Your Ultimate Test: Faith or Despair?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
It is now 2 1/2 months that Israel a freed people have been schooled and prepared since their Exodus from Egypt. It is now July and anticipation must have been so high. They had made the hardest part of the trip, wasn’t the shortest, may have questioned God why out of the way Sinaia. But like on our trip, never know what happens next, grow to trust George, why not with other tourists, why in hot, no bathroom wilderness. Oh wait and see just around the coren, I don’t care ohow sweet and nice ask… Been trained even with the grumbling - and now they had arrived on the border of the Promised Land - actually in an oasis: Kadesh. But this is no Las Vega - vataction what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. No they are at a watershed, whole point of the nation, whoel point of God separating a peole bringing them into Good Land, devoted to Him - That’s what’s a tstake. And this morngin God lays that watershed moement between you and me in full colour. And the fear, despair and unbelief brings Israel to its lowest point, but at the very time the faith, hope, and obedience of Caleb point to how to another people another generation. Moses slows down the narrative pace telling of this climactic event, all sorts of detail and diaologue. Long 5 scene development but we will pick it up right at the centre.
At God’s command the spies, younger men from each ofhte twelve tribes are sent out. And look how the land is decribed:
Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel.
“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.”
And not just for military reconnaissance, but look at the more repeated mission that Moses concludes the instruction for the spies with:
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.
God had promised this land and kind of like a pastor does every week, the spies wre to scout out - what iss the promise like? They depart from the Desert of Zin. On forty day tour - from Hebron, were Abraham had a plot of land 400 years before, received the promise, and all the way up to where Ephraim will have land.
Is it really that good and they like a pastor is to come back to the people and give the sampling of God’s promise. And that is where our watershed moment of faith or unbelief and the climactic trial of God’s people comes in.
KEY TRUTH: Despair choose the wilderness, faith in God’s promise choose the Kingdom & it’s Fruit!
A. Your Faith or your Fear will Interpret your Life-Facts
What are the life facts - v.23 Talks of the Valley of CLUSTERS/ Eschol - Domnant image whici is also symbolic - are these spies coming back with a pole between two of them, cluster of grapes, pomegranates and figs. Fruitfulness, It is indeed a land of milk and honey. Shephalah after the wilderness. Paradise - Eden. That evidence was a reassurance and give hope, trust God for the final stage and most dangerous stage of the journey reason organized in miliatry camp. Life isn’t just about manna and water, nor a bout journey - we have a desitnation and a place and grapes and wine and celebration. When Israel gets into the land, God will look to his people to be like a vineyard, and when fall from him become more wicked than the nations dispossessed, he’ll say looked and no grapes in you vineyeard Israel. Jesus will comes and say I am the vine youare the branches abide in me - bear much fruit. And then message is that fruitfulness depends on faihtfulness to God. The fulfilment of this trip is relaly Christ and His HOly Spirit, and Galataisn 5 tells us this is the oint of the moureny - becomne a peopel, a place on earth not only dwell but fruit of the Spirit - comunity live by this kind of love. Now these are the facts of the report given, but now the fear and faith come into play. There is a majority reportt that twists the facts and distorts , really aborts what the vision of life and ntaionn as God’s peopole is about.
10 of the spies, Look at how they even begin:
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.
Same facts but already changing the interpretation. Everywhere else when the land of Canaan is described, it is the land not the at the eopel are taking or that they are enarning, clianing or fight for! But a the Land the Lord is gifting! The land God swore to give them! But already grumbling they cut God and his gracious ness out, land Moses sent us to. Their initial report has a spin of fear in it:
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.
Now that is realism. The descendants of Anak were huge, and the catlogue that foloows of others nations intimidating. NOt called to a walk in the park or life of ease. But look in their more detailed report how the intial fear is spun into DESPAIR. That word bad report that Moses uses, is actually the Hebrew Wrod for a SLANDEROUS report in a legal sense of being untrue as well as unfavourable. And in that legal vein, they actually accuse not the peope but the land of a crime. They say the Promised Land is guilty of homicide:
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.
