Chapter 14 (Continued)

The Unbelief of the Congregation (Continued)

6. THE JUDGMENT OF THE LORD (Numbers 14:20-24 [20] And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: [21] But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. [22] Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; [23] Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: [24] But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
   See All...) (Continued)
2. The Wages of Sin (Numbers 14:21-23 [21] But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. [22] Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; [23] Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
   See All...) (Continued)
3. The number ten in scripture seems to say that’s enough.
1. Jacob complained that Laban had changed his wages ten times (Genesis 31:7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
   See All..., 41); now it is time to leave.
2. Nehemiah, when rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, was threatened ten times (Nehemiah 4:12And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
   See All...).
3. Job accused his friends of reproaching him ten times (Job 19:3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
   See All...).
4. Daniel and his friends were proven with pulse for ten days (Daniel 1:12-15 [12] Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. [13] Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. [14] So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. [15] And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
   See All...) and they were found to be ten times better than the magicians of the realm (Daniel 1:20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
   See All...).
5. The church of Smyrna will have tribulation ten days (Revelation 2:10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
   See All...).
4. They will not see the land.
3. The Reward for the Faithful (Numbers 14:24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
   See All...)
1. Faithful Caleb
1. My servant Caleb
2. He had another spirit.
3. Followed me fully
2. His Reward
1. Enter into the land
2. His seed shall possess it.
7. A NEW PLAN FROM THE LORD (Numbers 14:25-39 [25] (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. [26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [27] How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. [28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: [29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. [30] Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. [31] But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. [32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. [33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. [34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. [35] I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. [36] And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, [37] Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. [38] But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. [39] And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
   See All...)
1. A New Direction (Numbers 14:25(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
   See All...)
1. Turn you.
2. Get into the wilderness.
2. A New People (Numbers 14:26-35 [26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [27] How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. [28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: [29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. [30] Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. [31] But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. [32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. [33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. [34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. [35] I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
   See All...)
1. They are going to get what they wanted (Numbers 14:26-30 [26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [27] How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. [28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: [29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. [30] Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
   See All...).
1. They murmured against the Lord (Numbers 14:26-27 [26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [27] How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
   See All...).
2. They wanted to die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:28-29 [28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: [29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
   See All...).
3. They will die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29-30 [29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. [30] Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
   See All...).
1. From twenty years old and upward
2. They shall not enter the land.
4. The faithful to enter the land
1. Caleb and Joshua desired to take the land.
2. They will enter.
3. Notice the exclusion of Moses, Aaron and Miriam.  If nothing else this demonstrates the foreknowledge of God.
2. They will wander (Numbers 14:31-35 [31] But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. [32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. [33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. [34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. [35] I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
   See All...).
1. The children (Numbers 14:31-33 [31] But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. [32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. [33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
   See All...)
1. Shall enter the land
2. Will bear the whoredoms of their fathers
1. This whoredom is related to their unbelief.
2. Unbelief in God was based upon a stronger belief in something else (i.e., the people of the land).
3. Unbelief is what kept the Israelites from going into the land (Hebrews 3:19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
   See All...).
4. Without faith the ten spies brought an evil report (Numbers 13:31-32 [31] But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. [32] And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
   See All...), but by faith the elders obtained a good report (Hebrews 11:1-2 [1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
   See All...).
5. Consider the things said in Numbers 14 concerning faithlessness:
1. Rebellion (Numbers 14:9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
   See All...)
2. Provokes the Lord (Numbers 14:11And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
   See All...)
3. Iniquity (Numbers 14:19Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
   See All...)
4. Evil (Numbers 14:27How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
   See All..., 37)
6. Consider other scriptures concerning unbelief:
1. Faith is proof of the invisible (Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
   See All...).
2. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
   See All...).
3. Faith leads to works (James 2:18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
   See All...).
4. Faith comes from hearing the words of God (Hebrews 10:17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
   See All...).
5. Unbelief comes from an evil heart (Hebrews 3:12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
   See All...).
6. Unbelief is connected to idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
   See All...).
7. Unbelief is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-23 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
   See All...).
7. Faith and unbelief seem to travel two distinct paths in a person.  (This rule can be broken.)
1. Faith comes through the ear gate into the brain.  It is a willful decision based upon collected information.
1. Faith comes by hearing.
2. Faith is a choice.
2. Unbelief seems to travel from the eye gate to the heart. It is based upon emotion and not will.
1. In this chapter the eyes of the Israelites saw the giants of the land and their eyes affected their hearts (Lamentations 3:51Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
   See All...).
2. The eyes are continually connected with the heart in scripture (Numbers 15:39And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
   See All...; Job 15:12Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
   See All...; Job 31:7If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
   See All...; Psalm 19:8The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
   See All...; Psalm 38:10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
   See All...; Proverbs 15:30The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
   See All...; Proverbs 23:26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
   See All..., 33; Jeremiah 22:17But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
   See All...; Lamentations 5:17For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.
   See All...; Ezekiel 6:9And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
   See All...; 2 Peter 2:14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
   See All...).
3. It is interesting to note that the very ones the Israelites say they are worried about being a prey to their enemies, are the very ones God is going to bring into the land.
2. Their wanderings (Numbers 14:33-34 [33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. [34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
   See All...)
1. Forty years (Numbers 14:33And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
   See All...)
2. A year for each day the spies searched the land (Numbers 14:34After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
   See All...)
3. The Lord made a breach of promise.
1. The word breach is very similar to the word break in appearance and meaning.  There is also a connection between a breach and the words or root words Pharez, Perezuzza(h), Perez, Baalperazim .  (Genesis 38:29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
   See All...; 2 Samuel 5:20And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
   See All...; 1 Chronicles 13:11And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.
   See All...).
2. The people broke their end and so God had to break off His promises concerning them. His promises were dependent upon their obedience.
3. They will be consumed (Numbers 14:35I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
   See All...).
3. The Fate of the Spies (Numbers 14:36-39 [36] And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, [37] Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. [38] But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. [39] And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
   See All...)
1. The unfaithful spies (Numbers 14:36-37 [36] And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, [37] Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
   See All...)
1. Their report
1. Made the congregation to murmur
2. Slandered the land that the Lord wanted to give them
3. Was called an evil report by the Lord
2. Their end
1. Died by the plague
2. This appears to be a special plague sent by the Lord to destroy the unbelieving spies.
2. The faithful spies were spared (Numbers 14:38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
   See All...).
3. The reaction of the people (Numbers 14:39And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
   See All...)
1. Heard the word of the Lord
2. Mourned greatly
8. CONTINUED DISOBEDIENCE OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Numbers 14:40-45 [40] And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned. [41] And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper. [42] Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. [43] For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you. [44] But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. [45] Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
   See All...)
1. Attempted Repentance (Numbers 14:40And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
   See All...)
2. Further Rebellion (Numbers 14:41-44 [41] And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper. [42] Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. [43] For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you. [44] But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
   See All...)
1. This was against the commandment of the Lord (Numbers 14:41-42 [41] And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper. [42] Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
   See All...).
1. It shall not prosper.
2. The Lord is not with you.
2. The Enemies (Numbers 14:42-43 [42] Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. [43] For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
   See All...)
1. They will smite you.
2. Ye shall fall by the sword.
1. Ye have turned from the Lord.
2. He will not be with you.
3. Their Presumption (Numbers 14:44-45 [44] But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. [45] Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
   See All...)
1. They presumed that the Lord would be with them.
2. They went despite the warnings.
3. The ark stayed in the camp.
4. The Canaanites and Amalekites smote them.

