1 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:35,080 Rebellion starts small. It's like when your one year old 2 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:40,480 child hurls their food off the table, or like when your 3 year 3 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:42,440 old. Lies about whether they wash. 4 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,880 Their hands. You know what parent hasn't 5 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,080 said? Did you wash your OK? 6 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,680 Let me smell them, you know. And of course, I'm not talking 7 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,000 about my own children. I did those things. 8 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,280 That was me. And if we're honest? 9 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,000 That was probably you too. Rebellion can be considered. 10 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,480 Cool. Like partying in college, you're 11 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,800 finally out of the house. You're free from parental 12 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,080 authority. You can finally test the limits. 13 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,960 But rebellion can also be seen in the rule. 14 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:20,440 Follower. It can be seen in the quiet, 15 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,840 tormented rebellion of refusing to party in college, but 16 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,640 wishing, desiring, dreaming that you could. 17 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,960 You know the early church. Father Jerome captures this when 18 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:37,640 he fled. The world to the wilderness, he 19 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,360 thought he could escape the. Rebellion of Rome. 20 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,720 But he reflected on his time there in the wilderness. 21 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,600 And he said how often, when I was in the desert, I would 22 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,240 imagine myself taking part in the happy life of Rome. 23 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,320 Although my only companions were scorpions and wild beasts, time 24 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,960 and again I was mingling with the dances. 25 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,400 Of girls. My face was pallid with fasting 26 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,120 my body. Chill. 27 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,360 But my mind was throbbing with desires. 28 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:23,440 We carry rebellion in our very hearts today. 29 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,960 Rebellion wears a mask, we call it freedom. 30 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:33,880 Unbridled choice following your heart being true to. 31 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,400 Yourself. What does our culture? 32 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,760 Think of rebellion. Well, just listen to the. 33 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,240 Prophets. Here's the poet Walt. 34 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:51,440 Whitman in Song of the open. Rd. afoot and light hearted I 35 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,560 take to the open. Road healthy Free. 36 00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:01,800 The world before me, the long brown path before me leading. 37 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:09,160 Wherever I choose Walt. We may ask. 38 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:15,640 Where does that path lead? Where's the end of that? 39 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,640 Rd. Or kids and teenagers you're 40 00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:23,000 probably more familiar with. This idea. 41 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,560 From the Polynesian Princess Moana Moana, you've seen the 42 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,640 Disney movie you know to be the island's. 43 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:33,960 Future leader, her dad says. Who's the current chief? 44 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,480 She needs to submit to the traditional responsibilities, 45 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,600 but Moana wants to sail the sea, she wants adventure. 46 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,560 And of course, she listens to her grandma. 47 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,800 Who says that? Voice inside you is. 48 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:59,280 Who you are? But Moana, we might ask. 49 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,360 What? If the voice inside you is dead 50 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,120 wrong. What if that voice? 51 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,880 Inside you if following your heart. 52 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:19,320 Is really just the road. To hell, friends today in the 53 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,480 Book of Numbers were confronted. With what? 54 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,240 God thinks about rebellion. If you have your Bible. 55 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,040 Turn to the Book of Numbers. If you don't have a Bible, maybe 56 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,240 you didn't come with one. Just go ahead and raise your 57 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,360 hand. We've got a helper in the back. 58 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,800 He'd be glad. To bring you a Bible. 59 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,880 Anyone need a Bible? OK, we're all good numbers. 60 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:45,760 Chapters 13 through 15. Israel's on the brink of the 61 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:49,160 Promised Land. You know, the 1st 10 chapters. 62 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,200 Of the book we've already. Considered they were encouraging 63 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,400 because God had been preparing them to enter the Promised Land, 64 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:57,160 He would. Speak. 65 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,880 They would obey. And they were on their way. 66 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:05,080 But. In Chapter 11, which we looked 67 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,440 at last time. The people rebelled. 68 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,160 It started. With just a few of them, it was 69 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:16,480 a few complaints, a few longing looks back to Egypt, and then 70 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,120 there was a little delay in chapter. 12 as they had to. 71 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,280 Wait for Miriam. Who was shut? 72 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:26,560 Outside of the camp in chapters 13 to 15 that. 73 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,600 Little seed of. Rebellion grows into a. 74 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,640 Forest that delay of a week stretches. 75 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:41,680 Into 4 decades, and the result of rebellion is that an entire 76 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,840 generation is. Refused. 77 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:51,120 Entrance into the promised land. This, you could say, is Israel's 78 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:56,960 darkest hour. And friends. 79 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,840 The Apostle Paul tells us. These things were written as an 80 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:08,080 example to us. And so the bull's eye of this 81 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,760 sermon. It's kind of two flip sides. 82 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,080 Of the same coin one, it's a question. 83 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,800 What will keep? Us from heaven. 84 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:20,080 I'm sure you can guess the answer. 85 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:26,600 It's rebellion. But on the other side, how can 86 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:32,200 we enter heaven? The answer of the text is. 87 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,240 Faith, Faith. In. 88 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,480 God. So there's three points to the 89 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,120 sermon which are really going to be an. 90 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,160 Elaboration of that second. Question. 91 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:48,160 How can we enter heaven? The first point is this first. 92 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,360 Take hold. Of God's promises and goodness. 93 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,160 Take hold of God's. Promises and goodness. 94 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,760 So that's going to be Chapter 13. 95 00:06:57,800 --> 00:06:59,440 Now there's a lot to. Cover. 96 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,040 In chapters 13 to 15, if I read the whole. 