CHAPTER 9 THE TESTING CONTINUES
Before we go on to the next example of testing God, I wish to again remind the reader of the seriousness of the overall topic with which we are dealing. As we saw at the beginning of this study, God forgave the people each time they transgressed (Nu.14:19). In the example of the Golden Calf we are specifically shown that Moses interceded for their forgiveness (Ex.32:32), and based upon his statement in Nu.14:19, I must assume that that is exactly what God did. Yet, 3,000 idolaters were physically killed (Ex.2:26-29). In addition to this, Ex.32:35 says that God Himself sent, not merely allowed, but sent a plague among them. Forgiven, but physically dead! And this is in spite of Acts 17:30 which tells us that God overlooked past idolatry. In short, they were ultimately forgiven in the realm of the spirit because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Therefore, they are with the Lord today; however, because of soulish impurity, their bodies could not enter the promised land.
For some time after this series of events it would appear that as a group, the Israelites ceased from their past time of testing God; for nothing more is mentioned about it until about 11 months later. Needless to say, God's presence was still visible with them during this whole time, and He was still providing them with food on a daily basis. The tabernacle in the wilderness had been built and dedicated, and about 1 or 2 months before leaving the Sinai region, God had killed Aaron's sons for offering unauthorized incense (Lev.10:1-19). However, three days after leaving Mt Sinai (Nu.10:32), which would have been about 14 2/3rd months out from Egypt (Nu.10: 11), the people again tested God by complaining about their hardships. The result of this is that fire from the Lord burned the outskirts of the camp (Nu.11:1).
The lesson to be learned from this 8th instance of testing God is rather straight forward. Do not complain! Paul; puts it like this in Phil.4:12, "I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want." Perhaps he stated this more succinctly in I Tim.6:6 wherein he states, "Godliness with contentment is great gain," but the message is still the same, don't complain.
This does not mean that we resign ourselves to circumstances which are contrary to God's promises, but in the process of coming against these situations we are not to complain all the time that we are standing after we have done all that we can do. If, as we approach the close of this age, we find that as we are becoming more godly, the wicked are becoming more prosperous, we are to remember Heb.13:5 which cautions us to "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" So say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?" In short, trust in God's provisioning power during times of trial and don't complain because He didn't provide exactly the way you thought He would or should have been done. Remember, we are to "be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you..." (I Thes.5:16-18). You will never be pleasing unto God as Enoch was pleasing unto Him if you do not walk in His will; and complainers are not walking in His will.
As we approach the 9th time of testing we should remember that the cumulative effect of all this testing is fast approaching its deadly climax. Nu.11:4 informs us that "... the rabble with them began to crave other food and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'if only we had meat. WE remember the fish we ate at no cost.'" (see Ex.12:38) As they sat by their tents complaining (Nu.11:10) the Lord heard and told Moses that He would supply them with meat, not just for a meal, a day, or a week, but for a whole month (vs.19). This time however, Moses also expressed doubt for we are shown in vs 21 that he began to question God's ability to deliver on His promise. God cut that conversation short with a very pointed question: "Is the Lord's arm to short?" (Nu.11:23).
Here we will discuss the problems which are presented when we live and fellowship with "rabble", the willingness of the Israelites displayed to sell their birthright for a meal and the on doubting of God's ability to deliver His promises. A fairly detailed look at the consequences which follow from fellowshipping with evil was had in chapters 10 and 16 of A Closer Walk and I urge you to review them. For purposes of this discussion I will merely highlight several verses as they relate to the concept of overcoming in all realms, including that of physical death.
II Cor.6:14 cautions us not to become yoked, or joined together with unbelievers because light and darkness have no common purpose. They are by definition mutually exclusive. According to I John1:6 anyone who still walks in darkness yet claims to have fellowship with Christ is a liar, and we have already seen that liars are not admitted into God's presence. God warned the Israelites not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of Canaan lest those idol worshippers become a snare to them (Ex.34:12). He told them this because He knew the truth expressed later in I Cor.15:33 which warns us, "Don't be misled, bad company corrupts good character."
