GOING BACK
NUMBERS 14:1-4
Throughout our lifetimes we hear of and see many times with our own eyes and ears our brothers and sisters stepping off their paths of righteousness and going back to the cares and concerns of the world. Preacher after preacher quitting the ministry and going back into the world.
Many times the question comes up, “Why?” How can someone who starts off so strong for God, all of a sudden turn back?
Well it’s because some have a defective start. Paul describes these people in II Timothy 3:5 as “having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof” Firecrackers. In other words they were never saved. No man can live a life for Christ until that man has received a life from Christ.
Some go back because of a defeated attitude. Gal. 5:7. Paul, “Ye did run well, who did hinder you.....?” It wasn’t God. But who was it? Satan leveled his attacks against them and left them feeling defeated. So their attitude is, “I can’t build a great church like some other preacher, so why try?” “I can’t win souls like others, so why witness?” They’re defeated so they go back.
Some turn back because of discouragement. Gal. 6:9. “And let us not be weary in well doing. For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” God honors persistence. God honors consistency.
The greatest enemy of the Christian is discouragement We start out to conquer the world for Christ then we meet opposition. You see the life of a Christian a commitment.
The cold hard fact is that God has promised us a rose garden, a bed of roses. But we’ve got to go through the thorns to get there. Living for Christ is a day after day confrontation with the devil, and that discouragement if not nipped in the bud leads to doubt and finally to defeat.
In our text we have and example of going back and the tragic results. The Israelites come to the border of the promised land. Moses sends out twelve spies. They scope out the scene. They come back and give their report. Ten of them said, ”We have seen this good land. We saw great walled cities. And we saw giants. We’re sunk. They’re giants and the walls are too high. We’re defeated already. We might as well not even try.
Then the two remaining, brave warriors gave their versions of the story. “Yeah we saw it. We saw the giants. We saw the great walls. We’ve also seen the size of our God. We’ve seen Him in action before. He’s taken care of us all this time. He’s provided. He’s been there with us. He’s led us all this way. He’ll do it again. We can do it. Let’s do it. Let’s do it now. Let’s take it now.”
Well, the majority won out. They decided it was impossible. “We can’t do it. Look at what a mess we’re in now. Let’s go back. Let’s get us a new captain and let’s go back. And they were going to need a new captain if they were gonna go back to Egypt. Because Moses was not going back. He may have made a few mistakes, a wrong move here and there. He may have been disobedient to God a time or two. But he was not going back.
He remembered what he was in the past. The Bible tells us that when he was old enough he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but rather chose to suffer affliction with the people of God. He remembered how his people suffered under Pharaoh’s whip. He could still hear the cries of his people as they were bound in slavery and bondage. Just the same as we are when we’re and without Christ. We’re bound and chained as we’re slaves to sin and Satan. Moses remembered what he was in the past and regardless of what happened one thing was for sure. He was not going back. He started with God and by the grace of God he would complete that journey.
Two things about going back to point out.
Going back
I. Begins in tears
II. And ends in tragedy.
V.1 The people wept that night. Why? Because going back begins with tears. “Let’s make us a new captain and let us return to Egypt.”
They never made it back to Egypt but they went back in their hearts. They had gone away from God. They wondered in the land of the wilderness until all of the rebels had died off. Their going back began in tears and ended in tragedy.
It has always been like that. Throughout the Bible we see it. The life of Saul. That great man. Head and shoulders above the rest. King of Israel. He was anointed King and began to serve God. Then God gave him instructions. He didn’t do what he was told.
Then came the tears. “I have sinned against the Lord. Pardon my sin. The people made me do it.” Time after time Saul is quoted, “I have sinned, I have sinned, I have sinned.” This sends us a message. We have to get rid of the sin.
Then came the tragedy. On top of mount Gilboa. The Philistines are fighting Saul and his sons. Saul is killed. Jonathan is killed. One word echoes down from the top of Mount Gilboa. TRAGEDY!!!
No one rose so high and fell so low as did David. David took a little vacation from the battle where he was needed and should have been. He lusted. He committed adultery. Then he committed murder.
Then came the tears. Not David’s tears but Bathsheba’s tears. Bathsheba wept. Then the tragedy. Ammon rapes his own sister. TRAGEDY! Absolom kills ammon. TRAGEDY! Absolom gets himself killed trying to take the kingdom from his father. TRAGEDY!
In the New Testament Judas betrayed Jesus. Then cried out, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” He wept then went out and hanged himself. When someone goes back someone weeps. Going back begins in tears and ends in tragedy.
Some who have gone back have made a comeback. We go right to Peter.
Peter went back. Just a few hours earlier Peter said to the Lord Jesus, “I’ll do anything for you Lord. I’ll go anywhere for you Lord, I’ll die for you Lord.” Then the challenge. The opportunity presents itself. “No I don’t know this man. No I don’t know this man. No I don’t know this man. The rooster crows for the last time. He ran out and the first wall he came to fell down against it and cried out, “Why did I do that???” He began to weep with bitter tears streaming down his face. But for Peter those tears were the beginning of a comeback, not a going back.
So much of our hope hangs on the resurrection. Thank God He lives. When Joseph of Armethaea and Nicodemus placed the Lord’s body, cleaned, and washed Him up, wrapped His body in clean white linen they walked out. Took one last look, then a great huge stone was placed over the entrance, it would seem that tomb was empty except for the body of the Son of God. But it wasn’t.
Satan and his angels were there. Satan gave them a command, “Stand fast. Guard that tomb.” Three dreary days later, the three darkest days this old world has ever known. God gave the command to one of the angels in Heaven, “Go get Him. Go get my boy” That angel, without blinking an eye, sped toward the earth, the stone rolled away, he walked in and said to the Son of God, “You Father wants you.
After the resurrection Jesus said to Mary, “Go tell my disciples and Peter.....” You see, Peter would have stayed right where he was had it not been for that statement. The longest statement Peter ever heard was when those women came in there yelling, ”He’s alive. He’s alive. We’ve seen the resurrected Lord. He’s risen. He told us go tell my disciples....” There to Peter it must have seemed like an eternity past before she finished that statement. “.....and Peter.” “Go tell my disciples and Peter.” I’ll bet Peter teared up again, his heart became full because he had been forgiven.
Thank God Peter made a comeback. His tears were the beginning of a comeback. One that did not end in tragedy but in victory and triumph. It’s the same with you and me. You may be like Saul and David. You’ve risen so high and now you feel as though you fallen so low. You’ve wept bitter tears because of your going away from God. But you don’t have to continue going away. The same forgiveness that flooded Peter’s heart is offered to you here today. Your tears can be the beginning of a comeback instead of going back.
Earlier in Jesus’ ministry there was one scene where the disciples began to go away. Jesus said to those who stayed, “Will you also go away?” Peter said to the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, “Lord, to whom shall we go. Thou hast the words of eternal life. Where else can we go?