97 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,320 Text I'd have just about. Enough time at the end to say 98 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,920 Amen, let's pray. So we're going to have to do. 99 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,120 Some recap we will read. Some. 100 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:11,560 Parts. So let's look at. 101 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:17,680 Verse one first verse one the Lord spoke to Moses saying send 102 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,880 men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to 103 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,800 the. People of Israel from each tribe 104 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,360 of their fathers. You shall send a man, everyone, 105 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,800 a chief among them. So Moses sent them from the 106 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:35,240 wilderness of Quran according to the command of the Lord, all of 107 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,400 them men. Who were heads of the people of 108 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,640 Israel? Now we'll. 109 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,080 Skip verses 4 to. 16 which tells us the names of the spies, and 110 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:50,520 pick it back up in verse 17. Moses sent them to spy out the 111 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:55,000 land of Canaan, and said to them, Go up into the Negeb and 112 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,920 go up into the Hill Country, and see what the land is, and 113 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,800 whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak. 114 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,680 Whether there are few? Or many, and whether the land 115 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,200 that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether. 116 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,480 The cities that they. Dwell in are camps or 117 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,000 strongholds and whether the land. 118 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,640 Is rich or poor? And whether there are trees in 119 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,600 it or not. Be of good courage. 120 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,880 And bring some of the fruit of the land. 121 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,200 And we'll skip verses 21 to 24. Which tells us about their. 122 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:31,720 Journey. One thing to note. 123 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,360 About those verses, those they. Traveled to Hebron that's 124 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,840 important we'll look we'll consider that more later verse 125 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:44,880 25 at the end of 40 days they returned from spying out the 126 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,120 land and they came to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation 127 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,480 of the. People of Israel. 128 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:55,200 In the wilderness of Paran. At Kadesh they brought back. 129 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,480 Word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them 130 00:08:59,560 --> 00:09:03,920 the fruit of the land now before. 131 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,080 We hear their report. Let's. 132 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:11,480 Recap some of the story the Lord tells Moses to send 12 spies and 133 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,400 notice the clarification the Lord makes about the land in 134 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,040 verse 2. It is the land which I am 135 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,160 giving. To the people of Israel. 136 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,920 Friends, this has been the plan all along. 137 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,760 Back in an Exodus chapter 3, the Lord met Moses in a burning 138 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:32,240 Bush, and he told Moses, I've seen the affliction of my people 139 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,880 in Egypt. I know their sufferings. 140 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:40,760 I have come to deliver them out of Egypt and to bring them to a 141 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:48,200 good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and after 400. 142 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:53,120 Years of slavery to Egypt. God delivered them and after. 143 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,600 A year of preparation. At Sinai they were on the cusp 144 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,480 of the land. Now the fact that 12 men are 145 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:07,720 sent and not 2 I think shows that the orders from Moses have 146 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,240 less to do with military Recon and more to. 147 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:16,240 Do with theological evaluation is. 148 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:21,240 The land like God. Said it would be has God. 149 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:25,760 Been true to his word this friends. 150 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:31,440 Is a test of faith. And three observations they were 151 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:36,560 told to make by Moses remind us of another land, the garden. 152 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,680 Verse 19 See whether the land is. 153 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:43,720 Good or bad, Or you could say good. 154 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:49,120 Or evil verse 20. See whether there are trees. 155 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:54,640 In it or not verse 20 again bring some of the fruit of the 156 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:59,120 land now where in the. Bible. 157 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,440 Is there a tree? Of good and evil. 158 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,960 Where are they told not to take the fruit Maybe your mind's 159 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,000 going to Genesis, the Garden of Eden. 160 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,160 You know the in the entire Old Testament, the only. 161 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,040 Place that the phrase take the fruit occurs. 162 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:28,680 Is 2 places Genesis chapter 3 Numbers 13 Moses reminds. 163 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,720 Us they're going back to. Eden. 164 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,040 This is a. Return to Eden. 165 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,080 It's a return to a land of. Rest with God so the job of the 166 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:44,920 spies is clear, see? If God's promises are true, see 167 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,400 if the land is as good. As God says it is. 168 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:53,440 And to further strengthen their faith, their journey takes them 169 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:58,040 through Hebron and they take the fruit of the land. 170 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,240 Now the Israelites would have remembered Hebron. 171 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,480 It's OK if you don't. But if you go back. 172 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,520 To Genesis 13, you would have seen Hebron is near where God 173 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:11,280 first promised Abraham that he would inherit the land. 174 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,960 Further, Hebron is the place from where Abraham set. 175 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:23,360 Out to defeat 5. Kings in Genesis 14, Hebron is 176 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:24,320 the. Place. 177 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:27,880 Where Abraham owned his one plot of land. 178 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,520 Where his wife Sarah was buried. Where all the patriarchs? 179 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:35,160 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried. 180 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:39,320 Along with their wives. In other words, friends, Hebron. 181 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,160 For an Israelite was. Legendary. 182 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,560 They would have remembered Hebron. 183 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,600 They should have strengthened their faith and to further 184 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,320 strengthen their faith, did you? See the size of the fruit. 185 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,640 I mean, this is incredible, the single. 186 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:02,320 Cluster of grapes is so. Big 2 grown men. 187 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,720 Have to carry it on a pole. It's obvious the. 188 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:12,160 Land is bountiful. It's filled with blessing and to 189 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:12,880 take. It. 190 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:18,000 That would have been a bold symbol of ownership, a symbol to 191 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,600 the people. This is our land. 192 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:28,080 A taste of the. Land Now so far, you might think 193 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,200 this scouting trip is a home run. 194 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,440 Wow. The land is luscious. 195 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:38,000 The grass really is greener on the other side in Canaan. 