Facing up to our giants Ex 34:10-14 – Num 13: 1-3, 16 -14:9. –Jos: 1-11
Background: God’s promises are being fulfilled after 400 years in bondage Israel has been delivered out of Egypt, God protected them through the parted waters, God had provided with manna and water , leading them through the red sea into the desert of Sinai. And at the foot of the mountain God had given them his law and was now going to guide them to the brink of the promised land. His covenant promises coming to fruition, all the people needed to do is to step out in faith and do battle with the enemy, trusting in the promises of God, that Canaan would be theirs. Num:13:2 Deut 7:1-6 .
Gods promises are also being fulfilled : Christians have been brought out of the bondage and slavery of sin. We too have been lead and guided through God’s word. Now on the brink of the promise land we too need do battle and face up to those giants that might prevent us from gaining victory ( Not a type of heaven but a spiritual battle) God wants us to face up to the giants in our life and do battle with them.
• Facing up to the giants in our lives: Like a child being bullied in the school will eventually need to face up to his accuser and deal with the situation. So will we in the spiritual arena need to do battle with all types of giants that bully us and prevent us from being the people God wants us to be: Unbelief – materialism - impurity- greed – pride - lust - anger – self pity – doubts - pain- difficult relationships - suffering – death – sin .
Christians will need to face up to these types of giants, if they are to enter into the promise land.
We can all become spiritual giants if we are willing to believe and trust in God. We are going to consider two giants we need to deal with and one giant called faith which will enable us all to be what God wants us to be.
God has so much in store : We need to exercise faith, He expects us to be in a spiritual battle , that’s what entering the promise land is all about a spiritual battle. Joshua and Caleb did battle in the promise land yet their generation remained in the wilderness because they never conquered their giants. Israel needed to face up to giants which were holding them back, we need to do likewise.
Our positive role models in facing those giants of course are Caleb and Joshua.The missionary William Carey once said, “Expect great things and attempt great things for God.” That certainly was the case for Caleb abd Joshua. God wants us to be spiritually strong, God wants us to be spiritually courageous, God wants us to be spiritually diligent, God wants us to be spiritually prosperous and successful in the Lord, but this doesn’t come without doing battle and facing up to giants.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote this about our spiritual battle: A man who does not understand the nature of the problem he is confronting is a man who is already doomed to failure. Christian people are like first-year college students—they think at first that every subject is quite simple, there is no difficulty. Well, we know what is likely to happen to such when they face an examination! The first thing you have to do is to understand the nature and character of your problem. So we have to realize that we are called, in the Christian life, to a battle, not to a life of ease; to a battle, to warfare, to a wrestle, to a struggle.
1. Facing up to sin. Deut 7:1-6.
I believe the first thing God has called his people to face up to is sin in the world. Notice God called out Israel as a holy people v6 to live holy lives in an un-holy world to be a nation that faces up to their own sin (sacrificial system) and sin in the world, bringing divine judgement upon it. This is a challenge for us all, rather than conforming to the world they were to be transforming influence in the world. (Rom 12:1-3) When Gods people do that it will reveal the unholy nature of those around us – As Jesus said we are to be salt in the world, but if it loses its distinctiveness, what good is it?
(A) Gods divine instrument: God promised Israel their own land, this promise went right back to Abraham, but to fulfil this promise God is going to have to drive out several people groups in the land of Canaan but it would be the people who would be the divine instrument of doing just that and so here we have some very strong words from the Lord about dealing with these people.Deut 7:2-5. Destroy them totally, make no treaty, show them no mercy, v3 do not intermarry with them v5 break down their alters, smash their sacred stones, burn their idols.
Grappling with the text: This may be difficult to comprehend to bring together the God of the OT and the God of the NT they may seem far apart to some. But I want to say that the OT picture and NT picture is a consistent picture of a God of love and justice. We must understand we cannot have a God of love, without a God who abhors sin, that is a fact. Sin is at the bottom of the entire world’s problems, sin is the root cause, sin is at its epicentre and God’s holiness abhors sin. (Why did Jesus die , if it wasn’t for sin, there was no need otherwise)
God’s Love and justice are intertwined and we see it in the NT: John 3:16. For God so loved the world – that He gave His one and only son - to deal with sin – He is the one who died for sinners – demonstrating his love. But 3:36 whoever rejects the son will not see life but God’s wrath remains on him We see that same Saviour will return and judge, demonstrating his Justice and abhorrence towards sin when he brings judgement upon sinners who reject Him.
