Bryan Clements - Just a Misunderstanding? - OT6
Just a Misunderstanding
Have you ever heard a song and thought you knew the lyrics to it, only to find out later that misunderstood them? I think about the little boy in Sunday School who was asked what his favorite Hymn was. He said the Laundry Song. Bringing in the Sheets. I had an adult who tried to convince me that the song was Bringing in the Sheep. That is what a good shepherd does, he brings in the sheep. Even when we are paying close attention we sometimes miss the point.
This happens to us as adults. Have you ever been given instructions to do something only to find out that you were doing it wrong?
What happens when we don’t understand the instructions or don’t follow the instructions? Things can get really messed up. There is nothing like getting down to end of putting the bike together and realizing you have extra pieces left over. Then you have to take it all apart and start over, only paying attention to the instructions this time.
As we look at today’s passage, ask yourself, “Did they misunderstand what they were supposed to do, or did they just get it wrong?”
We left off last week with Israel escaping through the Red Sea as God wiped out Pharaoh and his army. This week we want to turn our attention to Israel as they are being prepared to enter into the Promised Land.
Moses has led the people up to the Jordan River, they are standing at the brink of the promised land; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land that God promised to give to them.
As they prepare to enter they find that God had a Project for them. Num 13.1-2
Numbers 13:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 2 “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”
These twelve men were charged with checking out the land, they were the scouts. These men were not spies in the sense that they were sneaking around the land. Pretty large party and they went from one end to the other for 40 days. They were not trying to conceal themselves. They probably looked more like tourists on vacation. They were supposed to be out gathering data for the military campaign that was coming up.
Moses gives them pretty specific instructions:
Numbers 13:17-23 (NASB95)
17 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into the Negev; then go up into the hill country. 18 “See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. 19 “How is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are they like open camps or with fortifications? 20 “How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land.”
The men were to report back what they found. They were not charged with making a judgment on what they saw. Their job was to report the facts. The goal of their mission was not to decide whether entering the land was possible or desirable.
Look at verse 2 again:
Numbers 13:2 (NASB95)
2 “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”
The Lord had already reminded Israel that this was the land he was giving to them (13:2). All they had to do was receive it as a gift.
Look at what Moses told the men. He is gathering intelligence on the best way to take the land. Every good major military undertaking requires good intelligence so that the best strategy can be evaluated. God’s promise did not eliminate the need for responsible action.
We are assigned tasks to do, not judgments to make. We are to share the gospel and minister to people; not to judge and not to pick and choose.
Their project was pretty straightforward. Check out the land and bring us back some food samples.
After roaming through the land for 40 days they returned to give Moses the picture of what they saw.
Let’s look at their picture of the promised land. Num 13.27-33.
Numbers 13:27-33 (NASB95)
27 Thus they told him, and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
They showed Moses a cluster of grapes so big that it took two men to carry it. As a bonus they also brought back pomegranates and figs.
It’s everything God said it would be and then some! BUT
28 “Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.
These were the descendants of the Nephilim, the giants.
It’s a great place, but we can’t take it. It’s impossible.
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” 32 So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. 33 “There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
The scouting committee couldn’t come to unanimous conclusion. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? The committee brought back a majority and a minority report of what they found.
Everyone agreed that it was a great place, but ten of the members believed they could never overtake the people in the land. The people were too big, the cities were too strong. No way!
But two holdouts wouldn’t go along with this. Joshua and Caleb went to the same places as the other 10, but they had a different take.
Numbers 14:7-8 (NASB95)
7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey.
This isn’t just a good place. It is exceedingly good. God isn’t just moving us into a place to scrimp by in life. He is giving us a place that is exceedingly good.
How can these two have this attitude in spite of what the other ten said? The ten were focused on what they saw in front of them. Couldn’t get past it. Giant men, fortified cities and strongholds. No way man can win against this. But Caleb and Joshua were focused on what God had said. Maybe they remembered what God had done.
