
08/08/2025
#202 Bible Study Numbers 14: The Great Rebellion
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus, please help us to understand Your word. Amen.
Please read Numbers 14.
In chapter 13, the spies have returned from checking out the Promised Land. 10 of them report back that it will be impossible to enter Canaan because of the mighty men there, but Caleb and Joshua said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).
The majority of the spies lacked faith, and represented Israel which also largely lacked faith. They all knew God. They had seen firsthand the miracles He had performed, as well as His blessings, but they did not trust Him.
They forgot His power and they forgot how He had led them out of Egypt.
Now the people are faced with fear or faith: fear man or believe the Lord’s promise and enter into that promise.
They choose fear and refuse to enter the land in order to take possession. Instead, they complain and whine, saying that they should choose a leader to take them back to Egypt.
The people murmured against Moses and Aaron, but really, because this was a mission by the Lord and Moses and Aaron were simply the leaders He had chosen, the people were really murmuring against God; rebellion towards the Lord.
They murmured because of their lack of trust in God. Those who did not murmur - the few - would be those who had placed their trust in the Lord.
The Lord had made a promise to them, but they would rather die than put their trust in Him. Had they trusted Him at His word, they would have gone to battle and entered the Promised Land, but now they will never enter His promise and will wander around the desert until they die, only their children entering into the Promised Land. They said that they would rather die than believe the Lord, and the Lord will grant their request in His judgement: they will die in the desert.
It is easy to trust the Lord when we see and experience His goodness, but our faith is tested when He allows challenges. That is when we understand how much we truly trust Him.
In these moments, the people believe they know better than God. They trust themselves more than they trust the Lord.
At their rebellion, Moses and Aaron fall before the Lord, while Caleb and Joshua attempt to speak truth to the people, but they would rather have them stoned than listen to the truth!
They would rather kill them to listen to them speak of their unbelief and sin.
Enduring Word says, “Those who live in rebellion and unbelief often find those who live in faith and submission to God to be aggravating and disturbing.”
God offers Moses an alternative blessing but Moses still loves his people despite their rebellion and does not consider it. He intercedes for the people instead of taking the Lord up on His offer.
At the intercession of Moses, the Lord relents, but there will be consequences. They are sent back into the wilderness because they still have a slave mentality. However, God says that Caleb has a different spirit and follows Him completely and as such, he will see the Promised Land.
Enduring Word says, “Not even Moses and Aaron were excepted. They would also not enter the Promised Land, each for their own reasons. But we remember that Moses was not guiltless in this whole tragedy, having agreed to the request of the people to send out spies instead of simply boldly taking the land by faith.
Hebrews 3:7-4:16 makes it clear that God has a place of rest and promise for every believer to enter into, and it can only be entered by faith. The man of unbelief, self-reliance, and self-focus can never enter God’s rest and abundance.”
The ten spies would not even go back into the wilderness. Instead, they died immediately. They are likened to the leaders in Christianity today - they knew the promise of God, they saw the land was indeed good, but they instilled unbelief into the people so that they refused to take God at His word.
When the Israelites find out the consequences of their choice, they suddenly wish to “repent” but it is a false repentance, for they only wish not to have to wander in the desert for another 38 years. Now they heap more sin onto themselves by thinking they can change God’s mind if they now attempt to go into battle. But God has left them and they will not succeed if they try.
Again they show rebellion because Moses has warned them not to, but they do what they want regardless and of course, they are driven back and unsuccessful.
“Nature, poor, fallen human nature, is ever running into extremes. This miserable people, a short time ago, thought that though they had Omnipotence with them they could not conquer and possess the land! Now they imagine that though God himself go not with them, yet they shall be sufficient to drive out the inhabitants, and take possession of their country!” (Clarke)
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