Facing off with Reality and Winning
Numbers 14:6-10
In life, there are so many mismatches between the vision and the reality. And in life, you only get so many chances to talk yourself out of your own dire assessment before you are locked into believing your own story and become a grumpy old coot. Do you know someone like that? (Don’t LOOK at them right now!) This portion shows an example of how pathways God uses to transform our dour or "realistic" assessment to bring us to a positive expectation of seeing His promise fulfilled.
But first I have two questions. My first question is…
What took them so long?
The people of Israel were right near the border of the Land, right near ARAD in south east Israel, which many of you know where that is. This story takes place within the 1st year of the 40 years in the wilderness. Why did it take 39 more years to just walk that short distance into God’s blessing?
THEY TRIED right away, left the ark and moses behind and were repulsed (end of chapter 14). They were beaten back by the inhabitants of the land. God told this group of grumpy folks that they would live, but NO ONE WOULD ENTER THE LAND EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO BRING A GOOD REPORT.
My second question is…
How many second chances do you get in life?
Israel spent a tremendous amount of time complaining, rebellling, refusing to be part of God's plan for rhem as a blesse nation. How many times can one screw up with God and get away with it. The answer apparently is …maximum NINE. Ha! Just after this verse, it says:
22 Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. Numbers 14:22-23
These ten men with bad reports DIED RIGHT AFTER RETURNING IN A PLAGUE.
There are only so many transformative moments that shape who you are and how you see the world. You don’t get “second chances” at them. They are moments / opportunities / tragedies that happen TO you. You DO get a second chance at HOW you process them. God’s theory for your life (His Promises) rarely seem to match your current circumstance. The second chance question is more about HOW YOU CHOOSE TO PROCESS that information… in keeping with how God thinks, or how YOU think.
The ten spies were the best and brightest of all Israel, hand picked, one from each tribe. Smart, fit, clever, creative, resourceful. They were so special that their names and even their parents' names are recorded. Num 13.4. And they came back with detailed reports of ACCURATE assessments. Charts, graphs, maps, blog posts. They made sure their report went VIRAL.
NUM 14:2 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.”
How does God rescue us from our own dour assessment of His plan for us?
1st God gives you a vision:
Joshua and Caleb tried to paint the picture of an outcome that matched the promise God had made.
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.
Numbers 14:8
Returning and possessing the land was GOD’S thought. Weill it be easy?
2nd God tells you the Vision is a challenge:
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.” Numbers 14:9
Your need is real, it may be painful DO NOT FEAR, DO NOT GIVE UP
3rd: God appears in Power.
Not always, but absolutely sometimes, pivotal times, times you had better remember.
Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. Numbers 14:2-10
4th: He appears when we are gathered together.
Somewhere we got the idea that the great revelations come in lonely “mountaintop experiences”. But today, loneliness is an epidemic, a sickness. It is more likely to be a toxic force in our lives. Yes, we should get alone with Adonai. And Yes, he sets our fee like hinds feet on high places. But it is equally likely that He will give us direction for our lives while we are gathered together.
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ קָרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם׃
And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, of those who had scouted the land, rent their clothes
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֤רְנוּ בָהּ֙ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֔הּ טוֹבָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
and exhorted the whole Israelite community: “The land that we traversed and scouted is an exceedingly good land.
אִם חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
If pleased with us, יהוה will bring us into that land, a land that flows with milk and honey, and give it to us;
אַ֣ךְ בַּיהֹוָה֮ אַל תִּמְרֹ֒דוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם
סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם
וַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל תִּירָאֻֽם
only you must not rebel against יהוה. Have no fear then of the people of the country, for they are our prey: their protection has departed from them, but יהוה is with us. Have no fear of them!”
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֗ה נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
As the whole community threatened to pelt them with stones, the Presence of יהוה appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.
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