July 25, 2013
Central Truth
God allows us the freedom to choose if we will follow Him or reject Him. There are consequences for not choosing to follow God and instead pursuing our own path.
"Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it." (Numbers 14:22-23)
.
20 Then the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word. 21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, 22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. 25 Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
26 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”
36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—died by plague before the LORD. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.
39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed? 42 Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” 44 But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.
How could the Israelites continue to grumble and complain when they had seen God perform signs and lead them out of slavery? The Israelites are very ungrateful for everything that God has done for them. They witnessed God's provision and grace firsthand, but still thought they should not have it so hard. And then, when Moses told them that they would not be able to enter the Promised Land because of their grumbling, they still disobeyed and headed out for the Promised Land without God to find what they felt like they deserved. That is ridiculous, right?
Upon reflection, I, unfortunately, do the same thing many times. I often grumble about my circumstances, compare myself to other people, and act like I am entitled to what I want. What a spoiled brat! The truth is that I do not deserve anything! But the good news is that JESUS paid the price for my sins on the cross. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God sent His own Son to die for you and me so that we can have a relationship with Him. God wants us to seek Him first. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God promises that if we seek Him first, He will take care of us. God always keeps His promises to His people; unfortunately, it is we who seek our own way instead and then have to deal with the brokenness of our choices.
God's Word should be our guiding playbook when we find ourselves grumbling or feeling sorry for ourselves. Too often, I head out in my own direction again and again, only to end up with the consequences that come from life apart from God. God's way is always best, and His timing is perfect. As 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV) says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."
1. Do you often complain about your circumstances?
2. Do you blame God for your circumstances or the consequences of your choices?
3. What does God's Word say about your situation?
4. Do you have people around you to help you live the way God would have you live?