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.
There is description of how the dynamics of sin work here. They actually make a legal accustaion of the land: homicide. From the facts they now exaggerate and even lie saying those descendants of Annek - are Nephilim, - mythooglical superheroes of . All desigend to instill fear so that the impossiblity is what the epople will have entrenched in their hearts.
b. But look at the minority report at first and most symbolically just Caleb. In his description as one of the spies, at the very end of the list he cetnres out Hoshea again, descrbign how Moses changed his name from just Hoshea - he saves, to Joshua - Yahweh the LORD JErhovah Saves. There is the point foreshadowed, Israel was at the threshold, they were to make the decivice and final break with Egypt adn the wilderness and by faith become the kingdom of God in the Land. They were to reach the goal and Joshua and later Caleb report:
The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.
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.
Caleb quieted, the people, and the spin he takes on the evidence is not to focus on the disablity, but hte ability and even more the promise of the LORD.
Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
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.”
Why was he so instant that they could do it and do it now? Perhaps you remember me telling you about a director of Christain camp. Cigarette butts found in the bathroom, teh grounds - they respected the rule understood why in place, but director not a smoker very stressful time - confronted - deer in head lights look - said: It’s time to pray. WOuldn’t admit it. They said it is time to confess.
Well, congregation so too, we can pray and be all religious, but if in the one area that God has given clear releveation, in the one area he says, take next step of faith , if in t hat area you compromise and back pedal and let’s prayer and discuss a few days, mayabe we can com up with a compromise. Do you see the opposotie of despair isn’t be nice, rationalize, don’t do anything extreme. The opposite of fear and espair is faith in God and His revealed, Word, His promises., and that focus dhim on the ablity in the Lord , it focuses him to believe like the NT - with God able to do exceeedingly abundanlty beyond what we expect or imagine. With my God I can scale a wall. And so insteadn of cowering before the realitiscic obstacles you mee twith them with faith and with God’s revealed Word and promise.
In the second report that Caleb makes, with now Moses assitant who was also on e fothe spies, with Joshua now stepping as two against 2.5 million.
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.
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. 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.”
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. 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.”
Do you know what you are saying when your life smashes up a gainst hard relaities of suffering, challenge, temptation, selfishness - and you say: THE LORD IS WITH US - when you recall if the LORD DELIGHTS IN US - saying I trust the LORD< he is overall - and I’ve expereinced his goodness and his faithfulnes s is not to be questioned, And you are quick to undertand this despair is rebellion against God!
Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
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.”
Do you know what you are saying when your life smashes up a gainst hard relaities of suffering, challenge, temptation, selfishness - and you say: THE LORD IS WITH US - when you recall if the LORD DELIGHTS IN US - saying I trust the LORD< he is overall - and I’ve expereinced his goodness and his faithfulnes s is not to be questioned, And you are quick to undertand this despair is rebellion against God!
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.”
But it is in the peoples response that we see the sorry sorry effects of living by unbeleif in despair most clearly. It changes the directino your life is taking!
B. Unbelief & Despair make a Reverse Exodus of Your Life.
On hearing the report - they said with the majority and begin weeping and complaining.
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.
They look at the hardship of the journey and the cahllenges of kngdom of God, and they are not up for the challenge. They accuse God saying, where you are leading us …
“Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
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!
There will be great irony in the first unbelieving genreation - getting what they want and ying in the wilderness, but the more telling change of direction is given in the excuse they use:
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 are accusing the Lord of evil, because ohow they are led into hardship for a greater purpose. Two and half years hasn’t been enough for htem to learn to trust their leader. But the excuse is thier concern for their wives an children, yet with great irony it is the children who will learn faith and enter the land. But do you see the cahange of direction,? If you live by despair, you head back to Egypt, you thihnk slvaery is better than challenge and faith. And here comes the heart o the rebellin, let’s find another leader who will keep us in the nice sage status quo, even if its slsvaery. And let’s return to the gods of Egypt and ot the living Lord who leads you into dangerous terriotry but into wonderful kingdom.
