Bereans Corner
Bereans Corner
Thru the Bible - #128 -Numbers 14 - The People Rebel
Welcome to Berean's Corner, the podcast where we go through books of the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse, wherever you are in the world. Thank you for joining. Grab a glass of water, a cup of coffee or tea and let's get into today's lesson. All right, welcome back and thank you for joining me. As always, open your bible to numbers chapter 14 as we get into today's lesson. The title of the lesson is the People Rebel Numbers chapter 14, and let's read.
Speaker 2:Numbers 14. That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 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. 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? And they said to each other we should choose a leader and go back to Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there.
Speaker 2:Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly the land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 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. 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. But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 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? Me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them, I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they. Moses said to the Lord. Then the Egyptians will hear about it. By your power, you brought these people up from among them and they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. By your power, you brought these people up from among them 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. If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say the Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath. So he slaughtered them in the desert. Now may the Lord's strength be displayed. Just as you have declared.
Speaker 2: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. 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. The Lord replied I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 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, 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. 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.
Speaker 2:Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron how long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites, so tell them as surely as I live, declares the Lord. I will do to you the very things I heard you say. 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. Not one of you will enter the land. I swore with uplifted hand hand to make your home, except Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But you, your bodies, will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 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. 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.
Speaker 2: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, these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord.
Speaker 2:Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, survived. When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. 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. But Moses said why are you disobeying the Lord's command? This will not succeed. Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, for the Amalekites and the 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. 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. 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.
Speaker 1:All right Now. The last time we were together, moses sent the spies out to view the land, heard the Lord's instructions. Today, the people continue to rebel. Now we have broken this chapter down into eight parts. The first part is the people cry and weep. We see this in verse one. Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried and the people wept that night. As I mentioned before, this people continues to, uh, this people continues to complain and gripe against the lord, and it is no different here now. This is following the fact that the spies went out and then the spies came back and gave the report and talked about the Nephilim being in the land. That could be the reason they're crying and weeping, but the point is this the lord has walked with these people, he has shown himself to these people, yet these people are still weeping and complaining. Which brings us to part two.
Speaker 1:The grumbling makes some of the people consider returning to Egypt. We see this in verses two to four. And 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 the land of egypt, or would that we had died in this wilderness? And 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? So they said to one another let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt. You know, it's very disturbing that after all that these people have been through, after all the Lord has put these people through, that their concern is returning back to Egypt. You know, there, in other verses they talked about how, when they were in Egypt, it was, it was better for them. You know, things were better when we were Egypt. Yeah, we were slaves, but things were better then, you know, than they are right now. It's very interesting and that these people are so spooked by what the spy saw on the land that they want to go back to their own captivity instead of realizing that the Lord is with them and the Lord is going to deliver them the way that he said he would.
Speaker 1:Part three some of the men try to get the people to trust God. We see this in verses five to nine. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of uh, of those who had spat out the land, tore their clothes and they spoke to all of the congregation of the sons of israel, saying the land which we pass through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 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. Only do not rebel against the lord and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. Listen, these men are trying to get these people to see. Listen, the Lord is with us. The Lord has shown that he's with us. He's going to lower these people's defense and he's going to strengthen us and we're going to take the land which brings to part four.
Speaker 1:The people wanted to stone the four men, but then god intervenes. We see this in verses 10 to 12. But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of israel. Who did the lord show himself to to all the sons of Israel. Who did the Lord show himself to? To all the sons of Israel, to all the children of Israel? Even after this plea that was given to them, they still wanted to stone them. Now we don't want to hear none of that. We need to get y'all out of here, and then we're going to kill the four of you, then appoint someone to take us back to Egypt. Verse 11 and the Lord said to Moses how long will these people spurn me and how long will they not believe in me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? What have I been saying? The Lord is saying all the Lord has shown himself to these people, yet these people are still against the Lord. I will smite them with pestilence and dispose them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they. The Lord is saying that you know what I'm going to get these people out of here with pestilence, and I'm still going to make you a great nation.
Speaker 1:Part five Moses once again intercedes to God on behalf of Israel. We see this in verses 13 through 19. But Moses said to the Lord then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by thy strength thou didst bring up this people from their midst and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. Art, lord, excuse me for thou art, lord, art seen eye to eye while they cloud stands over them and thou does not go, does not go before them in the pillar by day and in the pillar of fire by night. Now, if thou does slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of it, of thy fame, will say because the lord could not bring this people into the land which he promised them by oath. Therefore he slaughtered them in the wilderness. But now I pray, let the power of the lord be great, just as thou has declared. The lord is slow to anger and abundant in loving, kindness, forgiving iniquity and transgressions, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the burden of the third and fourth generation. What, lord, what Moses is pleading here, is this he's saying Lord, my God, if you take all of these people out here in the wilderness, the people back in Egypt, the ones who weren't slain with Pharaoh and his army, they will start to spread it around to all the other nations that the God of Israel is not a mighty God, that the God of Israel only brought them out there to let them die in the wilderness. He brought them out there because he couldn't put them into the land of milk and honey, as he said. So Moses is pleading with the Lord and saying Lord, do not let your name be spoken down upon by these other nations.