196 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:46,280 But then the report begins. Let's look at verse 27, verse 197 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,000 27. And they told him We came to the 198 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,320 land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey and 199 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:59,200 this. Is its fruit, however, the 200 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,280 people who dwell? On the land are strong and the 201 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,320 cities are fortified and very large and. 202 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,720 Besides, we saw the. Descendants of Anak. 203 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,880 There the Amalekites dwell on the land of the Negeb. 204 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,240 The Hittites. The Jebusites. 205 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:17,160 And the Amorites dwell on the Hill Country, and the Canaanites 206 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:18,920 dwell by the sea and along the Jordan. 207 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,560 But Caleb quieted the people before. 208 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,400 Moses and said. Let us go up at. 209 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,680 Once and. Occupy it, for we are. 210 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:35,480 Well able to overcome it then the men who had gone up with him 211 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:39,920 said we are not. Able to go up against the people 212 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:45,240 for they. Are stronger than we are, so 213 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:49,280 they brought. To the people of Israel, a bad 214 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:50,720 report of. The land. 215 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:57,080 That they had spied out. Now you can sense something's 216 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,560 off in the very. First words of that report. 217 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:06,400 Look at the first words. We came to the land to which you 218 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,560 sent us. That's an interesting way of 219 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:14,040 phrasing, you know. Is this not the land? 220 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:18,160 Promised to our fathers. Is this not the land that the 221 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,840 Lord is giving to us? No, I mean like a spouse, says 222 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,560 honey. Your kids are driving me crazy. 223 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,560 They're. Distancing themselves from the 224 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:32,120 land, they're disassociating themselves. 225 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,560 And then the report is interesting. 226 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,720 They share 1/2 a sentence about the land. 227 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,120 Well, it it. Flows with milk and honey. 228 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:47,360 Here's the fruit, but the. Majority of the report focuses 229 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,880 not on the land, but on the people of Canaan. 230 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:57,560 In fact, it's 7 words in Hebrew on the land, 31 words on the 231 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,400 people. You can. 232 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,360 See the shift? You can hear it in verse 28. 233 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,720 However. OK, that's the land. 234 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:14,800 However, have you seen the people now, Caleb, one of the. 235 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,600 Spies. He realizes what's happening. 236 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,920 He speaks up. He says hey, whoa, whoa, we, 237 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,560 let's go. We. 238 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,200 Can take the land. We are able to overcome. 239 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:27,440 It. He's. 240 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,200 Filled with urgency and confidence. 241 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,600 Let's go we. Can do it. 242 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,080 But the other? Spies counter him. 243 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,040 They're. Filled with fear, they say. 244 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,880 We're we're not able. They're stronger than us. 245 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,560 And not only do the spies respond with fear, not faith, 246 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,040 they then bear false witness about the land. 247 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:57,480 The land. It's a land that devours its 248 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,960 inhabitants. In other words, if we go in 249 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:09,920 there, we're going to die. Their lie sounds eerily similar 250 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:14,520 to the serpent in Genesis who said you will not surely die. 251 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:23,560 They say you will surely die. Friends, not all who journey. 252 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,839 Through the world, make it. To Heaven. 253 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:35,400 Many seem like they're on the way to heaven, only to finally 254 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,800 reject heaven for the things of this world. 255 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:45,600 You could say the cares of this world choke out their faith. 256 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,640 You know, Paul said in second Timothy said the time is coming 257 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:58,680 when people will turn away from listening to the truth and 258 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:07,320 wander off into myths. 12 spies saw the goodness of the land, 259 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,080 but the. Strength of the people was their 260 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:11,960 focus. You could. 261 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:18,640 Say in their eyes, people became big and God became small. 262 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:24,600 Brothers and sisters. How do we respond when friends, 263 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:30,280 family even? Leaders reject. 264 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:35,120 The faith that they once. Professed What do we? 265 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:42,880 Do we should respond by taking God at His word? 266 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,960 In other words, we should respond like Caleb. 267 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,920 Caleb saw the. Goodness of the land with. 268 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:58,000 Eyes of faith, Caleb. Knew the faithfulness of God. 269 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:03,000 He knew God carried them out of. Egypt out of slavery, so the 270 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,240 object of Caleb's faith was bigger. 271 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,040 Than the obstacles that he saw in the land. 272 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,200 And you know what, Caleb? Took God at his word, but he 273 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,640 didn't keep God. 'S word to himself. 274 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:21,080 In other words, Caleb was a confident encourager. 275 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:25,120 Of God's people. Now we're a new. 276 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:27,760 Church, we're just. A few months old. 277 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,280 But we've. Already faced some obstacles. 278 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:36,760 We will face trials. That maybe seem insurmountable 279 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,080 maybe. We will see those we love. 280 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,360 Who once? Professed the Faith Depart. 281 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,080 We need to be like. Caleb. 282 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,120 We need to. Take God at His word. 283 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:57,160 And take. God's Word to His. 284 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,440 People, we need more Caleb's in our midst. 285 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,720 We need confident encouragers, Members who have. 286 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,280 Taken hold. Of God's promises themselves and 287 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,400 of His goodness, and who are dispersing that throughout the 288 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,760 congregation, reminding one another that God. 289 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:17,680 Is good that he delights. In US that his presence is, with 290 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:22,240 us that his promises are. For us that he has purposes for 291 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,600 our church. That he will bring us home. 292 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:32,640 By God's grace, we already have. Many Calebs in the congregation, 293 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:40,080 you know, men like Sam Kuttner. Sam has seen. 294 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,720 God's grace at work for decades. And so Sam is a confident 295 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,640 encourager. Of God's people with birthday 296 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,600 cards Bible. Verses letters a smile. 