And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Do you remeber what the last two test were about - Araon and Miriam - reject God’s appointed Mediator, bevore that God’s provision in the second test - Spiri of God on elders but in lasting way on Moses. They are going to choose their own leader who will enable them to reject God’s paln and leader. They are almost in paradise - but despair poisons it all. Their sin isn’t just pride, but like Adam and Eve their pride of deciding to turn back is based on lack of trust to let GOd be God. They don’t trust His hand to provide . Satan says God’s holding something back, Did God really say, . They have lost the ability to hope in the LORD, won’t live with courage and faith - and will satisfy with much less than God’s promise.
And I have got to ask you - have you been there? unwiling to meet the obstacles, giving up in the hope God’s Word, settling for less because you have no hope. Kind of like Greek myth Sysphyus, man’s lot just to push big stone up then down, nothing more, so forget it!
Andthey pick up stones in a judicial act, people have spoken - and they like later was threaten of Jesus -set their decision in stone
Buthen it happens God and HIs Mediator INtervene!
Their is so much hope in the tragedy of our lack of atih and hope in this world. Caleba nd Johsua just about to get tstoned. then...
C. God & His Mediator Secure Forgiveness, & a Reward for a Generation of Faith
in our inability that leads back to slavery OR Optimism in God’s Promise that Leads to the Fruit of the Promised Land?
And this makes this the lowest point of Israel’s history, also one of its definign moments. This is more serious than godlen calf, because they had the law, they had the tabernacle, they had 2 12 years of training in holniness and cleansing. Of seein the sgins of God, hearing the teaching of God. And now it is not just people crying out. Look what happens:
Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.
The glowing presence at the tent of meeting, tabernacle, turns to a consuming fire. And God cries out and his first words aren’t judgment but lament. Like Psalmist in How LONG LORD … how long must I groan. like ROmans 8 whoel creation is gronaing. Like God before the flood - heart grieved at all the evil.
Numbers 14:11 “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?
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?
Our unbeleif, our turning from the leadership of God’s medioatr, our despair it grieves God. And remeber the flood - here is one strategy that would show God’s pure justice and yet grace to Moses, just like he had done with Noah.
I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
But then just like at the Godlen Calf, a most unexpected things happens. Moses most patient man that ever lived, save for the Oen Graeater than Moses, Jesus the Ultiamte Mediaotr - he says I don’t want it for me and my seed, In fact even destory me, but go with them Lord. Isn’t that what Jesus say on the Cross, - don’t do it to them, do it to me! He appeals to the repurattion of God to the Egyptians and watching nations, the faithfulness to His covenant promises, and to the ultiiate glory of God in saving a people.
And though this isn’t the full forgiveness that the sacrfices pointed to nor, the full forgiveness the prpehts would later speak of with God no longer iputing guilt. This is a covering over Israel sin, a pardoning. LIke you and I do when we forgive, not a forgetting, but a willingness to continue in a reltiansihpo despite the past, despite the sin, I will stay commotited to you. Their are still consequences to this sin. Unbelievers dies in the wilderness, 40 years, instead of the bread of the Prised land, manna and wilderness. Forgiveness in this sense is a gritty patience, but it is also a nevertheless - the gnereation of unbelief, rebellion are disinherited from the blessing of the PRised Land. Thos who despies ethe LORD not see it. Turn back - you get what you wished, back toward the Read, Sea back ot the wilderness …
But what is God’s overriding lesson to us? Look at the reward of faith? Look at the promise at the darkest rebellion for those who live as the second gerenatio f faith. Pictured in Caleb:
But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.
But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.