There is a saying in Christioan quarters “love the sinner, but hate the sin” I believe we fall down on fulfilling the latter part of it – so many of us love the sinner - and remain silent about the sin. Better rendered “Love the sinner and ignore the sin.” Its a political correctness of the world thats hit the Church so we have some parts of the Church trying to preach a gospel without repentance. If we fail to face up to sin in our families ,in our churches, in our communities in our nation and in our world – by our silence we are condoning sin. We are saying everything is fine but in reality it’s not, God’s divine judgement awaits. We know the problem, we know the cure, if we fail to act , “ is that a real example of God’s love?”
• Imagine a person suffering comes to the doctors surgery - the doctor runs tests and finds out that the person is suffering with cancer – but he doesn’t want to upset the man with the diagnosis - so he advises the patient to take a couple of aspirin instead. He doesn’t explain to him his really problem so the man can get help. Is that love? No real love, real care about an individual is telling them the truth about their real condition, so the man can seek the appropriate help.
• God is calling the 21st century church to face up to sin, to speak the truth in love to be his divine instrument – with a prophetic voice to call people out of the depths of sin, to be a transforming influence in the world.
Notice something here, a whole generation didn’t go into the promised land – they never denounced sin – instead they just wandered in the wilderness – could that be us, the Church today just wandering around no real message? We need to speak up,to stop accommodating sin, but calling people to repent to turn back to God. (Look at the ministry of Israel - John the Baptist – Jesus – ther disciples our church fathers )
(b) God’s divine favour
The people of Canaan had rejected God, they were bent on evil: Gen 15:13 -18 Here we see that Gods reveals the future happening of Abrahams descendants being held in captivity - their release - their return to the land - v16 The promise to take the land involves Israel bringing divine judgement upon the Amorites whose sin was increasing.
Gods grace and mercy had extended over 400 -5000 years towards the people of Canaan.God is gracious to asll he has made. Rom 2:4 -5 God holds back judgement - but never mistake God’s patience for approval for the wrong way we are living. The time was coming and the nation of Israel would be the ones to bring that divine judgement.
Application:It’s been over 2000 years since Christ step foot on this earth and we are still living in the time of Gods divine favour. But one day it will end, Jesus will return and wrap up everything. He will establish righteousness upon this earth once again. Yet everyday is a day of God’s favour extended.Luke 4:18 when Jesus preached the gospel of grace it was a jubilee. The Spirit of the Lord has anointed us - to face up to the giant of sin and proclaim Gods divine favour in these days of jubilee.
2 Facing up to a unbelief Num:13: 1-3, 16 – 14:9:
Here we see Gods people on the boarder to the promise land the land that God had promised to them v2 which he confirms once more will be there’s v2 God calls Moses to send some men to explore the land he has promised to give them v1 from each ancestral tribe twelve men in all are to go v2 So at the Lords command Moses instructs these men to spy out the land to look at its resources: its inhabitants, to see whether the land is fertile for vegetation,is it suitable for food produce to check out the defences of the towns, and so on – this recognisance trip went on for 40 day period.
The Majority report is a report of unbelief. V27 -4:4. With good news/bad news. When the men returned they spoke of a fertile land a land flowing with milk and honey and even brought back a huge cluster of grapes pomegranates and figs . V27 Ten of the spies returned with a bad report the people are powerful the cities are fortified v28 the different people groups all over the area v29 and even the people of Anak are there (very large people like Goliath).
Only two men returned with a favourable report Caleb 13:30 and Joshua 14:7-9. They stand in sharp contrast to the others.
a. Notice unbelief forgets Gods promises v2, 27: These 10 spies forgot Gods promises, they focused upon the difficulties and not upon the promises of God they had soon forgot the song of triumph they had sung after the deliverance out of Egypt months earlier Ex 15:15-16 the people of Canaan will melt away.
