Three specific items are mentioned as produce, what are they?
• Grapes, pomegranates, and figs
• Num 20:4-5 (NIV) Why did you bring the Lord's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
• We will discuss this "grumble" later as it is very significant in the NT, but while the issue is water, the mention of the three items leads us back to the "spy event," why?
• The missing items are a constant reminder of their disobedience
• APPLICATION:
• Do we believe God always answers our prayers?
• Do we demand our answer from God?
• Is there issue of disobedience in my life that I have not repented and sought God's help?


The Report
Num 13:26-33 (NIV) They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan."


30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."


31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."


• What was the original purpose of the spy's trip and what had it diverged into?
• Originally, they were looking for an attack route and an understanding of the type of land to divide up among the tribes
• Ultimately it became an intelligence report on their probability of success
• By going beyond their assigned task, they do what?
• They usurped the authority of the leaders (they were not their tribe's leaders), and far more importantly of God
• This is an example of human opinion, philosophy, and worldview juxtaposed against God's direction and his word
• APPLICATION: How quick do we consider the world's opinion against God, ignoring the absurdity of comparing man to God in knowledge?


The People's Response
Num 14:1-9 (NIV) That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."


5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them."


• Obviously, the ten spies cause a huge emotional response from the people (actually, the report is exactly as God said -- a land flowing with milk and honey), but why the response of the people?
• They focused on the GIANTS, not on the promises
• What were they expecting? A cakewalk, go around the circle and wait until your number is chosen
• They focused on the things of the world, and not the things of God
• BOTTOMLINE: They did not believe God!!!
• Four men (Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb) fall down before the people. They argue the truths of God's word. They remind them of truths they should already know
• APPLICATION: We have the word of God. There is no excuse for not reminding ourselves of his truths by regularly reading God's word


God's Test
Num 14:10-19 (NIV) But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord 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? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."


13 Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O Lord, are with these people and that you, O Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 'The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'


17 "Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 'The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' 19 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."


• God tells Moses that he will destroy the people and start over. This reminds us of another incident with a similar response, what is it?
• The golden calf
• This is an extremely important moment in the history of Israel …
• Heb 3:16-19 (NIV) Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?  19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
• Israel cannot enter their rest because of unbelief
• This is Israel's irrevocable decision. They can choose to do what God says or they can choose to do what the world tells them is best
• They choose the judgment of man and forfeit spiritual rest
• We've talked about the warning in Hebrews before. Essentially, if believers do not continue in faith toward maturity in their walk with God, they will miss out on a sabbath-rest for believers. This is not heaven or losing their salvation, but the peace that comes from a life lived devoted to God
• Just as before, Moses intercedes for the people, as I believe God intended
• APPLICATION: Certain decisions in life are irrevocable spiritually. You cannot lose your salvation but they can determine the direction of the rest of your life. You can be forgiven but you can not escape the consequences of certain decisions


God's Judgment
Num 14:20-38 (NIV) The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times —  23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea."


26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your bodies will fall — every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But you — your bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 34 For forty years — one year for each of the forty days you explored the land — you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die."


36 So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it —  37 these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.


• Is God merciful or a hard judge? How many times has Israel rebelled? What signs and wonders has God shown them?
• How does the punishment fit the crime?
• They worried about dying in Canaan. They are to die in the desert
• They Adults rejected Canaan, so God gave it to their children
• They spent 40 days essentially figuring out if they could take the land, they would spend 40  years (one day for one year) traveling in the desert
• God judges the ten spies who brought the bad report. They die of plague, but Joshua and Caleb don't
• APPLICATION: when God gives you a job, do the job, don't tell God how the job should be done


The People's Inability to Obey
Num 14:39-45 (NIV) When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the Lord promised."


41 But Moses said, "Why are you disobeying the Lord's command? This will not succeed! 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, 43 for the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword."


44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord's covenant moved from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.


• What do the Israelites remind you of?
• Children who broke an expensive vase who decide to make it better by gluing it back together (Ashley)
• We too can fail to receive our reward if we disobey God, both here (the Sabbath-rest) and in eternity
• We also need to accept the discipline of God and not fight against God