A Right Report

Numbers 13-14

Introduction: 

Many bad things can happen when we don’t know our jobs.  It wasn’t the job of the spies to decide whether or not they could take the land.  It was their job to look at the land and the people who lived there.  This is the last of a four stage rebellion.  (At least, four stages up to this point!)

A.  The four stages:

1.      11:1-3 - Unidentified complaining.

2.      11:4-35 - Complaining about the food.

3.      12:1-16 - Complaining about the leadership.

4.   13 and 14 - Complaining about the way.

B.   These four stages in no way end the complaining of Israel.

1.   In chapter 16, we find there is more complaining about the leadership.

2.      Every time Israel complains, they get in trouble.  This is the same way with us.  They didn't learn, and we don't learn.

I.        Reaction of the rebels.

A.     Murmured against Moses and Aaron.

B.     Desired to die.

C.     Said they were protecting their wives and children, but they were doing everything in their power to destroy them.

1.       Don’t want children serving God, to learn to live by faith.

2.       Don’t want children to learn what God can do for them, and against their enemies.

3.       Protecting and educating children is one of the reasons gambling was brought into Missouri.  It hasn’t helped.  More adolescents are now addicted to gambling than ever before, and many children still don’t know how to read.

D.     What does it mean to protect your family?

1.       Showing them who can really take care of them.

2.       Teaching them to trust God above everything and in everything.

3.       Teaching them to step out on the promises of God, believe what He said, and He will make it come to pass.

E.      Do you ever teach your children that ­doing ______________ or not doing __________ is more important than worshipping, believing, and trusting God?

1.       I know you don’t mean to leave this impression, but what is the impression you are leaving with your children when you do something else, rather than obeying God?

F.      Desiring to forsake the leadership of Moses and Aaron and return to Egypt.

II.     Reaction of Moses and God.

A.     Moses fell on his face before the people and God.

B.     Moses didn’t feel compelled to take God up on his offer, but asked God to forgive them and continue to bless the nation of Israel.

1.       Moses didn’t have any personal motivations to greatness.

2.       Moses didn’t think his plans were thwarted because Israel balked.  This is very difficult in the pastorate because the pastor must let the people decide for themselves.

C.     The rebels got their desire – they will die in the wilderness.

III.   Result of Rebellions.

A.     Israel to spend 40 years in the wilderness, one year for each day.

B.     The spies that brought back the evil report died immediately.

C.     False energy to get the job done, that failed.

1.       Story of Landmark Baptist Church in O’Fallon, Mo, that should have expanded, but didn’t, then tried to build and failed miserably.

D.     Sometimes, it’s too late to back up.

E.      The children, who the parents were trying to “protect” will have to spend their growing up years watching and knowing their rebellious parents would soon die.

1.       Those children had a terrible example to follow.