March 2, 2025
Teacher: Mike Laughrun
Exodus 3:17
…and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”‘
Exodus 19:4-6
(4) ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. (5) Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; (6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Numbers 10:11-13
(11) In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, (12) and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. (13) They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses.
Big Truth:
God’s redeemed people walk by faith
Numbers 13:1-3
(1) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” (3) So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel.
Numbers 13: 17-20
(17) Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, (18) and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, (19) and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, (20) and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
Numbers 13:25-27
(25) At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. (26) And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Numbers 13:28-29
(28) However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. (29) The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
Numbers 13:30-31
(30) But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (31) Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”
Numbers 13:32-33
(32) So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. (33) And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Numbers 14:1-4
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. (2) And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! (3) Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (4) And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Hebrews 3:16, 19
(16) For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? (19) So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:12-13, 15
(12) Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (13) But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. … (15) As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Unbelief:
Our sinful heart condition which distorts God’s character, doubts God’s promises and rejects the authority of God’s Word.
Big Idea:
Unbelief distorts the true character of God.
Numbers 14:1, 3
(1) Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. … (3) Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
Big Idea:
Unbelief doubts the promises of God.
Numbers 13:31
(31) Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”
Exodus 23:28-30
(28) And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. (29) I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. (30) Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.
Big Idea:
Unbelief submits to lesser authorities rather than the authority of God’s Word.
Numbers 14:3-4
(3) Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (4) And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Numbers 14:19-23
(19) Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (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.
Numbers 14:24
(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.
Big Idea:
Faith obeys based on the character of God.
Numbers 14:8-9
(8) If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. (9) Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.”
Big Idea:
Faith views all of life in light of God’s unchanging Word.
Numbers 13:30
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Numbers 14:7-8
(7) and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. (8) If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.
Big Idea:
Faith calls others to reject falsehood and walk in truth.
Numbers 14:2, 4, 6-10
6) And Joshua…and Caleb … said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. (8) If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. (9) Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” (10) Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12
(11) Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (12) Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
Talk About It
- What kept Israel from entering the promised land in Numbers 13?
- Was the report brought back from the spies, rooted in courageous faith or unbelief?
- What lesser authorities did the children of Israel submit to instead of God’s word regarding entering the promised land?
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