297 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,800 At the door, I hope every church. 298 00:20:55,400 --> 00:21:01,520 Has a Sam Kuttner friends, we need to take hold of God's 299 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,680 goodness, take hold of his promises. 300 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,960 Sadly, in chapter 14. That is the exact opposite of 301 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,920 what the Israelites do. Turn to chapter 14, second 302 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:20,440 point. Heed God's judgments and 303 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:30,000 warnings in chapter 14-1, commentator said the Israelites 304 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,920 snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 305 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:38,160 The spies bad. Report immediately. 306 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,760 Bears bad fruit. Look at verses one to 10. 307 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:48,200 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry and the people wept 308 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,160 that night and. All the people of Israel. 309 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:55,120 Grumbled against Moses and Aaron, the whole congregation 310 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:57,920 said to them. Would that we had died. 311 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,120 In the land of Egypt. Or would that we had died in 312 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:04,200 this wilderness. Why is the Lord? 313 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,360 Bringing us into this land. To fall by the sword. 314 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,400 Our wives and our little ones will become a prey, would it not 315 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,680 be? Better for us to go back. 316 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,280 To Egypt and they said to one another. 317 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,800 Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt. 318 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,400 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the 319 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:29,520 assembly of the Congregation of the People of Israel, and Joshua 320 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,800 the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Gefuna, who were among 321 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,360 those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and 322 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:40,000 said to all the congregation. Of the people of Israel. 323 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,160 The land. Which we pass through to. 324 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,880 Spy it out is an exceedingly good land. 325 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:52,160 If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and 326 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:58,120 give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey only. 327 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,680 Do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of 328 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:05,640 the land. For they are bred for us. 329 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:11,120 Their protection is removed from them and the Lord. 330 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:17,920 Is with us do. Not fear them, then all the 331 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:23,400 congregation said to stone them with stones. 332 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,360 We'll pause there. Do you see the? 333 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:33,240 Response to this report. They start with a loud. 334 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,480 Cry. They weep through the night. 335 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,680 They grumble against Moses and Aaron. 336 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:47,160 Worst of all, do you see what they accuse God of? 337 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:56,360 They accuse the Giver of all good gifts of secretly. 338 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:57,560 Wanting to. Kill them. 339 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,680 That's the God. They think they've been 340 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:05,640 following in Chapter 11. They thought life. 341 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:10,280 Was good in the land here they're determined life would be 342 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,880 better in Egypt and so they need. 343 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,520 A new leader because. Moses is the leader who led them 344 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,280 out of Egypt. Moses will not be leading them 345 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,360 back into Egypt. He won't. 346 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:28,040 Reverse the exodus. They'd be glad to. 347 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,680 So Moses and Aaron fall on their faces. 348 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:35,000 It's not that they. Fear the people, they fall. 349 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,440 On their faces as an act of complete submission to God. 350 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,680 What else could they do? In this situation and Joshua and 351 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,280 Caleb. Tear their clothes before the 352 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,000 people. It's an act. 353 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,960 Of bitter grief. Showing their repulsion. 354 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,360 For the people's. Rebellion, and they make one. 355 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:57,160 Last plea. The land. 356 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:02,760 Remember the land, it's exceedingly good and the Lord 357 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,400 delights in us. They say He will bring us in. 358 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:10,280 He will give us the. Land and they give a warning. 359 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:20,360 Don't rebel against him. Joshua and Caleb were willing to 360 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:24,120 warn. We need confident encouragers. 361 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,040 We also need members who are willing to warn. 362 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:34,480 Are you willing to say to a friend that thing you're doing 363 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,120 is is rebellion? It's sinning against the Lord? 364 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,240 Are you willing to speak? Hard truths are. 365 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:47,920 You willing to lose a friend, a relationship to tell the. 366 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,000 Truth. That's part of our ministry, 367 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,520 friends to one another, not only encouragement but also 368 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,720 admonishment. Pray to the Lord, ask for 369 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:05,440 courage to correct. And when you're warned, will you 370 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:10,160 heed the warnings? Are you willing to listen if 371 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,280 somebody in this church? Gives you a wake up call. 372 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:20,520 Do you answer? Are you someone that people find 373 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,200 easy to correct? Ask your spouse after the 374 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,320 service if you're married. You may be surprised. 375 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,160 The answer? Ask your kids. 376 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:36,160 Ask a friend who knows you. Pray that you would be. 377 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:42,200 Someone who would receive correction humbly because 378 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,400 friends, the Israelites were not and as. 379 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,400 Loud as. Joshua and Caleb's exhortations. 380 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,560 Were they just fell? On. 381 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:55,440 Deaf ears. The people's hearts were hard as 382 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:57,960 a rock. And so they. 383 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:03,880 Picked up rocks. To kill Moses and Aaron and 384 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:11,200 Joshua and Caleb until verse 10. The glory of the Lord. 385 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,480 Intervened. Look at verse 10. 386 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,600 But the glory of the Lord appeared at the. 387 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:20,480 Tent of meeting to. All the people of Israel. 388 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,680 And the Lord said to Moses, How long will this people despise 389 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,920 me? How long will they not believe 390 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:31,160 in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? 