Numbers 13,14

13 August 2019

Backdrop

  • We again, encounter a scenario where some serious sins are committed among God's people ( in current times, it would be in Church / Church body)


Potential Discussion Questions

  • So, what all happened here? What do these situations translate to, in TODAY’s time?
  • Recap, all the sins of the people here in Numbers 13-14
    • LIKEWISE, in what ways do we sin / stumble in TODAY’s time? What all is holding you back in fulfilling God’s mission for your life?!
  • Recall, the price they paid for their sins. Recall, the price we pay for similar kinds of sins. TODAY’s time.
  • Was God’s punishment here in Numbers 13-14 justified, or was it “too much”? (Do you feel sorry for them?) In TODAY’s time, if we do similar sins will we be punished by God in similar ways? Has anything changed?
  • Anymore spiritual lessons / encouragements for life?


Potential Discussion Questions

  • So, what all happened here? What do these situations translate to, in TODAY’s time?

We again, encounter a scenario where some serious sins are committed among God's people ( in current times, it would be in Church / Church body)


  • Recap, all the sins of the people here in Numbers 13-14

(1) They rebelled against God and his appointed authority (i.e., v 14:4:- "And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” "). (2) In their rebellion they went way too far - They were about to stone God's men Joshua and Caleb (v 14:10), (3) They lacked faith in God (i.e., 14:1-4), (4) They tried disrupting the most important plan of life from God - the plan of God to redeem the world from the Fall (of Genesis 3)!


    • LIKEWISE, in what ways do we sin / stumble in TODAY’s time?

Like these Israelites, we Christians too are on a journey whose destination is new heavens, new earth (i.e., Revelation 21). In our journey, God will often compel us to take our respective next steps. Sometimes the next step can seem scary and / or daunting (i.e., Jesus warns in Matthew 10:16 - "... I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, ... ", Mark 10:21- " ... sell all that you have and give to the poor ...") and we will be tempted to not proceed with our callings. In general, I am sure everyday as a Christian, you are tempted in various ways to not live up to the Word of God, and go astray.

This scenario today would be some serious sins that occurred in the Church body, and at times the sins can be very serious, as indicated by the judgments by Jesus on the unrepentant Churches in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2,3). So, we should keep our Church guarded.


    • What all is holding you back in fulfilling God’s mission for your life?!

Fear and lack of faith / trust often holds us back.


  • Recall, the price they paid for their sins.

They paid a huge price for these grave sins. Their journey to the promised land would get delayed by 40 LONG years (Numbers 14:34)! Note that even righteous - Caleb, Joshua, Moses & Aaron who did not partake in the sins here, got tied to this punishment from God!! Also those, twenty years and older, who partook in these sins (say apart from Caleb, Joshua, Moses, Aaron, ...) would die in the wilderness in the next 40 years and not make it to the promised land (Numbers 14:29).

v 37:- " these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord".


    • Recall, the price we pay for similar kinds of sins. TODAY’s time.

Sin, will potentially eat away from God's blessings for one's life (https://www.gotquestions.org/consequences-of-sin.html).

Also, see commentary on "How Church members are disciplined for sin in today’s time? " in Exodus 32 commentary.

Again, this scenario here, today would be some serious sins that occurred in the Church body, and at times the sins can be very serious, attracting judgments by Jesus, as on the unrepentant Churches in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2,3). So, we should keep our Church guarded.


  • Was God’s punishment here in Numbers 13-14 justified, or was it “too much”? (Do you feel sorry for them?)

God is justified, as God is 100% just (We all agree that there needs to be perfect justice in the world). But then, this is also scary because we have ALL sinned and fallen short. That is, we are naturally children of wrath (i.e., Ephesians 2:1-3). Fortunately, God also provides means of relief from absolute judgement on wrong-doings via His Son Jesus (but, maintaining the perfect standard on justice at the same time).

We Christians, today are definitely at much better place because of what Jesus did on the cross. But, we should still not feel any more sorry for the people who lived before Jesus died on the cross, as God's ways are always good and perfect.


    • In TODAY’s time, if we do similar sins will we be punished by God in similar ways? Has anything changed?

See commentary on "How Church members are disciplined for sin in today’s time? " in Exodus 32 commentary.


  • Anymore spiritual lessons / encouragements for life?
    • Here again we are reminded to walk by faith, not by sight. We must trust the word of God (i.e., here words of Caleb / Joshua) over the words / voices from the world (i.e., the words of the ten spies with bad report).
    • Moses again intercedes here. Fortunately, perfect, sinless Jesus has now taken over the ministry of intercession from imperfect, sinner Moses (i.e., Romans 8:34).
    • In Numbers 14:39-45, we see Israelites still continue to be disobedient and foolish, as they again disobey Moses and go up to fight the Amalekites and the Canaanites .
    • Numbers 14:39-45. again reminds we should not go anywhere where God is not leading us to (To do God's will we need God's help). God always wants to be the leader of our life (i.e., Numbers 9:15-23, etc)
    • We see a picture of salvation here - we cannot save ourselves on our own strength - These Israelites would not have been able to go to the promised land without God's help. The hesitance of the ten spies who brought bad report showed Israelites could not have succeeded (Numbers 13:31-33). Caleb and Joshua made it clear that God would help them in succeeding in taking over the promised land from it's scary occupants (Numbers 14:7-9).
    • Here we see even the righteous (Joshua, Caleb, Moses, Aaron, children, ...) were subject to the punishment of 40 years of dwelling in the wilderness, away from the promised land, because of the sins of some Israelites. This is reminiscent of one of the most profound questions of life:- Why does God allow suffering, even on His own people, including the righteous?
      • Sin of some can gravely affect the whole Church.
      • Maybe the righteous (Joshua, Caleb, Moses, Aaron, children, ...) were to be like missionaries amid the lost souls.