Ps.15:1 tells us that only the pure and holy may dwell in God's sanctuary, not that which has become tarnished and corrupted. When we recall that it is a spotless and holy church that Jesus returns for in Eph.5:27, the end time importance of not allowing our walk with the Lord to become tarnished by open, notorious and continuous fellowship with the world becomes more obvious. This does not mean that we do not witness to, minister to or associate with those who are in the world, but it does mean that our time of fellowship and true re-creation comes from spending time with the Lord and brothers & sisters in the Lord, not the things of this world.
The Bible is filled with examples of those who literally sold their souls for the things of this world. Esau gave up all that which was rightfully his for the sake of one meal (Heb.12:16). But he is not alone, for many Christians have in effect done the same thing when they have criticized their pastor for preaching too long and thereby spoiling the roast which was cooking at home. Or how about the people who complain that they are at the end of the line in the restaurant because the 10:00 AM service ran an extra half hour last Sunday? There is no difference.
If you think I am stretching the point look at what Phil.3:19 says about such people, "... many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their God is their stomach." God warns us to set our minds on Him, not on earthly pleasures (Col.3:2) because He knows that if we continually seek to please our flesh, that flesh will eventually kill us (Gal.6:8). Turning to Nu.11:33 we see that as soon as the Israelites began to devour the quail that God sent to satisfy their craving for meat many of them died. In fact, Moses renamed the place where this whole episode occurred Kibrath Hattaavah, which means "graves of craving." Their cravings for the things of this world lead to their physical death.
Like each one of the other points we have thus far discussed, this to has a baring upon the fulfillment of the ages. Gal.4:7 tells us that we are God's heirs. We have a birthright that comes from being born from above (John 3:3). This birthright is mentioned again in Ro.8:17, and for those in the final generation it includes the privilege and honor of having God's glory displayed on our physical bodies without that body first having to rot in some grave (vs.18-25).
However, many will go the way of Esau, for II Tim.3:1 also tells us that the end times will be filled with those who love pleasure, and many believers will be deceived into thinking that they can have all this pleasure at no cost (Nu.11:4), only to discover that they also must pay for that pleasure with their physical lives. Brothers and sisters, we are at war (II Cor.10:3) and in war people die. However, there are victors. Properly trained, properly equipped, battle hardened soldiers are more likely to be alive at the end to taste the fruits of victory than are those who simply ignored the lessons of basic training. When the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say that "... these things occurred as examples ... and ... were written down as warnings for us ..." he was writing to people who were already believers. they weren't being warned about getting saved or staying saved. They were being warned so that they would "run in such a way as to get the prize" (I Cor.9:24), and I believe the prize he was speaking of was the prize of Phil.3:14&21, the transformation of his physical body, not its having to be raised from death.
While it is true that this lesson is written with a sense of urgency, my urgency should not be confused with hopelessness. If we, like the Israelites, had passed the point of no return, that is, the point of testing God once to often, and thereby being forbidden from physically coming into God's presence (the promised land) without first tasting of death, I do not believe that God would be impressing us with the importance of this concept. On the other hand, this generation of believers may well be likened unto that generation of Israelites who tested God 9 times. There were no times left for them to test God before He passed judgment on them - and we may well be in a similar position.
Remember, the generation which left Egypt is that generation that God had originally intended to bring into Canaan, but their actions prevented that from happening. The promise to being the Israelites physically into the promised land was kept, but it was a subsequent generation which fell heir to that promise. To bring this into today's perspective allow me to ask this question. How would you feel if, upon your death, you stood before the throne of Christ, and Jesus said two things to you: first of all you heard Him say, "welcome My child, I love you." and secondly He said, "I would have returned during your generation; however, your generation, like My children in the wilderness who preceded you, did not love me enough to heed My warnings, and it was therefore necessary for you also to die."? Perhaps your tears would be the ones wiped away by Jesus as seen in Rev.7:17 and Rev.21:4 when you realized that had you and your fellow believers only heeded the warnings He had given us in His Word, you also could have been in the welcoming committee that welcomes Him back as King of Kings. I know that the timing of this event is solely within the Father's control (Matt.24:36), but I wonder how often it has been postponed by a stubborn generation of believers (Ps.78:8) that has simply refused to walk as our Father has commanded.