391 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,360 I will strike them with the pestilence, and disherit them, 392 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:41,640 and I will make you a nation greater and mightier than they. 393 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:44,560 But Moses? Said to the Lord. 394 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,480 Then the Egyptians. Will hear of it for you brought 395 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,440 up this. People in your might from among 396 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,760 them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. 397 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,320 They have heard that you O. Lord are in the midst. 398 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,000 Of your people, for you, O Lord, are. 399 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,560 Seen. Face to face. 400 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:07,240 And your cloud stands over them and you go before them in a. 401 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,160 Pillar of cloud by day. And in a Pillar of Fire by 402 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:17,960 Night, verse 17. Please let the power of the Lord 403 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,000 be great as you have. Promised saying the. 404 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:26,280 Lord is slow to. Anger and abounding in steadfast 405 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,400 love, forgiving iniquity and transgression. 406 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,160 But he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the 407 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:38,320 iniquity of the fathers on the children to the. 3rd. 408 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:44,560 And 4th generation, please pardon the iniquity of this 409 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,720 people according to the greatness. 410 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:52,280 Of your steadfast love just. As you have forgiven this people 411 00:28:52,280 --> 00:29:01,600 from Egypt until now, at this point the only thing that would 412 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,520 stop. These Israelites is the glory of 413 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,120 the Lord. And the Lord asked Moses 2 414 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,320 questions. They both begin with how? 415 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:15,160 Long, in a sense, the Lord laments. 416 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:22,280 He's brought them to the land, they've despised him, He's shown 417 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,920 them signs, they don't believe in him. 418 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:31,480 So he's committed to striking them dead and starting over with 419 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,960 Moses. But it's as if the Lord once 420 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:41,400 again invites Moses to. Intercede for the people. 421 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:46,200 And in verse 13, Moses yet again intercedes. 422 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,120 For the people. The people who doubted. 423 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:54,600 Him, the people who rejected him and despised him and were ready. 424 00:29:54,600 --> 00:30:00,200 To have his public execution, those people, Moses says, Lord, 425 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:07,760 please forgive them. And Moses grounds his appeal not 426 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:09,520 on the basis. Of the people, How could he? 427 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,760 These people are rebellious. He grounds his appeal. 428 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,720 On who God is. He says in two parts. 429 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,760 God, remember your reputation among the nations. 430 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,040 You've delivered them from Egypt. 431 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,440 Everyone's heard about it. What will they say if you? 432 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:35,400 Wipe them out and 2nd Moses. Appeals to God's character as 433 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,760 God's already revealed. It in Exodus 34. 434 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,920 In Exodus 34. God told. 435 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:47,040 Moses who he is, he in a sense unveiled his character to Moses, 436 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:53,560 and so Moses. Says God, you are as you've 437 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:57,000 said. Slow to anger and abounding in. 438 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:03,520 Steadfast love, forgive. Them friends, these verses are 439 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,280 key to understanding the mysterious. 440 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:08,840 Depths. Of the Book of Numbers. 441 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,560 How? Can any of the Israelites enter 442 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,640 the land when they themselves? Rebelliously refuse. 443 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:23,600 To enter and how? Could God let any Israelites? 444 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:28,840 Into the land when they despise him and reject him. 445 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,600 Friends, there's two truths. About God that help. 446 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,960 Us make sense of this passage, and these are bigger. 447 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:37,240 Terms. So just heads up. 448 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:40,000 We're just going to do this. Briefly, but the first is the 449 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,800 simplicity of God. And the second is the 450 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,960 impassibility of God. Maybe they're unfamiliar terms 451 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,480 for you, but they've been confessed by Christians 452 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,680 throughout church history. In fact, as a church, we 453 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:53,520 confess. Both of these truths. 454 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:56,080 In the first sentence of our statement of faith. 455 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,840 Which says we believe. That there is one and only one 456 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:07,240 living and true God. Without body parts or passions. 457 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:08,480 Maybe you've never wondered what? 458 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,760 That means that God is without. Body parts or passions? 459 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:13,560 God's without body or. Parts. 460 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,360 That's the simplicity of God. It means that. 461 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:21,400 God's not made-up of things. Now I if you didn't know this 462 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:25,040 about me, I love pie. I will choose pie over cake 463 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:26,480 every day of the week. My favorite? 464 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,480 Pie is buttermilk pie. It's basically made-up of four 465 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,040 things Buttermilk, and I see some of your faces. 466 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:33,480 If you haven't tried it, you need to try it. 467 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:36,640 Buttermilk flour. Sugar. 468 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:39,080 I think there's one more ingredient I'm forgetting. 469 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:42,320 God is not like a. Pie. 470 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:44,960 He's not like a. Pie. 471 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:49,320 He's not made-up of ingredients. Holiness, love, justice. 472 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:49,840 You add them. All. 473 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:54,120 Together and you get God. God is not the sum of his parts. 474 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,960 We shouldn't think that. Any of God's attributes. 475 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,120 Either are more essential. To him than other parts. 476 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,520 God is what? He is. 477 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:07,040 Every attribute is essential to who? 478 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:11,200 He is so when Moses appeals. To God, on the basis of his 479 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:14,720 character, Moses is not. Saying God let your. 480 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:19,560 Love override your justice. Let your love win out. 481 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:23,520 That's not what he's doing here. Instead, there's a. 482 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:25,160 Unity. And there's a harmony. 483 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,640 In God's attributes. Because every attribute is 484 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:33,720 essential and. Identical to who he is. 2nd. 485 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:39,080 God is also without passions. That's the impassibility. 