REBELLION AND DISMAY. Numbers 14 There are life lessons we learn from the people of God in past generations, recorded in history as examples. When we start to take matters into our own hands, serious negative consequences will follow. God intended His people to go directly into Canaan and claim His promised land. Sending spies to give a report was not an act of faith in Him. The report they brought was accurate, but their conclusion was wrong. Believing that we can live in an ungodly world among people who disregard God without facing difficulties is unrealistic and foolish. When we were in our sins, we all followed our flesh in the darkness of unbelief. The god of this world blinds people's minds to hide the light of God's grace. When we are alive in Christ, we can see beyond obstacles to the goal God has for us.
Ten spies added their opinions to their report, and Satan exploited their false judgment. Their evil report contradicted Caleb's confidence, who said, "We are able." Unbelief excludes God from the situation. In the case of the children of Israel, it led to the entire camp spending the whole night weeping aloud. The unbelief of a few can have far-reaching effects. Fear can immobilize a person and negatively influence many others. It can quickly halt progress and be very self-defeating.
Words spoken without careful thought may not seem significant to the speaker at the moment, but we must remember that once something is said, it is almost impossible to stop its effect. When the word of God is spoken, it "will not return to God void." Our mission to proclaim the Gospel has divine approval. To tell lies or gossip about others is condemned in scripture. To verbalize unbelief is to deceive others and cause disappointment and defeat where there could have been victory for men and glory for God.
The children of Israel were preoccupied with themselves and their own opinions. Dismay and fear spread rapidly, affecting those around them through the unbelief of others. The Israelites claimed they were worried for their children. Those same children would face what their parents lost because of their unbelief. The pessimism and defeat brought on by unbelief overtook the confidence and optimism of Caleb and Joshua. When we focus on our circumstances and take our eyes off our faith in God, we will face defeat in our lives.
God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and His descendants. Although that promise was given more than 400 years ago and repeated many times afterward, God's people did not believe they could claim these promises for themselves. We need to learn to take possession of our blessings. The things we hold in our hands and believe are ours are only temporary. They can be lost through a change in government, a fire, or even our own weaknesses. What God has promised is certain. The promises of God are "Yea and Amen." They can be trusted regardless of what surrounds us. All our blessings in Christ, from eternal life to the inheritance of future promises, are secure, and we can enjoy them now.
When people act in unbelief, what they see has more influence over their will than the unseen, eternal things. We must remember that God's promises never fail. We should learn from the mistakes of those in the past so we don't repeat them ourselves. The children of Israel made a golden calf into an idol and faced the consequences. They didn't learn from their mistakes. Now, they wanted to choose their own leader and go back to slavery. Whenever God's people forget about God and try to act on their own, they fall into the traps of self-will and superstition, following the advice of men who think they know what is right instead of trusting God's proven truth.
Strangely, even today, people get upset by the testimony of faith and truth. It has happened in the camp of Israel and among people today. Caleb and Joshua gave a clear, unwavering testimony of their faith in the Lord, and the people wanted to stone them. It is a sad but true fact that the carnal man can act in ways that conform to the natural man. There is a part of us that desires independence regardless of the truth. Adam and Eve acted in that way, and it has "passed upon all men." But the people of God must stand for the truth no matter what pressure may be exerted by those around us. Truth, faith, and power go hand in hand when we know the Lord and are willing to follow Him.
Joshua and Caleb's testimony was sincere and forthright. Their trust was in God despite the size of the Anakims, and it was grounded in God's firm promise. The land was an “exceeding good land,” and they believed the Lord was with them, so they did not fear those who might oppose them. However, despite the strong faith of these two proven men, the dismay and defeated spirit of Israel remains one of the saddest and most far-reaching events in the nation's history.
The miracles in Egypt and over the past two years, during which they were provided with food and water and experienced miracles themselves, did not convince the children of Israel that God was trustworthy. That same attitude persisted in Israel when the Lord Jesus Christ came to His own, and they refused to receive Him. The most tragic event of all that happened to the nation was when they crucified the Lord Jesus, their own Messiah.
Some of God's people live in doubt, fear, and unhappiness because they focus on themselves and their current circumstances rather than on God. In the life of a believer, our strength, joy, and praise come from God, not from the world. God has given us the spirit of "power, and love and of a sound mind." Our minds control our actions, and we must bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." God's grace is sufficient for every need that may arise. A spiritual person will experience the work of the Holy Spirit in life despite what seems like adverse circumstances. We need to remember the words of a hymn: "Be not dismayed what're betide, God will take care of you."
What a terrible sound is coming from the darkness. Grown men and women are crying! That's one of the results when no one pays attention to the word of God and isn’t seeking God's promises! God hasn't changed; it’s our unbelief. The Light of life is still above us; it’s the darkness below that is the problem. When we don't act in faith, we feel grief, and we doubt that God is keeping His promises!
What a terrible mistake it is for us to ignore God's promises. The consequences will be difficult to bear! To doubt Him, who in grace has set His love upon us, should fill us with great fear! He has brought us safely this far. He has preserved us because we belong to Him. He has made new in Christ what sin once marred, and He desires for us to reflect His image! When pressures come upon us, and others doubt what God has said and try to make us listen to their skepticism, we must lift up our eyes in faith! When others boast about their opinions and want us to yield to human will, we must remember the blessings of God’s grace again! God does not change; He is faithful to His name. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Words of blame should never come from our lips as we observe the ways of God with us!