Numbers 12-14
Through The Bible: Numbers • Sermon • Submitted
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INTRODUCTION: NUMBERS 12
· As I’ve said... Numbers covers the betrothal of Israel to God and the wilderness is a test of faith
· When you hear the word test or trial you should think opportunity to grow
· Israel is given the opportunity to grow, to be elevated in their relationship with God
· But instead of being lifted up or elevated by faith they are pulled down by their unbelief
· Instead of taking the time to prepare themselves for this eternal relationship with God, they are questioning God and His way of doing things
· It’s like an engaged bride in pre-marital counseling who complains about her future husband
· At one point you have to ask... why are you getting married? At this stage you should be so in love you’re willing to do whatever your future husband asks... not Israel
· In Chapter 11 the nation of Israel complains against the LORD and His provision in the wilderness (speaking of the manna)
· In Chapter 12 Miriam and Aaron complain and murmur against Moses
· In Chapter 13 the spies spread fear over the size of the enemy in the promised land
· All of this is the result of unbelief
Numbers 12:1–3 (NKJV)
12 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)
· NOTE: Miriam is the one who saved Moses by hiding him in the reeds of the Nile River
· Aaron is Miriam’s brother and the older brother to Moses
· For whatever reason (we are not told) they were concerned that he married an Ethiopian Woman (in Hebrew it’s “Cushite” which simply means she had dark skin)
· According to Rabbinical commentaries, the term “Cushite” is a nickname for a woman of special beauty and fine character and is a reference to Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, the pagan priest from Midian (which is in the land of Cush)
NOW we’re not told the details of the problem surrounding Zipporah
· Some suggest Moses was neglecting Zipporah... spent too much time with God
· Others suggest Moses was wrong for marrying an outsider, an idolators daughter from Midian
· Another suggests Moses divorced Zipporah and Miriam sided with Zipporah
· Yet another suggests Miriam wanted Moses to divorce Zipporah and marry a woman of higher status because Moses is now the leader of Israel
· Whatever the problem is... they question Moses’ ability to lead because of it
· Miriam speaks first (probably because she was the first born in the family) and by questioning Moses’ ability to lead she is questioning God’s ability to lead through Moses
· But look at the basis of her complaint... Does God only speak through Moses?
God speaks through us as well
· In Exodus 15:20 we read Miriam was a prophetess and a leader amongst the women of Israel
· Aaron was the High Priest and as the High Priest God would speak to Aaron through the Urim and the Thumin
· But they placed their role as equal to Moses because of their own pride and self-righteousness which leads them to question the ability of Moses to lead
· NOTE VS 3: But Moses was more humble than any man on earth...
· You have to remember who wrote that... Moses wrote that
Numbers 12:4–8 (NKJV)
4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”
· God clarifies His relationship with Moses
· Notice, God changes the order... Miriam spoke first, because she was the oldest and took care of Moses (which gives her familial authority) but God lists Aaron first because he is the High Priest and has the spiritual authority
· God makes a distinction to how He speaks to prophets and Moses
· To prophets He speaks in dreams and visions... but to Moses He speaks face to face like a friend
· And he questions them... why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?
· The answer that is implied is they did not respect God, they were self-righteous
· They thought their own spiritual giftedness gave them the right to judge and the right to lead
· What gives a leader the right to lead is not their giftedness, but God’s choosing
· God chose Moses to be His representative and the people chose Moses to represent God to them (at Mount Sinai)
· Now, from Moses’ perspective... this is a deep betrayal... his own family betrayed him
· His older sister that saved his life as an infant...
· His brother who stood by His side with Pharaoh... who the LORD gave a special place for future generations in the Tabernacle... it was a deep betrayal
Numbers 12:9–16 (NKJV)
9 So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please heal her, O God, I pray!”
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.
· Leprosy is always a type of iniquity – separation from God due to sin
· It is also always seen as a judgment from God
· Miriam is separated from Israel for seeking to replace Moses with herself and Aaron... she attempted a coup not realizing the real leader of Israel was the LORD Himself
· Thus by rejecting Moses, Miriam rejected God as her future husband which is why she is afflicted with leprosy... she separated herself from Israel
· Now we see the heart of a true shepherd
· He calls out to the LORD on behalf of those who betrayed Him...