Many today are like Moses. They doubt that God really can do what He has said He will do. Our God not only owns all the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps.50:10 KJV), but He is the possessor of heaven and earth (Gen.14:22), and absolutely nothing is impossible for Him (Jer.32:21; Gen.18:14 & Lk.18:27). There should be no doubt in your mind that our God is able to do things which we are not even capable of imagining (Eph.3:20). That not only includes the ability to protect His chosen ones on earth during times of tribulation (II Pe.2:9) as He did for Paul (II Tim.3:11, see also Prov.10:25 & Deut.4:3), but the ability to raise up an entire generation of believers who start out as babes in Christ, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, seek God with every fiber of their being, and walk in His good, perfect and pleasing will (Ro.12:2), and remain on the earth to fulfill the promise of I Cor.15:51. We tend to forget the fact that God has in the past raised up an obedient generation which was composed of the sons and daughters of those to whom the promise had been given in Egypt (Joshua 1:17). While I will not say that they were perfect, it can be said that they did not test God that 10th fateful time as we are about to see their fathers do. Because they were faithful, their bodies did not fall in the desert.
Approximately two years after having left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the desert of Paran and camped at Kadesh Barnea (Nu.12:16; 13:26 & Deut.2:4). It was here that they were to make a fatal decision that would result in the death of over 600,000 of their numbers. It was here that they tested God for the 10th time. As we examine this decision keep in mind that they had already seen God totally annihilate the army of Pharaoh at the Red Sea, and give them a rousing military victory over the Amalekites (Ex.17:8-13).
While they were camped, God told Moses to send men ahead of them to explore the land (Nu.13:1-2 & Deut.1:22). For 40 days they did so (Nu.13:25) bringing back a report that the land did flow with milk and honey as the Lord had said it would (vs.27). Now comes the deadly word which so often appears in a believer's discussion about God's promises: BUT. "But the people who live there are powerful ... we can't attack those people, they are stronger that we are ... We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes ... Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall" (Nu.13:27,31& &33 & Nu.14:3).
Not all is lost however, for two lone voices are raised during this tragic scene. These were the voices of Joshua and Caleb who were virtually pleading with the multitude "... do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us" (Nu.14:9). But those words fell on deaf ears for "... they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High" (Ps.78:17).
The die had now been cast, and God's forthcoming pronouncement was final. "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers" (Nu.14:23). Realizing their mistake the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned. We will go to the place the Lord promised ... but Moses said 'Because you have turned away from the Lord, He will not be with you, and you will fall by the sword!' ... Nevertheless, in their presumption, they went up ... the Amalekites ... beat them down all the way to Horah ..." (Nu.14:40-45). This time the Amalekites were not to be defeated, for the hand of the Lord no longer protected the Israelites.
This series of events points out six separate areas which we have not previously discussed. Nu.13:27 shows us that they walked by sight, and not by faith. Verse 31 shows us a failure to act upon God's Word, and vs 33 demonstrates their failure to realize that they were indeed God's chosen people. Nu.14:3 provides us with a prime example of negative confession, with vs.23 pointing out the result which comes from refusing to take part in the Army of the Lord. Finally,vs.40-45 demonstrate the futility of presumptuousness.
Let us now consider each of these six areas individually. The Israelites failure to walk by faith is closely related to the first issue we discussed when we examined their 3rd time of testing God. As you will recall, in that instance their problem was believing that the physical circumstances they faced were more real than God's Word. This time the problem centers more around their actions, or lack thereof, than the state of mind that produced those actions.
Heb.4:2 tells us that it was their failure to combine the Words God spoke to them with living active faith that led to their downfall. They did not have the faith of God (Mk.11:21) which would have allowed them to call things that are not as though they were (Ro.4:17). They concentrated upon the physical facts as they were, and not as God said they would be - and already were in the realm of the spirit. Actions based upon their way of thinking were in direct violation of the principle set forth in II Cor.4:18 which admonishes us to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen."