Remember, God wants to make sure that He gets the credit for what happens. He wants to leave no doubt about who delivered them, who fed them, and who would be responsible for getting them into the Promised Land.
When we focus on God we are okay. It is when we take our eyes off of Him that we get in trouble.
Matthew 6:33 (NASB95)
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
We go through life so fast, hurrying from one thing to another; putting out fires, that we can only focus on what is in front of us. When that happens God gets pushed to the back burner. He gets the left over time, the left-over energy. God doesn’t want our leftovers; He doesn’t want our second best.
We are a living sacrifice, a living offering to Him. God doesn’t accept second class sacrifices. No blemish, fault, defect. God is saying don’t bring me your rejects, bring me your best. God knows how we are. We would try to give him second best. We wouldn’t want to waste a good animal in the fire. But, He expects the same thing from us. We are never going to be a perfect sacrifice, but we can give Him the best of what we have to offer.
Caleb and Joshua didn’t sugar coat what they saw, but they trusted God to keep His promise.
The Israelites heard both reports and like most folks they went with the majority opinion. The majority isn’t always right. Just because you have numbers on your side, doesn’t make you right.
We have seen the Project and the Picture. Now let’s look at the Panic.
Numbers 14:1-19 (NASB95)
1 Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and 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 plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”
What a bunch of whiners! They weren’t grumbling against Moses, they were grumbling against God. How quickly they forget everything that God has done for them to this point.
Delivered them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea. Took pharaoh out in the process. Fed them manna and quail. Gave them water from a rock. Every little bump in the road that comes they want to complain about it.
Every time the Israelites get in trouble they want to run back to Egypt. At least we had food there. It was so much better being a slave in Egypt. They wanted to go back to the good old days. Isn’t it funny that the old days always seem so much better. Now, there are some good things about bygone days, but it seems that the more distance between now and then, we seem to forget about the bad things and just remember the good things. Time has a way of doing that.
They wanted to appoint a new leader and go back to Egypt. Do you really think that they could have gone back to Egypt? Can we have our old slave jobs back? We’ll even make brick without straw. What do you think the Egyptians would have thought? What are they going to do to us now? Ever since they left life has been good. No more plagues, our children are okay.
Going back wasn’t a realistic option. In their panic it sounded like a good idea. When we panic we don’t think straight.
Does it make sense to believe that the Lord poured out earth-shattering plagues on Egypt, parted the Red Sea in front of his people, and then fed them miraculously with manna in the wilderness only to have them fall at the hands of the inhabitants of the Promised Land? Does God do one dramatic series of miracles in the lives of his people only to fail at the last hurdle, leaving them tantalizingly short of what he promised? That doesn’t make sense.
We are not any different:
Isn’t our unbelief equally irrational though?
We believe and proclaim that our God created the universe out of nothing; yet we find it hard to believe that the results of a particular medical test belong to him.
We believe and proclaim that our God directs the courses of kings and nations and that he has transformed our own dead hearts into living, responsive flesh; yet we find it hard to believe that he can bring our stubborn friends and neighbors to faith in himself.
We believe and proclaim that our God entered history as a baby in Bethlehem; yet we find it hard to believe that he is active in our own personal history, holding our hand through the events of this week and the next.
We believe and proclaim that he suffered on the cross for our sins and rose again triumphant from the grave to free us from our sins; yet we find it hard to believe that this particular sin of ours could ever be forgiven or that the power of that sinful habit could ever be broken. Our unbelief is always fundamentally irrational.
But in the midst of their panic we see the pleas of Moses and Aaron and Joshua and Caleb.
First we see them plead with the people not to turn away from the Lord:
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 “Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.
As they are pleading with the people the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? 12 “I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, (just like he did to unbelieving Egypt and Pharaoh) and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.” 13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
Moses is pleading with God to protect His good name. What will the other nations think if you wipe them out. They’ll think you couldn’t do what you promised. God forgive these people, even if it is only for the sake of ensuring that you get the glory and honor.
