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Numbers 13-14 – Fight Club
Choices have consequences
The pastor of a church was sick one Sunday morning, so a preacher was called for pulpit supply.
As the substitute preacher was greeting the congregation he made the statement, "You know, a substitute preacher is like a piece of cardboard in a broken window. He fills the space, but after all, he's not the real glass." He then proceeded with his sermon.
After the service, a lady approached him trying to pay him a compliment by saying, "You weren't a replacement after all. You were a real pane."
Numbers 13
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan,
3 All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
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
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,
25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring 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."
Message Bible
Numbers 13:31-33 But the others said, "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel.
Exaggeration, distortions, hyperbole “everyone’s doing it”
Genesis 3 – Satan twisting the truth
Similarities
1. All twelve spies were leaders in their tribes
2. All twelve spies received the same promise
3. All twelve spies received the same opportunities
Differences
Majority report
1. Ten said “No”
2. Misunderstood their mission
3. Never mention God
4. Saw God in light of circumstances
Minority report
1. Two said “Go”
2. Understood their mission
3. All about God
4. Saw circumstances in light of their God
Numbers 14
1 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."
Are they accusing God of not caring for their children?
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."
10 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."
Board Meeting all against Pastor – Thunder Lightning Voice from Heaven supporting pastor = Okay 11-2
13 Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it!
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."
20 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.
Exodus 20:4-6 Ten Commandments
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 34:6-7 New tablets
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
Only Christians shoot their wounded (sin)
Wounded is lost job, injury, sickness, house burn down – not sin
18 Yet 21 Nevertheless – Yeah but
Forgiveness, but punishment (instruction you feel)
Alyce “kiss” when caught doing something wrong
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.
32 But you—your bodies will fall in this desert. (That is the whole verse)
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.
Message Bible
Numbers 14:36-38 So it happened that the men Moses sent to scout out the land returned to circulate false rumors about the land causing the entire community to grumble against Moses—all these men died. Having spread false rumors of the land, they died in a plague, confronted by GOD.
Sin of omission – didn’t go
James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
God doesn’t steer a parked car
Esther 4:13-14
He (Mordecai) sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you (Esther) are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Sin naturally multiplies
Sin of commission - rumors
• Evil reports influence us to form bad opinions of each other!
Definitions:
* A whisperer - one who secretly or privately passes on an evil report.
* Gossip - magnifies and sensationalizes rumors.
* Slanderer - uses facts or distorted facts to destroy another’s credibility and reputation.
* Busybody - Digs up evil reports and spreads it around by means of whispering, gossip, or slander.
What motivates these things?
• Bitterness
• Rebellion
• Deception
• Pride
• Guilt
• Jealousy
• Envy
Frustration of Leadership / Tough being a Pastor
"If I express myself on a subject, I'm trying to run things.
If I'm silent, I'm dumb or have lost interest.
If I'm often at my office (preparing messages), why don't I get out and learn what's going on.
If I'm out when they call, why am I not tending to business, or studying for a message.
If I'm not at home at night, I'm out having a good time.
If I'm home, I'm neglecting important outside contacts and activities.
If I don't agree with persons, I'm bullheaded.
If I do agree, I don't have any ideas of my own.
If I don't do what I'm requested, I'm a very poor pastor or minister.
If I do agree, well, that's what I'm paid for.
If I give someone a short answer, I'm "too big for my britches."
If I attempt to explain the pros and cons of an issue, I'm a know-it-all.
If I'm well dressed, I think I'm a big shot.
If I'm not, I'm a poor representative of my office.
If I'm on the job a short time, I'm inexperienced.
If I've been there a long time, It's time for a change."
Be careful with comments = Gossip – god doesn’t take it lightly
Choices have consequences
Paul preaching at churches (widows & orphans)
Unsaved choices affect us in saved life
Rahab the Harlot
Theme – getting knocked down
Forgiven but with consequences of not getting into Promised Land
Rear view mirror
Get up and continue on
Only look back to help with the future
Make wise choices
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