Israel’s is stilll consdiered God’s people, but there will be a terrible delay in their lies, a kindo f cleansing, the disciples surgery - painful modling for a people to become holy. And taht second generation did learn the faith of Celb and entered the land. And Caleb though part of that first tested generation, when they get in and is 85 … HOw was it possible? That’s the mwessage - Spirit of the LORD uopn him and he walked by that Spirit, he folloed the LORD whole heartedly. It’s a wonderful thing to become a Christain, it would have been awonderful thing if an 85 year old enter tdthe oppriosed land because in the end lived by faith. But listen even better is to become a Christian and to persevere, tol live as a Christan. CAleb followed the LORD whoe heartedly - ie. Marion PItts God plus one is a maority. Willing to stake his life following the LORD. wehn not ppopluar And the promise isn’t just for him - but for his family, genreations that would come after him.
Evbnagliesm is wonderful, death bed conversions, but I told you thi book is especially good one for young adult for teens, for those in the inbetween time of life. - Heart of the book is transition from first genreation unfiathfulness to second generation faithfulness - your caling. while in LImbo - make a Caleb choice of faith - before you know where its going to lead, Oh peer pressure -but how they act and what they really think often two very different things. Feel so Timtid. Well certainty comes when saved sinner persevere with God, bleiving His proimses and obeying His Word. This Caleb path is the path to spiritual growth. And every tinme we dis-believe and desair and retreat, we are brusing our spiritual growth. Bad shin bruise can’t walk so well,. So many Christains don’t have salt and light to neighbours and coworkers because not living in fear of the Lord from the insde out. One puritan put it this way: The smiles and forwns of God are to be of great weight and value than the smiales and fown of the World. Have freindships where we give of ourselves sacrficeailly, but don’t give yourself, you values conscience, for friendship .
Not yet done our journey, and their is delay and obstacle that will draw out eithe unbelief and espair or faith and hope. WIth Christ aa your captisna look at
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Luther understands that justification—God’s acceptance of us while still sinners—also involves sanctification, both individually and as a church community. This is certainly true at the individual level: “Christ lives, works, and rules per redemptionem, through grace and the forgiveness of sins, and the Holy Spirit per vivificationem et sanctificationem, through daily cleansing of sins and renewal of life, so that we do not remain in sins, but can and should lead a new life in all kinds of good works and not in the old, evil works.” At the communal and public level, the church, according to Luther, has been given the power to discipline public sins, for “the church or people of God does not tolerate public sinners in its midst.”21 Recognizing that such a practice needs to find a middle course between “arrogance and faintheartedness,” Luther nevertheless sees such judgment and discipline within the community of the church both as a means of the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and for the sake of the mission of the church to be a holy people among the nations.
CONCLUSION: Well congregation, picture those gigantic lsh fruits hanging from the poles -there is a cpiture of the fruitfulness God desires us to enjoy and to bring forth. Think of that spiritual fruit and blessing - is your life pointed towards that - no matter the ogstacles, Or is your life direction heading back to the lesser pleasures of Egypt and its slavery , like a dog returnign to it svomit. What direction is your life pointing in.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I know we all grow weary and lose heart - but God’s message to those who will step out in faith, one step given, take it th next given to you - is the msessage through our Svaviour Jesus
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
The fruit is exceedingly good and so His kingdom, you don’t need another captian but hte captian of our salvation. Listen to in our inability that leads back to slavery OR Optimism in God’s Promise that Leads to the Fruit of the Promised Land? And listen if you will a have apersevere faith, one that is whole hearted and whole life listen to God’s reward on the grace you receive?
Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
You see what unbelief does, it spreads liek a contagiion not just across that first generation; but if you don’t live by faith whoel heardedly also from one genreati to the next. But look how your step in faith now, whoelheated devotion to the Lord, - can effect future generations - Caelb into the land of Ephraim for genreations to come. God says look at tat fruit, and by faith step forwrad, taste and se that the Lord is good!
David L. Stubbs, Numbers, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2009), 134.