We cannot fix our eyes, and then take action, solely upon what we see, for what we see may be a deception (II Thes.2:9). We are clearly warned that in the later days some believers will fall for these deceptions (I Tim.4:1). They will do so because they were not truly standing firm in faith (Isaiah 7:9). This was a deadly error for the Israelites in the wilderness, and it will be the same for those who do not stand in faith today. Caleb's faith did not save the rest of Israel, and you cannot expect someone else's faith to make it possible for you to be physically protected either (Ex.14:12).
James 2:26 informs us that faith without deeds is dead, and this brings us to the second issue we are going to examine here. By saying that they could not attack the inhabitants of this new land, they were showing us that even if they had truly heard and understood God's message, they were not going to act on it. Nothing could have been more clear to them than God's command as found in Deut.9:23, "Go up and take possession of the land I have given you." It was theirs already, God had given it to them, all they had to do was go.
God's direction to us is no less clear. Do not merely listen to God's Word, act on it (Lk.8:21), not just part of it, but all of it (Phil.4:9). When you do, He has promised to bless you (Lk.11:28). Think about that for a moment. God is going to bless you if you will only do that which you are, by the very fact of your existence, already obligated and expected to do (Eccl.12:13). The endtime overcomer will most certainly be considered blessed, for the glory of God will be radiating from within his now immortal and perfected body. But remember, He will be a doer of the Word (II Tim.2:5; Phil.3:14 & I Cor.9:24) - not merely a listener.
While those overcomers will be truly humble (Lk.18:14; Ja.4:6 & Phil.2:8), they will know that they are sons of the Most High God (Ro.8:6) and brothers to Jesus (Heb.2:11). They will know that not only are they God's workmanship (Eph.2:10), but that they are the very aroma of Christ (II Cor.2:15). When we truly believe this, then and only then will we also realize that both Phil.4:13 and Isaiah 54:17 are God's personal promises to us. Then you will know that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength (Phil.4:13) because "No weapon formed against me will prosper" (Isaiah 54:17). Even during time of great trial we are to know that "... the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior, so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail" (Jer.20:11).
There are those who say we cannot reach any state that approaches perfection while we are still on this earth. In chapter 11 of A Closer Walk I addressed this issue in considerable detail. Rather than review all that material here allow me to point out two things concerning those spies who came back and told the Israelites that there was no way that they could carry out the directive God had given them. Deut.1:28 shows us the effect that they had upon those who were not included in the spy expedition. "Our brothers have made us lose heart." The fate of those who spread this report is noted in Nu.14:37, "These men ... were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord."
Matt.5:48 directs us to be perfect just as our Father in heaven is perfect just as clearly as Deut.9:23 directed the Israelites to take possession of the promised land. Now I ask you, is there any reason to believe that those who absolutely insist that we cannot achieve God's directive of Matt.5:48 will be dealt with any less severely than those of Nu.14:37? Are they any more correct in their insistence that we can't be perfect than were the spies who said they could not overcome the giants?
Remember, Mk.9:22 foretells of dire consequences for those who cause little ones (paidions - see chapter 8 of The Last Enemy) to sin. And both I John 2:18 and Heb.2:13 show us that there are those who are little children (paidions) in Christ, even though they may be physically mature. To cause a babe in Christ to cease from his efforts to be perfect as His Father directs him to be is no different than telling the Israelites that they could not possibly be successful in their attempts to possess the promised land. The spy's report led to physical death, and I leave it to you to read chapter 11 of A Closer Walk, all the verses cited therein, as well as those which are revealed to you as you study that subject, and then seek the Lord in prayer to see what the outcome will be for those who maintain that we cannot walk in the perfection and fullness which God has called us into (Eph.4:13 & Matt5:48).
