Numbers 14-15 & Psalm 90

There are a lot of themes in today's reading worth discussing, for sake of time I'll overview the main points then drill down into what stood out prominently to me. Chapter 14 starts right after the 12 spies return with a bad report regarding the land of Canaan, despite the courageous boldness and faith-filled report by Joshua and Caleb the Israelites cried, wept and complained to Moses wishing they had died in Egypt or the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb reiterate the good report of the land of Canaan and reaffirm that the LORD is with them and for the Israelite people to not be afraid. To this the Israelites called to stone them. By this point God threatens to destroy the Israelites and promote Moses making him a nation greater and mightier. Moses does some pleading in prayer (see Psalm 90) and reminds God of his character, which he established when revealing Himself to Moses by passing in front of him earlier in the timeline of Exodus.

Numbers 14:18 (NKJV) "The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

The LORD relents but reinforces that it is His glory that will fill all the earth, He then strikes the unfaithful 10 spies with a plague which they die from, while the faithful, Joshua and Caleb, are preserved. It is at this point the children of Israel are banished to the wilderness for 40 years matching the 40 days of spying on the land of Canaan - this is so the unfaithful generation of complaining, fear and presumption perish, only their children will enter the promised land of Canaan. Unfortunately after hearing the sentencing from the LORD and realizing the error of their way, the people of Israel still operate presumptuously against the will of God and decide in disobedience to go up and seize a mountain inhabited by the Amalekites and Canaanites - to which they were unsuccessful.

Numbers 14:44 (NKJV) "But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop..."

This is a warning against presumption. Presumption is sin, it is giving ourselves permission to do what God has not given us permission to do. I've heard it preached before that presumption is not a faith-filled action that accompanies one who guards their heart, rather presumption is doing what God has said not to do and/or doing when it is unclear what God is saying. For the Israelites their mission was futile as a result, because God had not willed for them to capture the mountain they attacked, presumption results in human failure and presumption against the will of God is a grave sin such that in chapter 15 the LORD gives a law to Moses regarding the sin of presumption.

Numbers 15:30-31 (NKJV) "But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him."

This is such a serious thing for believers to beware of in our day to day lives. How often am I waiting patiently to hear the voice of the LORD before making big decisions? I currently am having difficulty with a vehicle and over the past 3 weeks my wife and I have been researching the market and have been looking for a new truck. I continue to pray and ask the LORD for wisdom as we make this decision in the same way I asked for His help in the purchase of our first home almost a year ago. God is always speaking, but am I always listening? Operating in faith yields confidence because ones trust and hope is in the one who is eternally good whose plans never fail and timing is perfect. Just because we can't see or hear clearly in our own human understanding does not mean God is silent. Patiently wait, quietly listen.

Lamentations 3:22-26 (NIV) "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Deuteronomy 1-2 (Psalm 69)

In these first few chapters of Deuteronomy after Israel's exodus from Egypt and 40 desert years Moses reviews their history of God's hand of power, provision, protection and purpose. Consistently the Israelites are faced with the decision of operating in faith and courage in the way God has for them though they continually with stubborn hearted rebellion walk in fear and discouragement. The theme of presumption continues to resurface in the story of the Israelites and I am greatly convicted of this even in my own life. Deuteronomy 1:42-43 (NKJV) "And the LORD said to me, 'Tell them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies."' So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the LORD, and presumptuously went up into the mountain." This presumption is referring to when the Israelites invaded the Amorites on a mountain after the 12 spies came back with a bad report from Can...
Read more

Genesis 16-18

 Today's reflection in Genesis 17 and 18 is on how God said he wants Abram to walk faithfully and blameless, similar to Job in his blameless and upright life, I align my life in a way that pleases and honors God by being faithful (consistent, demonstrative of unwavering trust in action). Additionally, I found the comparison of God's will for the destruction of Sodom and Nineveh (in Jonah) to be interesting. In Abraham's case he pled for God to be merciful and spare Sodom, while for the Ninevites God intended to display the liberality of his grace all while Jonah wanted God to destroy the people.  Psalm 86:15 "But you LORD are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." As an image bearer of God, we must aim to be faithful like God is. The mighty God we serve is unendingly faithful and full of unfailing love - I want to be more loving and faithful the older I get! 
Read more

Exodus 22-24

 Exodus 23:2 (NIV) "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong." I was watching NHL hockey with my wife the other night and the teams that were playing began getting frustrated and consequently began playing unfairly and fighting. When penalties are given it's not indicative of cheating per se, though you would be hard pressed to find a definition making the distinction between a cheating scandal and a game misconduct or penalty. Often penalties can be properly called by the official referees, though at times it seems the calls are made incorrectly - it's ultimately the best judgment of the ref on the ice at the time and sometimes after the time the rule infraction was witnessed, many times to the great dismay of those in attendance of the hockey game even when the hockey players admit guilt in some instances. Fighting is an entirely different scenario. In just the past 3 years I have noticed a marked increase of violence in the NHL though I'm told that "original...
Read more