V27 There reply to Moses is insightful also because it reveals they had forgotten Gods promise to them that God would give them the land. At this point as far as they were concerned it was Moses idea to enter the promise land v2.
Friends we need to face up to Gods promises and hold onto them tenaciously,God promises are not just words found in this book the Bible, but they come out of these pages and are experienced in everyday living for the man/woman of faith Here are 12 promises for the Christian to claim.
When we feel all alone -- God says "Never will I leave you" (Heb. 13:5) when we feel vulnerable - God says "I am your shield" (Gen. 15:1) when we feel weak - God says "I will strengthen you" (Isa. 41:10) When we are in need - God says "I will help you" (Isa. 41:10) when we need direction - God says "He will brings out His own sheep, He goes before them and they follow him (John 10:4) When we seeking purpose - God says "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil" (Jer. 20:11) When we are tired - God says "Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28) When we have sinned - God says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) when we are blessed - God’ says "No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly" (Psalm 84:11) When we are faithless - God says "The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake" (1 Sam. 12:22) When we are seeking his will - God says "The meek will He guide" (Psalm 25:9) In all our situations - God says "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28)
b. Unbelief focuses upon fear V28
The people were powerful – the cities were fortified. v31 they are stronger than we even saw the descendants of Anak. (Goliath type people) It was two years after the deliverance out of slavery in Egypt by mighty power - the parting of the red Sea - the destruction of the Egyptian army. God’s mighty hand was with them – But how soon do they forget - their faith is largely gone and has been swallowed up with unbelief seen in their fear of man.
• Prv 29:25: Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
Every day we all face different giants that bring fear into our lives, fears like : personal tragedy - suffering – pain – loneliness - old age- depression – doubts- death - worry –relational problems, when these problems mount up they can bring fear, unbelief and a blinding vision of God’s will for us. AS WE CRY OUT WHY?
The blinding fear caused the people of Israel to cry out in despair – they lost their purpose, they couldn’t go on they wanted to die, they wanted to give up – they sat back - instead of doing battle with their fear they took what seemed the easy way out, they grumbled amongst themselves and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.
• Often many people will enjoy the Christian journey and enjoy the ride while everything is easy but when it starts to get tough, when they start facing the giants, they never expected, they soon fall away because of unbelief unable to do battle with the fears which are surrounding them (THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER). But for the Christian it’s the very struggle itself that makes you what you are in Christ.
On the central east coast of Florida 1000’s loggerhead female turtles come onto the beach at night to nest their eggs, they dig a deep chamber and can lay anything from 80- 120 eggs once that is done they cover the chamber with sand. Incubation takes about 60 days, unlike baby alligators who are liberated from their nest by their mothers, baby turtles must do it all by themselves. To break open their shells, hatchlings use a temporary, sharp egg-tooth, called a "caruncle." Digging out of the nest is a group effort that can take several days. They usually make a run for the ocean at night when its cool at night they burst out together, if they don’t make it quickly they could die from dehydration or predators like birds and crabs at night. Once in the ocean many danger and struggles still await them. But to rob the turtle of all these struggles from birth to adulthood would to rob the turtle of his destiny.
If were honest it’s our struggles, that has made us what we are today in God: What you had to fight for, What you had to fight against, what you had to overcome. Our giants can seem un sumountable - But God has called us to do battle with the giants to engage them, to advance upon them and not to retreat it’s our destiny, it makes us who we are in Christ.
The purpose: Struggling and battling with our fears qualifies us,enables us and equips us to minister to others. ( If we have suffered with depression, were better equipped to minister to others. If we have suffered with abuse as a child, we are better qualified to minister to others who have been abused and so on with suffering , debt etc)
2Cor1:3-4 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
• Unbelief finally spreads. v32 -4:4 they spread a bad report – the negative message is now spreading amongst the people. With our words we can build people up or we can tear people down. These negative words are the opinion of ten but they are taken as fact, people begin to lose all perspective and it causes a great rebellion v2.