· LORD HEAL (which is a foreshadow of Jesus’ intercession on the cross... forgive them for they know not what they do)
· Moses didn’t have to intercede on behalf of his sister who betrayed him
· He could have said... you got what you deserved, but Moses intercedes and asks (not commands) God to heal her
The LORD said... if her father had but spit in her face...
· What is God saying? Moses, even an earthly father would bring correction by separating the child from the father for 7 days
· Apparently, this was a practice amongst the Jews and thus the decision is Miriam is to be separated for 7 days... put outside the camp
· What does Moses do? He waits for her
· Remember... Miriam waited for Moses to be found for one day
· But Moses waits for her 7 days (a picture of grace)
· ON the 28th of Sivan 2449 the people leave Chatzerot to the border of Israel at Ritmah
Now we move to Parshah Shelach which covers Numbers 13-15
· Shelach means “send” and it comes from Numbers 13:2 which says... “shelah lecha” or send for you
· The theme of this section is our purpose as emissaries of God to accomplish His purposes on earth
· For Israel it is to fulfill God’s purpose for them to occupy the land
· However, Israel fails to fulfill God’s purpose because of unbelief
· God will bring them to the border, but they will believe the word of the spies over the word of the LORD
· I will read Chapter 13 in it’s entirety and then make comments about it
Numbers 13:1–33 (NKJV)
13 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan (ca-nah-an), which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” (every tribe was represented)
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 children of Israel (the leaders themselves spied out the land). 4 Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori (horee); 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb (calve) the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun (Joshua’s given name); 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti (pa-la-tee) the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, that is, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi (vo-shee); 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel (gay-oo-el) the son of Machi.
16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua. (Moses legally changed the name of Hoshea to Joshua which means “God Saves”)
17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; 20 whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there 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 (normally July / August – corresponding to the feast of the first fruits... grapes representing the Holy Spirit poured on in Acts 2).
21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai (she-shai), and Talmai (tal-mai), the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan (zo-an or modern Tanis) in Egypt.) 23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol (near the Terebinths of Mamre where Abraham settled), because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh (kadesha – territory of Judah); they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites (ha-me-leq) dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites (ve-ha-hett-ee), the Jebusites (ve-hay-bu-si), and the Amorites (ve-ha-emo-ree) dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites (ve-ha-ke-na-nee) dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan (hay-yar-deen).”
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
31 But 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.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Notice the mindset of Joshua and Caleb versus the others
· Moses told the spies to spy out the land
· Come back with a report on the land God is giving to us
· Only Joshua and Caleb did what Moses asked them to do
· Look at the fruit of the land, this land is flowing with milk and honey
· However, the people are strong, the cities are very large and fortified and we saw descendants of Anak... which means long necks
· The Anakim were related to the Nephilim, the Rephaim in Genesis 6 and the Zamzummim in Deuteronomy 2
· They were a race of giants and it’s believed they are the result of relations between women and demons AND they were fierce warriors
· Vs. 30 Caleb’s suggestion is... let’s go up at once and take possession for we can are more than able to overcome the inhabitants of the land
· That is the mindset of faith... God said the land is theirs and God said He would drive out our enemies... let’s go
Vs. 31 notice the mindset of unbelief... it was based on the science
· The men gave the facts of the people... not the land... they did not do what Moses sent them to do
· Instead they focused on the people and gave a bad report based on the physical characteristics of the people
· They are giants and we are like grasshoppers to them...
· As a result... Israel refuses to fulfill God’s Covenant to Abraham
· In essence, Israel rejects the Ketubah, the Covenant of Marriage, between God and Israel
Numbers 14:1–4 (NKJV)
14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”
· Moses... we trusted you and you’ve misled us
· We need a new leader and we need to return to Egypt
· It’s amazing how things can grow in your mind and become worse than they really are... it’s the disease of the “what ifs”
· People will say... aren’t you supposed to prepare for the worst?