486 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:40,960 Of God it. It means that God. 487 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:45,120 Does not have passions like us. In other words, to simplify it, 488 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,000 it means that you cannot make God have a bad. 489 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:53,240 Day. You can't change God that. 490 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,160 Doesn't mean. That God is emotionless, it 491 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:59,880 means he has emotions unlike us. They're different. 492 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:04,320 Than our emotions. It means that God is not that 493 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:09,080 he's motionless, but that his motions are fully actualized. 494 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,760 They're out of. State a full capacity, in other 495 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,320 words. He's not static like immovable. 496 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,840 He's maximally alive. He's not lifeless so. 497 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:22,920 When God? Responds in judgment to the 498 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,880 Israelites. It's not that they finally 499 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,280 pushed him over the edge. Like a parent that says, all 500 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:34,920 right, that is the last straw. You've driven me crazy, I have 501 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:37,239 to do. Something that's not what's 502 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:39,880 happening with God here. He. 503 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:44,480 Is, as Moses declares, the God. Who forgives? 504 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:48,360 Iniquity and transgression. But at the same time. 505 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:55,000 He is the God who will by no means clear the guilty and. 506 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,640 That's how we know that they won't make it. 507 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,400 In. Because he. 508 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,680 Is a God of justice and yet he is love. 509 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:08,600 What will his love look like even in a situation like? 510 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:11,720 This. This is the basis. 511 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:13,240 Of what? Moses. 512 00:35:13,240 --> 00:35:17,720 Asked for in his pardon, and in verses 20 through 38, the Lord 513 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:22,320 pardons the people. He says I won't. 514 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,480 Wipe them. Out, but I will still. 515 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,200 Judge them for their rebellion. Their their punishment 516 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,560 summarized in verse 34. Look at verse 34. 517 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,320 According to the. Number of the days in which you 518 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,160 spied out the land? 40 days. 519 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:40,880 A year for each day. You shall bear your iniquity. 40 520 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,320 years and you shall. Know my. 521 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:50,600 Displeasure and what about the spies verse 37 the men who 522 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,560 brought a bad. Report of the land. 523 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,200 Died. By plague before the Lord. 524 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:02,680 The Book of Numbers started. With 600,000 men ready for 525 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:04,520 battle. Ready for war? 526 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:09,480 Two of those men. Will make it into the. 527 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:13,080 Promised Land. They'll die off 1. 528 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:17,640 By one in the wilderness, and it will start with the 10 spies for 529 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,040 40. Years they'll wander a year. 530 00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:23,200 For each day they spied. Out the land and since. 531 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:27,280 They wanted to go back to Egypt in verse. 25 the. 532 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:34,000 Lord commands them to turn back in the direction to Egypt. 533 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:39,120 Friends, this is poetic justice. The Lord. 534 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:46,080 Gives them what they wish for. Maybe you're wondering would. 535 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:50,000 Would they heed these judgments? Would they hear the? 536 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:53,280 Warnings. Would this be what? 537 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:58,040 Leads them to repentance. Well, the answer is no. 538 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,920 Look at the end of the passage. Look at verses 39 through 45. 539 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:06,600 Verse 39. The people mourn greatly. 540 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:15,920 They even say in verse. 40 We have sinned, but they say. 541 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,080 Let's go into the promised. Land Moses warns them he says 542 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:23,680 don't go in the promised land verse 42 the. 543 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:29,240 Lord is not among you. Apparently, though, they don't 544 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:33,120 care. So they try to go in the. 545 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:39,200 Promised Land and in verse 40. 5 They're defeated, they're 546 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,920 pursued, they're chased out that law. 547 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:47,920 That land does not belong to them anymore, if you notice the 548 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:51,280 response to. Even God's judgment. 549 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,520 It's actually a mirror response to their first. 550 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,320 Response to the spies. First, they believed they. 551 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,240 Could not go in. The land with the Lord, The Lord 552 00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:02,120 was on. Their side. 553 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:04,040 They said we can't. Go in. 554 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:07,040 Now here the Lord is not with. Them. 555 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,640 And they say it's time to go in so. 556 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:11,640 What? What do we make? 557 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:15,240 Of their repentance. It's got the right ingredients. 558 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:17,040 Right. They mourn greatly. 559 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:20,480 They're crying a lot. They're so sorry it. 560 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:24,200 Seems they say the right words. We've sinned. 561 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:28,720 OK, yes, we know what we did was wrong, but it lacks. 562 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:32,360 The heart, It's a. False repentance. 563 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:35,400 It's a worldly. Grief. 564 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,720 This is the first battle. In the book of Numbers. 565 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:47,440 And they lose big time. Friends, sin is. 566 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:55,320 Insanity. They refused the gift of the 567 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,760 land. They were at the border. 568 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,960 The doors are ready to open. They tore up their. 569 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:05,560 Tickets they refused themselves entrance. 570 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,680 And then in insanity. They try to go in on their own 571 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:16,280 strength. Friends, how can anyone enter 572 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:21,320 heaven? We've refused. 573 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,560 Ourselves entrance. At the end. 574 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:28,240 Of the day. Nobody wants to go to. 575 00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:31,680 Heaven. CS Lewis, Kind of. 576 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:34,640 Captures this idea in his allegory The Great Divorce. 577 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:38,920 He says Hell's gates are locked from the inside. 578 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:43,080 In other words. Everyone. 579 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:44,800 Who? Goes to hell. 580 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:48,000 Is there because. They choose to. 581 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:55,440 And friends, the immediate. Death of these 10 spies the. 582 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,920 Judgement of the. Israelites, they are warnings 583 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,760 for us. Of a final. 584 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:06,040 Judgement because one day soon Christ will return, and they 585 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:11,440 will be A reckoning, and all who do not heed these warnings will 586 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:16,960 receive eternal death, which is the death. 