The unbelief of others had infected the whole camp. We must be very careful with our words, because negative words can spread like gangrene, here we have the opinion of ten people influencing a whole nation of two million.14:1 -4 The peoples reaction “There is a saying sticks and bones my break my bones but words will never hurt me. It a lie!” (They got their wish Num.14:2, Matt 12:36 -37. Jesus said we will give account to every careless word we speak.
Serious consequences of unbelief: These words that the ten spies brought back were the cause of 40 years of wandering for Gods people and death in the desert. They could have entered into the promised land there and then. But instead God promised a whole generation would die in the wilderness outside of the promise land Num 14:29-31.
The serious lesson for this unbelief is found in what the Lord is teaching us in Heb 6:4 - 6. The subject here is not salvation for he is talking about saved people who will not follow through in the Christian life. Who are living in unbelief failing to live out the Christian life.
The Israelites had seen Gods glory, had witnessed his miracles bringing them out of bondage of Egypt- by faith the people passed through the red sea Heb.11:29, embraced his promises at mount Sinai and yet were not allowed to enter Canaan. They had been enlightened, they had tasted the good things, had been made partakers. They came through the red sea by faith and had seen the Spirit of God lead them in a cloud by day and fire by night they had experienced God. Only to be left in the wilderness for 40 years.
Spiritual wilderness: When we refuse to face up to the giants of sin and unbelief and continue to drift along with the LORD we will also find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness, we will fail to progress, we will fail to do battle in the promise land (not enter heaven for that is guaranteed) but all the rich promises that God has in store for us we will fail to enter into and grow as men/women of faith.
3. Face up to giants with the giant of faith Caleb: 13:30, Joshua 14:6-9
Caleb and Joshua are the opposite here to the masses there voices are voices of faith positive voices raising above the negative voices of unbelief – Here they are speaking words of encouragement 13:30 “We can certainly do it” says Caleb they are our role models to be men and women of faith.
Heb 11:1 Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.....
Faith in what? Faith in the leadership, faith in their military, faith in himself, No, No, No! Faith in God alone to deliver his promises that’s where his faith was placed.
Where is your faith placed? Have you ever watched the road runner cartoons with Wild E. Coyote, there is always a scene where Coyote falls off the edge of a cliff. As he falls, he grabs hold of a twig sticking out of the side of the cliff. He hangs there for a short time, eventually the twig begins to snap and he continues his painful descent. It doesn’t matter how strong his grip was. When the twig breaks, he falls. You see the key to faith is not how strong it is, but what it is holding onto.
If your faith holds on to a breakable twig, then no matter how strong the grip is, that faith will fall, just like that cartoon character. But faith that holds on to the promises of the Lord, like Caleb and Joshua will never fall. For the Lord’s promises never break for Caleb and Joshua entered into the Promised Land. God is not a man that He should lie says the word of God
Their Faith placed in God is seen. Let’s look how they address the people not once, twice, three but four times they point to the Lord who is with them 14: 6-9 Caleb and Joshua address the people in Unisom; If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us, he will give it to us, the Lord is with us. All focusing upon the Lords promises – power and presence to bring them victory
How does faith come? Does it drop from the sky? Are we born with faith? Do we earn faith? Rom 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and so by hearing the word of God.
What does faith deliver? Joshua 1: 6-9
1. Faith delivers perseverance 40 years on Joshua and Caleb are entering into the promised land, when the rest of his generation had given up. Perservering faith will take us onto greater spiritual heights and battles entering into all the promises that God has for us.
2 Faith delivers obedience to God’s word as they meditated upon it.Don’t depart from this book, meditate upon it, and you will be blessed for it is a manual book on how to live your life in fellowship with God.
3 Faith delivers confidence and success V8 they would conquer Canaan V9 Holy confidence. When we exercise faith we will be prosperous and successful in fulfilling the will of the Lord.
In closing “When we face up to the giants we all have to face in this world. Lets keep the faith lets trust in Gods promises, lets be positive, lets perservere and pursue those giants and do battle and conquer in Christ Jesus our deliverer, in so doing we will become spiritual giants of faith and enter into all the blessings of God.
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