· The answer is NO... you are to be led by the Spirit and should God say you need to prepare for the worst... then you prepare for the worst
· We are to walk by faith, not be ruled by fear
· Unfortunately, Israel chooses to believe the word of the spies over the word of God and their unbelief results in them rejecting God’s Covenant
Numbers 14:5–10 (NKJV)
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
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.
· Moses and Aaron know the decision the people are making and they fall on their faces before the congregation of Israel... they start interceding
· That is what we should be doing for America right now... not interceding for Trump, but interceding for a nation that is rejecting God
· Joshua and Caleb tear their clothes... which is a sign of repentance and mourning... this is a bad decision
· They try to encourage the people by reminding them of the LORD’s delight in them... listen this is the land promised to us and the LORD is with us
· Don’t rebel against the LORD
· Don’t fear the people of the land
· The LORD is with us and not with them
· But the congregation responds... kill those guys, cancel Joshua and Caleb, block their Twitter and Facebook accounts... they are spreading fake news
· What happens... the glory of the LORD appears
· God Himself appears because the Covenant is not between Moses and Israel, it’s between God and Israel
Numbers 14:11–12 (NKJV)
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.”
· Here is a difficult passage in scripture
· God appears to be saying... I’m done with the people rejecting Me
· I’m done with their unbelief... after all I’ve done for them, after all the signs I performed among them
· I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them... they will no longer be my children and I will start with you Moses and make a nation that is grater and mightier than they
· It appears that God is so angry with the people that He wants to wipe out the people completely
· Yet God is love, God is good... so how do we justify the goodness of God with the judgment of God?
Moses responds to the LORD
Numbers 14:13–19 (NKJV)
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.”
· Moses takes the place of an intercessor for Israel
· You don’t want to do that... because the Egyptians will hear of it and they will tell the other nations that you could not fulfill Your Covenant with Israel and killed them in the wilderness
· Rather... if you show mercy on them You will be known as One who forgives, One who is merciful
· So instead of showing the greatness of your power to destroy, show the greatness of your power to forgive
· Many times in the history of Israel we read of God looking for a man to stand in the gap and intercede for the people
God responds to Moses’ request
Numbers 14:20–25 (NKJV)
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.”
· As I’ve said many times... I don’t believe we truly understand the power of prayer and our relationship with God that He would listen to us
· I wonder how many times God’s judgment falls simply because no man would intercede for God’s purposes to be fulfilled
Ezekiel 22:30–31 (NKJV)
30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. 31 Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.
· This is one of the problems with a wrong view of the “sovereignty of God”
· There are many who say... God is in control so it’s going to be OK
· Yet God says... you have a choice and I will give you the desires of your heart and if you don’t ask, you don’t get and if there is no one who will stand in the gap, then judgment will fall
· NOTE: Judgment will fall not because God is a God of wrath and judgment
· Judgment will fall because the world is already condemned, already judged because of the law of sin and death
· This world will one day be completely destroyed and a new heaven and new earth will replace it... so this world is judged
· But when man asks God for mercy, God responds by showing mercy
· However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences
· The consequence is... the people will get the desire of their heart
· They rejected the land God prepared for them, they will die in the wilderness
Numbers 14:26–38 (NKJV)
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. 31 But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. 35 I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’ ”
36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, 37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.
· I find it interesting that the unbelieving generation categorized the children as victims of God
· We hear that on the news today... we need to do what’s best for future generations so they won’t be victims of bad political policies
· Greta Thunberg telling political leaders... how dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words... I’m a victim
· God says to the unbelieving generation... I will show your children who I really am... I am a God who blesses and keeps my promise
· I will make a Covenant with them and they will receive the blessing that you rejected because of unbelief
· The evil congregations who gathered against ME will die
· Again... not because God is a God of wrath and judgment but because the world is already judged and the evil congregation rejected the LIFE God was giving them... thus the default is death
· The spies who led the nation astray died by a plague before the LORD
· But Joshua and Caleb lived because they were of a different spirit
· They were of the believing generation