587 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:25,640 That we all deserve the death that every little rebellion of 588 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:28,440 our hearts. Has mustered up. 589 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:34,360 And earned and yet in chapter 15. 590 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:39,360 Though we can't make it. Into heaven. 591 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:45,200 On our own strength, in God's mercy and grace, He has. 592 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:48,520 Made a way to save us from Wrath. 593 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:52,520 To save us from ourselves, look at chapter 15. 594 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:58,760 Third and finally, remember God's provision and commands. 595 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,080 If you've read this passage, chapter 15, maybe you've 596 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:09,160 wondered. Why does chapter 15 follow 597 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,760 chapter 14? What is the connection? 598 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:13,560 Chapter 15? It's about laws. 599 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:16,560 Sacrifices it. Ends with tassels. 600 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:19,480 What does that have? To do with what We've just read 601 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:24,400 chapters 13 and. 14 Tell us why the 1st. 602 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,960 Generation. Does not enter the land, Chapter 603 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:31,440 15 assures us. That the second. 604 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:35,040 Generation will. Look at verse one. 605 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,480 The Lord spoke to Moses saying, speak to the people of. 606 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:43,360 Israel and say to them. When you come into the land you 607 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:49,360 are trying, you are to inhabit, which I am giving you when you 608 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:53,760 come into the land. Those are sweet words of 609 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:59,840 assurance. 1 commentator says This divine when holds an ocean 610 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:04,840 of consolation and hope and they're repeated again in verse 611 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:07,720 18 look at verse 18 speak to the people of. 612 00:42:07,720 --> 00:42:12,560 Israel and say to them. When you come into the land to 613 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:17,200 which I bring you, when you come into the land. 614 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:21,080 Between these verses are instructions about sacrifices. 615 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:24,360 They'll need flour. And oil, verse four. 616 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:28,520 Look at verse 10. They'll need wine, but don't 617 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:30,280 forget there's 2 million of them. 618 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:35,040 Where are they going to find 2 million people's worth of flour? 619 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:38,960 And oil and. Wine, friends, it's in the land. 620 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:44,120 It's in that land which flows with milk and honey in other. 621 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:44,880 Words. God is. 622 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:48,400 Saying to them I will. Bring you into the. 623 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:53,680 Land and I will sustain you in the land I will supply. 624 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:56,800 The provisions that you need. For sacrifice. 625 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:02,040 So that you sinful people. Can live with a holy. 626 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:06,520 God in his presence. And not just the Israelites get 627 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:08,920 to. Participate in this verse. 25 628 00:43:09,240 --> 00:43:14,840 forgiveness can be found even for sojourners the same. 629 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:19,400 Laws apply to both. Friends, how can we enter? 630 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:24,080 Heaven by faith. In God. 631 00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:29,440 Specifically by. Faith in the sacrifice that God 632 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:33,600 has provided for us. We've already seen. 633 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:35,520 God's faithful and. Flawless character. 634 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,600 We've already come. Face to face with our disaster 635 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:44,160 of rebellion, that sin. Is worse than we can even grasp. 636 00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:48,960 And here we're coming. Face to face, with God's mercy 637 00:43:49,240 --> 00:43:51,920 it is. Greater than we can imagine. 638 00:43:52,080 --> 00:43:58,160 The solution to our rebellion? The way in to heaven, it's not 639 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:01,320 our own good works. You can't muster up. 640 00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:05,200 Enough prayer you could pray. Every moment of every day you 641 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:09,520 can't pray your way into heaven. It's not. 642 00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:14,120 Based on how much we give. You could give every dollar of 643 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:17,680 every paycheck. You can't pay your way into 644 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:20,200 heaven. It's not based on how much we 645 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:24,400 serve. You could serve every second of 646 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:26,200 every hour. Of your life. 647 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:31,320 You can't serve your way into heaven. 648 00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:34,120 That's. Why we need Jesus Christ? 649 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:36,480 Jesus is the. Once. 650 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:40,200 For all sacrifice for sins, he gave his. 651 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:44,640 Perfect life on the cross and died. 652 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:50,480 In the stead of sinners he bore God's judgment, so that. 653 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:55,880 We could enter the promised. Land so that we could. 654 00:44:55,880 --> 00:45:00,880 Receive that rests the only. Way into. 655 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:04,760 Heaven is by taking hold. Of. 656 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:09,640 God's promises of salvation. By faith and truly repenting of 657 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:11,800 sin. Oh, friend, if you're not a 658 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:15,680 Christian. Would you heed these warnings? 659 00:45:16,280 --> 00:45:19,320 Would you? Receive God's provision. 660 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:23,360 For your sin would you believe in Christ, be forgiven of your 661 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:28,440 rebellion, and receive. Everlasting rest. 662 00:45:31,240 --> 00:45:33,360 And for those of. Us who have believed in Christ. 663 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:38,480 Our life, our March. Toward heaven is a continual 664 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:43,320 March of repentance and faith and repentance and faith. 665 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:48,480 Chapter 15. Ends with laws about 666 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:54,160 unintentional sins versus sins with a high hand, and then with 667 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:55,800 some instructions to make tassels. 668 00:45:55,800 --> 00:45:56,960 So we're going to look at that first. 669 00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:00,560 Part First look at verses 22. Through 36. 670 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:05,840 So you have unintentional. Sins and then sinning with a 671 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:09,760 high hand these are opposites of one another there is atonement 672 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:13,400 and forgiveness for those who sin unintentionally but in verse 673 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:18,640 30 we see that anyone who sins with a high hand reviles the. 674 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:24,200 Lord, and shall be cut off from the people, in other words. 675 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:30,040 There's no atonement for those. Who raise their fists to God. 676 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:33,560 There's no forgiveness. For those who deliberately 677 00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:38,480 embrace sin in defiance of the Lord. 678 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,080 And if you're wondering what? What does that look like? 679 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,080 Well, Moses gives us an. Illustration in verses 32 680 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:49,640 through 36. Look at verses. 