Don't Miss God's Blessings!

Numbers 13 ESV

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. 4 And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. 17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. 21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Numbers 14:1–9 ESV

1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

How many of us have ever had one of those moments that seemed too good to be true? Whether it be a better grade on an exam, it could be good news at the doctor’s office, maybe it’s a new job, better finances, a new car, the list could go on and on. But have you ever been asked to do something you felt was beyond your capabilities? What did you feel? Anxiousness, fear, concern, doubt? Yet God opens doors that will sometimes also challenge us. Maybe it is something that moves us from our comfort zone, something that challenges us, takes us in a different direction. Have you ever had an opportunity present itself, that seems to be too good to be true only to question why you were the one, possibly you question whether you are good enough, or you don’t deserve the opportunity. How many times have we prayed for something, and God gives us a way, and we convince ourselves we are not capable or worthy?

How many times have we missed out on God’s blessings simply because we did not have the faith to simply follow where He leads us. We find a similar situation when we read of the nation of Israel here in Nehemiah 13 & 14. God has already heard their cries to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. They had seen God’s hand in the 10 plagues. On the last plague they were spared as the death angel passed over the houses with the blood on the door posts. They experienced Him parting the waters of the Red Sea. They had been led to the Promised Land. Now they were challenged with following the promises of God, or allowing the things of the world to keep them from missing out on God’s blessings.

God’s Promise

Genesis 12:6–7 ESV

6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

During the time of a famine, Abram went through Canaan (the promised land which would be Israel), built an altar to the Lord, and continued into Egypt. So the Promised Land was promised by God at the time of Abram, and would not be inhabited for another 4 generations. Somewhere around 400 years would pass between the promise to Abram until Joshua would lead the Israelites into Canaan.

Throughout this time, God continued to remind the Israelites of the promise made to them.

Exodus 3:17 ESV

17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’

Just as Abram found out, God reminds them that the land He has promised them would be fruitful and abundant land. There would be no limits to the capacity and capability of this land.

Unfortunately, every time God reminds them of His promise, it seems as though the Israelites get into a state of depression and the “woe-is-me’s”.

Exodus 14:11 ESV

11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?

How quickly they forgot the promise God had given them! How quickly they forgot the deliverance from Egypt. How quickly they forgot about the bitter water being made sweet. How quickly they forgot about the manna and quail. How quickly they forgot God. And how quickly they would miss out on God’s blessings.

But we see a change taking place in Numbers. There was a census taken, the camp was prepared for moving, and they travelled with their family. Throughout their travels, their complaining didn’t cease.

Numbers 11:4–6 ESV

4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

So, God made sure the people would be fed.

Numbers 11:18–20 ESV

18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?” ’ ”

Here in Nehemiah, men were sent to scout out the land God promised to give them. The land was fertile, and fruitful. But, they were more concerned over the giants in the land.

They quickly forgot God’s promise. They quickly forgot what they had been delivered from. They quickly forgot what they had been brought to. They, like us, quickly forgot, and when we get into a state of forgetfulness, then we get scared and become doubtful.

Doubting God’s Promise

Numbers 13:27–29 ESV

27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

God had protected all the spies, and they had made a complete overview of the promised land. Forty days they had been in enemy territory. Forty days of intel. Forty days to think of God’s promise. But the report was mixed. The land was flowing with milk and honey. They brought back examples of the fruit. They knew it would feed the people and their livestock. It was all they would ever need or desire. But the majority of them were overcome with fear. There were powerful cities, fortified to the hilt. There were descendants of Anak, giants, living there. There were enemies occupying the area. Ten of the 12 spies brought back a bad report. No way should they enter. THEY felt they were defeated, they were scared. But yet we see a picture of faith in Joshua and Caleb.

Faithful Following God

Numbers 13:30 ESV

30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”

We find the testimony of Caleb to be one of strength and courage. Come on, God has promised us this land now let’s go! But how often have we known God was calling us to action, that God has placed something or someone in our path, and we know that is where God is leading, yet we are scared like these other Israelites?

We are told to be like Joshua and Caleb.

Isaiah 12:2 ESV

2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

God can, God will, and God does. But, do we? Do we follow where He leads? Do we courageously go where we may not feel comfortable? Do we march to the promised land and enter, or do we hesitate with fear and doubt? You see, we are called to be courageous. We are called to be faithful and follow God’s promises. If not, will we miss out on God’s blessings?

Don’t Miss God’s Blessings

Numbers 14:1–3 ESV

1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

They key to missing out on God’s blessings is unbelief. The people didn’t believe Caleb and Joshua. The people chose to believe the cowards. The people chose to follow the popular opinion, even though it was against God’s will.

Numbers 14:11 ESV

11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel like you have been wandering around hopeless and helpless? Do you ever stop to think that may be because of our own doing? God asked the Israelites to follow Him by faith. God asks us to do the same. But when we continue to ignore Him, does He ask the same question, how long will you despise me? What did God mean by this word? The root signifies the action or attitude whereby a recipient of favorable disposition and/or service is consciously viewed and/or treated as unworthy of one's consideration or respect. God had done everything the Israelites had asked. He even went so far as giving them abundant blessings, only to have them ignore His commands. As a result, the Israelites would wander for 40 years in the wilderness. Those generations that did not want to enter would not be allowed into the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb - those faithful - would be allowed to enter. Are we wandering in our 40 years because of our attitudes and actions towards God’s calling, command, and promises we have ignored? Are we missing God’s blessings?

Closing

I don’t want us to miss out on God’s blessings. God does not want us to miss out on His blessings.

We should miss God’s blessings for our lives because we are scared to follow where He is leading.

Status Quo leaves us in the same place we have always been, and always will be, and we WILL miss His blessings.

But by relying on God, by faithfully following His promises, we will receive blessings beyond measure.

Sometimes it takes us out of our comfort zone, but it grows us in our faith.

Are you willing to grow your faith today by faithfully following God’s plan for your life?