As I read verse 12 I can’t help but think, what would have happened if Moses had said, “Sounds good to me Lord. I’ll be remembered for ever.” But Moses was a Levite.
Moses had been in this position before, thinking the thoughts that God has here.
EX 17.4 What shall I do with this people? Exasperated, frustrated.
How would you feel coming down out of the mountain after spending time with God, bringing the people God’s commandments only to find out that they are having a drunken, wild party, while you were off doing God’s work? You would be pretty frustrated, too.
And this isn’t the first time God made the offer to Moses.
Back in Ex 32 God says, “Just let me wipe them out.” I will make you, Moses, into a great nation. Moses has matured to the spot that he knows better than this. That is not what God had promised. Moses intercedes for Israel and asks God not to destroy them. Not for the people’s sake but so that God’s name will not be defamed.
Moses knows that is not how God works. He tells God that is not how He works. Moses isn’t telling God anything that He doesn’t already know. In his prayers and pleading with God he is being obedient.
As we wrap up this morning I want us to briefly look at the Pardon, the Price and the Presumption of Israel.
God pardons the people, but they still have a price to pay for their actions. Even when we are forgiven our choices still have consequences. God spares the nation from complete destruction, but there is still a punishment. No one over twenty would enter the land with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. God tells them to turn around and head toward the wilderness by way of the Red Sea. But they didn’t! Surely He couldn’t mean that.
Numbers 14:40-45 (NASB95)
40 In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Here we are; we have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised.” 41 But Moses said, “Why then are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord, when it will not succeed? 42 “Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. 43 “For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following the Lord. And the Lord will not be with you.” 44 But they went up heedlessly to the ridge of the hill country; neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and beat them down as far as Hormah.
Israel admitted its sin, but we don’t see any repentance from that sin. They realize that they have blown it when God tells them to turn around. In their arrogance and refusal to seek forgiveness they decide that NOW they want to go ahead and take the Promised Land. All they get for their effort is a pretty good beat down. They went off on their own without God’s blessings and His protection.
There is a big difference in acknowledging our sin and confessing our sin and seeking forgiveness. We pretty much know it is sin when we are doing it. It doesn’t take much to acknowledge it. Turning away from that sin and seeking God’s forgiveness is another matter. We can’t keep sinning and then expect God to bless us. God will forgive our sins but we have to come to Him and confess them. In the New Testament the phrase that is used means that we agree with God that we have sinned. He already knows it. He wants us to recognize it and then seek his forgiveness. He wants us to come back into fellowship with Him.
Without that we are like the Israelites thinking, “Well, God knows I am a sinner, but this is what God wants us to do.” We can’t follow God unless we fellowship with God. We have to get right with God before we try to continue His work. If we refuse to repent, to truly change we will find ourselves in the same situation as the Israelites. We will be beat down by life, wandering around lost just going through life. That’s not what God wants. God wanted an obedient nation.
God wants us in an obedient and right relationship with Him. He wants us to seek after him. Seek first the kingdom of God. If we can get that part right the other things in our life will fall into line.
I want you to close your eyes. This time is between you and God. Nobody looking around. Ask yourself. Am I following the instructions? Am I getting it right? Have you even read the instructions? Maybe you need to go back to the beginning and start over. It’s not too late to do that.
It is okay this morning to approach God and confess that you cannot do this on your own. If you have never trusted Jesus as your savior you can do that this morning. Jesus died for your sins, so that you might live with Him forever. You can ask Him to be the master of your life.
Or you may be here this morning and know that God is calling you to be a part of this body of believers. If you know that come see me after the service. We would love to have you join us.
You may be here this morning and know that Jesus is your Savior and you are already a part of this church. If so, have you found your place in ministry here? Have you asked God how He would have you serve? Make sure that you are hearing the instructions correctly.
Use this time this morning to make sure you are on track with God.