Chapter 15

When Ye Be Come Into the Land

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAPTER
1. The Failures of Chapter 14
1. Numbers 14 is a hall of shame concerning faith.
2. The Israelites were moved by the evil report of the ten spies who saw the greatness of the giants in the land, but failed to see the greatness of the God who brought them to the land.
3. The Israelites desired to stone the two spies who spoke for God and said that they should possess the land.
4. The Israelites desired to make them a captain to lead them back to Egypt.
5. The Lord gave the Israelites their request and they would wander in the wilderness for forty years until those twenty years old and upward died (with the exception of Caleb and Joshua).
6. At the pronouncement of the judgment the Israelites attempted to take the land.  God allowed the Canaanites and Amalekites to smite them.
2. The Grace of Chapter 15
1. Numbers 15 is basically instructions for various sacrifices.
2. There is a key phrase that is found two times in this chapter, but it is only key when taken in context with chapter 14.  This phrase is “”When ye be come into the land” (Numbers 15:2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,
   See All...) or “When ye come into the land” (Numbers 15:18Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,
   See All...).
3. This demonstrates to us that even though God had to chastise His people, it was now time to make preparations for where He was taking them.
4. There is a difference between chastisement and punishment.
1. In punishment God acts as the Judge, whereas in chastisement He acts as the Father
2. God’s punishment is to be received by His enemies, but the recipients of chastisement are God’s children.
3. God delivers punishment in His wrath, but chastisement is delivered with love and reconciliation in mind.