32 through 36 681 00:46:49,640 --> 00:46:52,240 the. Situation is, there's a man 682 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:56,520 who's gathering sticks on the Sabbath and. 683 00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:58,680 So the people find him. And they take him to Moses and 684 00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:02,600 Aaron and to the congregation, and Moses puts him in custody, 685 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:04,320 but they're not quite sure what to do. 686 00:47:04,720 --> 00:47:07,840 So they asked the Lord. Verse 35 the. 687 00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:11,640 Lord said to Moses the. Man shall be put. 688 00:47:11,640 --> 00:47:15,400 To death and all the congregation shall stone him 689 00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:19,680 with stones outside the camp. And they obey. 690 00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:24,840 You might be wondering picking. Up. 691 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:28,520 Sticks. How is that worthy of being 692 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:32,200 stoned to death? Why does it deserve? 693 00:47:32,200 --> 00:47:37,160 This judgment well, friends. The Sabbath was the. 694 00:47:37,160 --> 00:47:39,880 Day of rest. It was the day of. 695 00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:41,840 Soul devotion to God. It was what? 696 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:44,560 Marked off. The Israelites from the nations. 697 00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:50,840 And this man on the Sabbath has the nerve to go pick up sticks. 698 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:53,800 That he will likely use to make a fire. 699 00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:58,680 What happens with a fire? In a camp, everybody sees it. 700 00:47:58,920 --> 00:48:03,520 Everybody knows you're breaking the Sabbath, He. 701 00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:07,040 Doesn't seem to care. His sin is. 702 00:48:07,040 --> 00:48:10,240 Raising his first to God. It's. 703 00:48:10,240 --> 00:48:13,680 Rejecting God and refusing God's rest. 704 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:16,520 And so he's cut off. From God's people. 705 00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:20,680 How do we apply this today there are no stones. 706 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:22,840 We. Have in our congregation, we're 707 00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:24,800 shifting from the old Covenant to the new covenant. 708 00:48:25,040 --> 00:48:30,200 We're shifting from this discipline we see here to 709 00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:31,240 something. We call church. 710 00:48:31,240 --> 00:48:34,200 Discipline today in the new Covenant in Matthew 18, Jesus 711 00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:36,320 tells us. If a member. 712 00:48:36,520 --> 00:48:39,720 Of the church, if a. Brother or sister is caught an 713 00:48:39,720 --> 00:48:42,840 unrepentant. Sin, sin that is serious. 714 00:48:43,160 --> 00:48:46,480 Like this high handed. Sin, sin that is outward. 715 00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:50,440 Like you can see it in someone. 'S actions and sin that is 716 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:54,360 unrepentant. We as a congregation must act, 717 00:48:56,040 --> 00:49:00,560 we must excommunicate them. We see in Matthew 18 if they 718 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:04,560 will not heed the warnings. Ultimately, we must. 719 00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:08,040 Say to that person, we can no longer affirm. 720 00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:11,480 That you're faithfully following Jesus Christ. 721 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:14,200 And that act is. For their. 722 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:16,880 Good. It's for their restoration. 723 00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:20,120 The purpose is that they would turn from that heinous sin. 724 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:23,800 And find restoration in the fellowship of the Church. 725 00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:27,440 And in the love of. Christ, it's also a. 726 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:30,720 Final act of. Warning of the. 727 00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:35,960 Final judgment to come. A reminder that sin is serious. 728 00:49:36,440 --> 00:49:38,480 That's a reminder the Israelites needed. 729 00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:41,520 It's a reminder that we. Need today. 730 00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:45,800 And that reminder takes. Us to these tassels. 731 00:49:45,800 --> 00:49:48,560 That finish out the chapter. Look at the. 732 00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:55,160 Last part of the chapter they're told in verses. 37 to the end to 733 00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:59,480 make these blue tassels. What's the purpose of the? 734 00:49:59,480 --> 00:50:01,840 Tassels, what's the message? Of the tassels. 735 00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:04,800 It's that you're a holy priesthood. 736 00:50:05,200 --> 00:50:06,840 Don't follow your. Heart. 737 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:10,280 Follow the Lord's commandments. How do? 738 00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:12,280 We see that well, the. Tassels are blue. 739 00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:17,800 Blue appears. 40 times in the Pentateuch. 40. 740 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:19,760 Times 30. Four of those times it's before 741 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:22,360 the Book of Numbers. It's talking about the curtains 742 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,640 of the dwelling and the garments of the High Priest. 743 00:50:25,880 --> 00:50:29,880 The remaining 6 times are in the Book of Numbers five times. 744 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:32,480 In chapter 4 it describes the blue. 745 00:50:32,480 --> 00:50:34,680 Clothes that cover the golden vessels. 746 00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:39,520 In the Lord's dwelling place, the final of 40th times is here. 747 00:50:41,640 --> 00:50:44,080 The Israelites. All of them are to. 748 00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:47,160 Wear these tassels, these blue. Tassels as. 749 00:50:47,160 --> 00:50:50,200 A reminder. A reminder that they are a. 750 00:50:50,280 --> 00:50:53,960 Holy priesthood that they belong. 751 00:50:54,160 --> 00:50:59,800 To a holy God, that. They are to be holy as He is 752 00:50:59,800 --> 00:51:02,800 holy. The tassels, in a sense, were. 753 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:06,320 A remedy? For their idolatry, a continual. 754 00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:09,200 Reminder that following your heart. 755 00:51:10,120 --> 00:51:13,520 Leads you to hell that. You're not to. 756 00:51:13,560 --> 00:51:17,160 Follow after gods that are not. The one. 757 00:51:17,520 --> 00:51:25,960 True God He ends with I am the Lord your God, I am the Lord 758 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:27,480 your. God. 759 00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:32,520 They needed the. Tassels to continually remind 760 00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:35,200 them of God's provision. And his. 761 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:38,560 Commands now today you've not seen any tassels on anyone in 762 00:51:38,560 --> 00:51:42,200 the congregation I trust. Because to apply this. 763 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:46,160 Today is different, today the means of grace. 764 00:51:46,160 --> 00:51:48,040 Of remembrance that we've received. 765 00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:50,480 Well, one of them is the Lord's. Supper. 766 00:51:51,880 --> 00:51:54,000 It's the Lord's Supper. It reminds us of the. 767 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:58,800 Danger of our rebellion and even more the mercy and grace of God 768 00:51:59,920 --> 00:52:01,160 it. Reminds us. 769 00:52:01,160 --> 00:52:05,120 Even as we'll partake in just a few moments that God has 770 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:08,400 provided. What we need a sacrifice. 771 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:12,600 Christ, Death on the cross. And it points our hearts to 772 00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:19,080 heaven and reminds us that. Jesus will return. 773 00:52:19,080 --> 00:52:22,840 He has said surely. I am. 774 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:27,600 Coming soon. And so how, friends, can we make 775 00:52:27,600 --> 00:52:33,040 it to that promised land? A continual meal to share 776 00:52:33,040 --> 00:52:35,000 together. In the Lord. 777 00:52:35,000 --> 00:52:39,880 'S supper friends. These things were given to us as 778 00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:43,240 examples. The reminder for us? 779 00:52:43,240 --> 00:52:48,480 Today is that the promise of entering God's rest still 780 00:52:48,720 --> 00:52:52,800 stands. You friend can enter that. 781 00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:56,360 Heavenly rest. By taking hold of. 782 00:52:56,360 --> 00:52:59,720 God's promises by believing. In his. 783 00:52:59,720 --> 00:53:06,480 Goodness by heeding his warnings, by remembering his 784 00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:08,360 provisions. Let's. 785 00:53:08,360 --> 00:53:17,830 Pray, Father, we pray. We ask that you'd help. 786 00:53:17,830 --> 00:53:20,430 US. To have eyes. 787 00:53:20,470 --> 00:53:28,280 Of faith to see your goodness, even. 788 00:53:28,280 --> 00:53:29,720 When we face. Obstacles. 789 00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:35,440 To hold on to your. Promises, even when we hear 790 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:41,320 Satan's lies, to believe. By faith that we will make it 791 00:53:41,320 --> 00:53:43,120 home. Because. 792 00:53:43,120 --> 00:53:45,840 Christ has promised. That he. 793 00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:50,880 Will bring us there. We pray in Jesus name. 794 00:53:52,040 --> 00:53:52,400 Oh man.