CRISIS OF FAITH
NUMBERS 13-14
MEMORY VERSE: FOR WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH. 1 JOHN 5:4
RELATED SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 1:19-46, HEBREWS 3:7-19
INTRO: THE WORLD
1: FEAR
A) FEAR BREEDS DISCOURAGEMENT
B) BEING SCARED OF SOMETHING CAN HINDER ONE FROM DOING SOMETHING
C) THE WORLD CAN BE A SCARY PLACE
POINT: MARRIAGES, HOMES, FAMILIES, CHURCHES, THINGS THAT ARE DEEMED SACRED ARE BEING TORN UP OR DESTROYED. THESE THINGS CAN CAUSE US TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO GOD AND HIS WORD.
2: ISRAEL IN NUMBERS
A) THEY LOOKED AT THE LAND
B) THEY SAW GIANTS
C) WALLED CITIES
D) THEY LOOKED AT THEMSELVES AND SAW
E) UNTRAINED WARRIORS
F) HELPLESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN
POINT: THEIR LACK OF FAITH AND GREAT FEAR OF FACING THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND CAUSED THEM TO DOUBT GOD. THEY CRIED WE CAN’T DO IT.
BODY: DISCOVER
1: VENTURESOME FAITH- COUNTING THE COST
A) NUMBERS 13:1-33
B) ISRAELITES HAD THE CLOUD
C) THE ARK
D) AND THE PRAYERS OF MOSES
POINT: THE HAD A WELL ORGANIZED ARMY, BUT THEY LACKED FAITH, GOD TOLD MOSES TO TAKE 12 SPIES TO SEARCH OUT THE LAND.
DISCUSSION: WHAT DOES JESUS SAY ABOUT COUNTING THE COST BEFORE GOING TO BATTLE? LUKE 14:31
WHEN DOES COUNTING THE COST CEASE TO BE A MATTER OF PRUDENCE AND BECOME A LACK OF FAITH?
2: EXPLORING BY FAITH
A) THE SPIES OR 12 PRINCES WERE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE.
B) BECAUSE OF THEIR PAST THEY SHOULD HAVE REALIZED NOTHING COULD STAND AGAINST THEM.
C) THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ONLY ON THE GOODNESS OF THE LAND.
POINT: MOSES INSTRUCTED THE SPIES TO GO UP TO NEGEV AND INTO THE MOUNTAIN OF JUDAH, TO SEE THE LAND, THE PEOPLE, THEIR DEFENSES AND THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE COUNTRY. THEIR SEARCHING WAS LATE JULY TO EARLY SEPTEMBER THEY WERE GONE FORTY DAYS.
3: EXHORTING FAITH NUMBERS 13:26-33
A) JOSHUA AND CALEB
B) TWO OF THE TEN WHO BROUGHT BACK A GOOD REPORT
C) THE SPIES PROBABLY SPENT 30 DAYS SCOUTING THE LAND
D) SURELY THEY DISCUSSED WHAT THEY HAD SEEN.
POINT: THE 12 MEN SAW MANY GREAT THINGS IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. THEY SAW GIANTS WALLED CITIES WITH MASSIVE FORTIFICATIONS. ONE OR TWO COMPLAINERS COULD HAVE EASILY MAGNIFIED THE NEGATIVE. BY THE TIME THEY GOT BACK ONLY TWO STILL HAD THE HEART TO TAKE THE LAND.
DISCUSSION: WHY DO YOU THINK CALEB WANTED TO GO TAKE THE LAND AT ONCE? V 30
38 YEARS LATER MOSES WOULD REVIEW THE HISTORY DEUT 1:27 HE SAID THE PEOPLE MURMURED IN THEIR TENTS. THEY EVEN SAID THE LORD HATED THEM, AND WANTED TO DESTROY THEM. MOSES TRIED TO CONVINCE THEM THAT GOD WAS ON THEIR SIDE. HE SAID, HE SHALL FIGHT FOR YOU. BUT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE.
CLSOING: FAILING FAITH
NUMBERS 14:1-45
1: FEARFULNESS DISPLAYED
A) 1-10 THE ISRAELITES WANTED TO GO BACK TO EGYPT
B) THEY WOULD APPOINT A CAPATIN AND TURN AROUND AND GO BACK
C) THEY FEARED FOR THEIR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN
WHAT DID MOSES AND AARON DO WHEN THE PEOPLE REBELLED AGAINST THEM?
WHAT DID JOSHUA AND CALEB DO? AND WHAT ALMOST HAPPENED TO THEM?
POINT: THE ISRAELITES STILL HAD A SLAVE MENTALITY, THEY WERE AFRAID TO VENTURE, AND MAKE CHOICES, THEY WERE AFRAID TO DARE TO ACCOMPLISH. THUS THEY WERE AFRAID TO TRUST GOD TO KEEP HIS WORD.
2: FAITHLESSNESS JUDGED
A) 11-35 GOD HEARS MOSES AND AARON
B) V 10-12 GOD IS READY TO START OVER
C) MOSES HAD TO INETRCEDE FOR THE PEOPLE
D) V 13-32 GOD FORBADE THEM TO GO INTO THE LAND
POINT: V 31-32 THE CHILDREN THAT THE PEOPLE WAILED AND CRIED FOR WHO THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE PREY FOR THEIR ENEMIES WOULD BE THE ONES WHO WOULD TAKE THE LAND. ONLY JOSHUA AND CALEB WOULD BE SPARED BY GOD TO GO INTO THE LAND. THE 10 OTHER SPIES WERE CUT DOWN BY A PLAGUE. AND THE FIRST GENERATION OF THE EXODUS WAS DOOMED TO WANDER FOR FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS.
2: PRESUMPTOUSNESS PUNISHED
A) THE PEOPLE GREIVED WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO THE DESERT
B) ALL AT ONCE THEY FEARED GOD MORE THAN THEY FEARED THE GIANTS
C) THEY HAD A CHANGE OF HEART
D) THEY DECIDED TO GO UP AND TRY TP TAKE THE LAND
POINT: GO NOT UP FOR THE LORD IS NOT AMONG YOU; V 42, V 45 PAINTS A PICTURE OF A DEFEATED PEOPLE WHO REFUSED TO OBEY GOD.
DISCUSSION: HOW WOULD YOU APPLY THIS LESSON’S TRUTHS?