Not only did the spies express the opinion that they were mere grasshoppers, but they again expressed their belief that they were going to die in the desert. God's response that He would do to them the very things which He heard them say (Nu.14:28) points to the truth expressed in Prov.18:21; Prov.12:18; Prov.6:2 and Prov.13:3), Our words are powerful, and just as words of wisdom lead to physical life (Prov.3:3 & Prov.4:21-22) foolish ones can lead to physical death. Jesus tells us quite clearly that our words will either acquit or condemn us (Matt.12:37). Dare we ignore this warning?
As sons of the Most High God (Ps.82:6) our words are to express the creative and preserving force of life through God, not those of death which arise from doubt and unbelief (Eph.4:29 & Col.4:6). Remember, the same set of physical circumstances can lead to life for the righteous and death for the doubter (Prov.12:23). Caleb and Joshua saw the same physical circumstances as did the other ten men who explored Canaan; however, Caleb and Joshua expressed thoughts based upon God's Word and lived. The other ten spies expressed thoughts from the viewpoint of fear and doubt - and they died.
This brings us to their fateful decision. A careful examination of Deut.2:14; Nu.26:24 & Joshua 5:6 reveals a very interesting fact, which if ignored could have ominous consequences to those who are in the last generation of this age. All those who died during the next 38 years of the wilderness journey were those who were military age when the Israelites declined to go into Canaan and fight for that which God had already given them. In short, they did not want to become part of the army of the Lord. They did not feel that what God was offering them was worth risking their necks for. They were unwilling to go into battle (Nu.13:31) even tough they had been trained, equipped and given glimpses of the fact that God would do the fighting and protect them (Ex.14:14; Deut.1:30 & Nu.14:9).
God severely chastised the Israelites in Ez.13:5 when He said, "You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord" (emphasis added). That same chastisement applies to those who would tell God's people today that they are going to be taken out of the forthcoming battle by some secret rapture. II Thes.2:2-4 makes it clear that the day of the Lord "and our being gathered to Him" does not occur until after the rebellion and the man of lawlessness is revealed.
God tells us to put on His full armor so that we can stand in the day of evil, not so that we can fly away (Eph.6:13). If you, like the Israelites at Kadesh Barnea choose not to enlist in the army of the Lord and go forth and possess that which has already been given to us, then you also will not physically enter the LAND of rest God has promised, ie. you will not be alive and remaining when Jesus returns to claim His possession. You will enter a type of rest, but Isaiah 57:1-2 shows us that that rest is found in the grave - not in pretribulation rapture. Saved - yes; forgiven - yes; before the throne - yes; alive and remaining to welcome the Lord as an overcomer - NO!
The teaching of pretribulation rapture has as its foundation a revelation given to Mary Margaret McDonald in the year 1830. She said that God showed her the correct way to interpret certain Scriptures. In so doing she claimed that the second coming of Jesus would actually be a two-stage event. Some of the Scriptures she used are no longer used by pre-tribulation rapture teachers today because it is clear that they have nothing to do with the resurrection of believers (Matt.24:41 & Lk.17:35-37). In and of itself this should show us that the pre-tribulation rapture theory rests on a shaky foundation, for its proponents have had to abandon one of its author's principle verses. In short, it is a house whose foundation is built upon the sand (Matt.24:26), and the storm of Prov.10:25 will most assuredly destroy it, and most likely lead to the physical death of those who live therein. (see chapter 14 of Needful Things for a complete discussion of the pre-tribulation rapture teaching)
When the people realized their blunder, it was to late. Remember, God had forgiven them, but they could not now physically come into their inheritance. They had to die. However, in their presumption they again revealed that they were unable to accept God at His Word. They decided to attack after they had been warned not to. Like Ahab in I Ki.22:23&29-35 and the people of Judah in II Chron.24:20, they learned that to presume something will turn out in a particular way simply because that is the way you want it to can be disastrous. We are to take part only in those battles or programs that are instigated and authored by God (Acts 5:38). Then and only then will we be assured of the victory (Deut.32:30), and then and only then will the enemy lose heart and flee before us (Neh.6:16).