INTRODUCTION

1. The congregation of Israel had become hostile

2. They rejected Moses and Aaron

3. They wanted to elect a new leader

4. They became physically hostile to Moses and Aaron

 

THE LORD’S RESPONSE

10 And all the congregation said to stone them with stones.

Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.

11 Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me?

And how long will they not believe Me,

with all the signs which I have performed among them?

12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them,

and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” Numbers 14:10-12

1. The Lord’s response

a) He revealed His glory

b) The people had forgotten about the LORD

2. God’s questions raised to Moses

a) “How long will these people reject Me?”

b) “And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?”

c) God had seen beyond their feelings and their foolishness!

3. Divine Judgment forewarned

a) “I will strike them with the pestilence”

b) “And disinherit them”

c) “And I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

4. Israel was in grave danger

a) Their unbelief

b) Their rebellion

c) Their stubbornness

d) These had brought them to the brink of severe divine judgment

 

THE INTERCESSION OF MOSES

13 And Moses said to the Lord: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them,

14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You,

Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them,

and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.

15 Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying,

16 ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’

17 And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying,

18 ‘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.’

19 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.” Numbers 14:13-19

1. Prayer (Intercession) was the chosen response of Moses

2. The following pleas were made:

a) That the Egyptians would hear about the destruction of Israel

i) They would end up despising the great name of God

ii) They would declare that God’s power was grossly inadequate to lead the nation of Israel

iii) The name of the LORD must remain hallowed

b) That the LORD would fulfil what He had declared about Himself

i) That His power would remain Great

ii) That the Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy”

iii) That He would be forgiving iniquity and transgression

iv) But He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’

c) That the LORD would pardon the iniquity of the children of Israel

i) According to the greatness of His mercy

ii) Pleading for forgiveness again

iii) God had been most forgiving all this while

d) Concerning God’s offer to Moses

i) To start over with Moses

ii) With every promise of blessing

iii) Moses did not take up this line of thought at all

iv) He was wise and humble to turn this offer down!

 

THE LORD’S RESPONSE

20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word;

21 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—

22 because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in

the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,

23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.

24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully,

I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.

25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley;

tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.” Numbers 14: 20-25

1. Divine Pardon was given promptly

2. The LORD’s Glory

It will fill the earth

3. The guilty ones

a) They had put God to the test 10 times already

b) They had not heeded God’s voice at all

c) They will not be allowed to see the Land that they had despised

4. Caleb especially honoured

a) Joshua was not excluded

b) But Caleb was highlighted to honour him

c) His spirit was different than that of the children of Israel

d) He had followed God fully

e) He and his descendants would be blessed with an inheritance in Canaan

 

CONCLUSION

1. Caleb’s spirit honoured

a) It is a spirit of faith

b) A spirit of courage

c) A spirit of following God fully

2. Our Challenge

a) To cultivate our spirit

b) Faith ultimately reflects our spirit

c) The Lord would bless abundantly one who has such a strong spirit of faith