Speaker 1:Part six there are consequences for unbelief, and we see this in verses 20 to 25. Excuse me, so the lord said. I have pardoned them according to your word, he's telling. He's already started by telling moses. You know, moses, I'm listening to you, but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. Surely all the men who have seen my glory and my signs which I perform in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put me to the test these 10 times and have not listened to my voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurn me see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring it to the land which he entered and his descendants shall make possession of it Now. The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set up to the wilderness by the sea, excuse me, by the way of the red sea. So what's going on here is is that the lord is saying that all these people who are against him, who are who have forgot his, his ways, who have forgot what he did for them, they won't see the land, but he still is going to keep his promise, as he always does to israel, to come into this land. Which brings us to part seven.
Speaker 1:Israel keeps complaining. We see this in verses 26 to 35. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying how long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are making against me. The Lord is making it very clear that he hears everything that they're saying. Say to them as I live, says the Lord. Just as you have spoken in my hearing, so I will surely do to you.
Speaker 1:Your corpses shall fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number, from 20 years old and upwards, who have grumbled against me. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except caleb, the son of uh jop and I, and joshua, the son of none. Your children, however, whom you said will become a prey, I will bring them in and they shall know the land which you have rejected. They're not going in, but their children will. But as for you, your corpses shall fall in this wilderness and your sons shall be shepherds for 40 years in the wilderness, and they shall suffer for your unfaithfulness until your corpses lie in the wilderness. According to the number of days which you spied out the land 40 days. For every day you shall bear your guilt. A year, even 40 years. You shall know my opposition.
Speaker 1:I, the Lord, has spoken. Surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against me in this wilderness they shall be destroyed and there they shall die. So the Lord has made it very clear what's going to happen. To listen the Lord is not going to let this evil slide. He has been here for this people, he has taking care of this people, yet they are still grumbling, and they are grumbling right in front of the Lord's presence. Remember the Lord appears to them as a pillar of cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire in night. He's guiding them, he's leading them. Remember when the cloud went up and moved? The people moved. Why? Because they knew that that was God right there in front of them leading the way. Yet and still these people are still grumbling and complaining against the Lord.
Speaker 1:Then we get to part eight. The negative spies go down and it's too late for Israel to get the blessings back. We see this in verses 36 to 45. Ask for the men whom Moses sent to spot out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land. Even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord. So it wasn't just the people, but it was also the ones who came back with the bad report. But Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, remained alive. Out of those men who went to spot out the land, the two who came back with the positive report and said we can take the land. The land surely flows with milk and honey and the Lord will give this land to us. Those are the ones that the Lord allowed to live.
Speaker 1:And when Moses spoke these words to all the sons of israel. The people mourned greatly 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. But moses said why then are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord when it will not succeed? In other words, what Moses said to his people is is that you talking nonsense just because you spoke it with your mouth? That that's that naming and claiming stuff. Just because you're saying that you know what we're going to go up into this land because the Lord promises, promised it to us.
Speaker 1:Moses is saying it will not succeed. What you're saying why? Because the lord has already spoken verse 42 do not go up lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the lord is not among you. Hey, the lord is not with these people, the lord is not with everybody. The lord has removed his covering, covering from these people, for the amalekites and the canaanites will be there in front of you and you will fall by the sword in as much as you have turned back from following the Lord, and the Lord will not be with you.
Speaker 1:Moses is telling these people listen, you can go up all you want. You can go fight, you can go to war, all you want. The Lord is not with you. He has removed his covering from you. But they went up heedlessly, to the ridge of the hill country. Neither the ark of the covenant of the lord, no more. Moses left the camp. Then the amalekites and the canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and struck them and beat them down as far as her mind. So what happened to these people? Just what moses told them. The lord already said that he wasn't with them. And moses told them listen, you can talk that. Talk all you want. The Lord is not with you. You can, you can blab naming and claim it, blabbing and grab it. You can say all you want, oh no, no, we're gonna go and we're gonna say that you know the Lord is with us and the Lord is gonna do these things for us. It is not gonna happen. And what happened to them? The Amalekites and the Canaanites struck them down.
Speaker 1:All right, there was a lot of lessons in this story, right here, when the Lord does a mighty thing, when you know his, his truth and his realness, you stick with the Lord, you stick with his sayings, you stick with his followers. You don't turn against the Lord. When the Lord promises a thing, that thing is going to come to pass, and that is a lesson for us. We need to use Israel back here as a cautionary tale. When you turn against the Lord, when you grumble against the Lord, there is a consequence for that. All right, that brings us to the end of Numbers, chapter 14.
Speaker 1:As always, I hope you got something out of this lesson. Continue to pray for me to stay steadfast and strong in the word to finish the race, and I'm doing the same for you. I appreciate every one of you very much. I appreciate the time that you take to go through these scriptures with me. That is all for now, god bless.
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