Faith to Go Forward

​Numbers 14:8-9 ~ “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. 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.”
 
They were rescued from slavery in Egypt. God’s mighty hand delivered them through plagues inflicted against the nation that held them captive. Having plundered their captors, the nation of Israel departed and were led by a pillar of fire and cloud. They had crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground. In a display of absolute authority, the LORD God commanded the waters to separate and a great wind put a wall of water on either side as they crossed through. And now they stood on the brink of the promised land, having seen the great and mighty works of the LORD that brought them there and they were discouraged by the report of ten spies.
 
Two spies, however, had a different report. Caleb and Joshua ventured into the land with the others and came back with a better view. For they had their eyes not on the challenges that lay before them but on the God who was leading them. Consider the beginning of our text today: “If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us.” Who does the LORD take delight in? Those who fear the LORD and trust in Him, who love the LORD God and will obediently do what He commands, these are the ones whom the LORD takes delight. Samuel reported this to be true in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” Consider also the word of God in Jeremiah 9:24, “But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
 
This great nation delivered out of the grip of Egypt had already been promised the land that lay before them. God had promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was to be given to them by the LORD, but not on a silver platter or with no effort of faithfulness on the part of Israel. They were to go in and conquer the land. God had promised it, but they needed to have faith and move forward. Joshua and Caleb urged the people against two things: rebellion and improper fear. Our text today continues, “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land.” How were the people of Israel set to rebel against the LORD? It is found in Numbers 14:4, “And they said to one another, ‘Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” They were ready to reject God and His chosen servant, Moses. They wanted choose a new leader to take them back into slavery and were ready to discard ever reaching the promised land. Why did this come about? Because they feared the people of the land more than they feared the LORD who delivered them from Egypt. Where did this fear arise except from the faithless ten spies who had gone into the land. Consider Numbers 13:32-33, “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. 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.’”
 
Oh, my dear friends, let us trust in the LORD with all our hearts. Having faith in God does not mean that we are merely passive observers in life. We are commanded by God to trust Him and go forward in faithfulness to His word. Faith requires that we trust Him to do all that He has promised, but we only will experience such promises when we step in obedience to what He has commanded. Proverbs 29:25 states, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.” Has Christ Jesus called you to walk in this world along paths of ease? No, for troubles assaulted Him and we are to follow in His steps (see 1 Peter 2:21).
 
Do not fear, beloved. If God has called you to walk through times of trial, then He will uphold you in the journey. But do not turn back to the world. Even if you have troubles as a Christian, you are headed to a promised land wherein is everlasting life. To be enslaved to the world is death. Let us, instead, have faith in Christ and go forward.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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