Lessons From The Book of Numbers (II)

Numbers 14:11-25

Review

• Basic lessons– God’s goodness and severity

– Scheme of redemption moving forward

Review

• Applications– True nature of God

– Warning about apostasy

– Beware of unbelief

– Lift up Christ to the world

– The danger of anxiety

More Applications For All Time

• Partial commitment not enough– Lukewarm (Revelation 3:14-17)

– Be like Caleb (14:24)

More Applications For All Time

• Don’t minimize sin– Try to give it more respectable names

(15:32-36)

– Sin is disgusting and deadly (27:12-14; Romans 6:23)

More Applications For All Time

• Covetous eats away like cancer– Balaam saw dollar signs

(Numbers 22-25; 2 Peter 2:15)

– A form of idolatry (Colossians 3:5)

– Leads people to cheat, put other things ahead of God, and fail to give liberally

More Applications For All Time

• Cannot compromise with the world– Israel did

(Numbers 25; 1 Corinthians 10:7, 8)

– Watch out (1 Corinthians 15:33; 1 John 2:15-17)

Applications For The Church

• Respect God’s authority– Israel rebelled (12:1-15; 16:1-50)

– Root cause of apostasy in the church is always a lack of respect for authority

– Elders in each local church (Acts 20:26-32; Hebrews 13:17)

Applications For The Church

• Leadership crisis– Moses replaced by Joshua (27:15-23)

– Preaches, elders, deacons, song leaders, teachers, etc. must be replaced (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:2; 4:6-8)

Applications For The Church

• Whole church to be involved– Reuben, Gad, and half tribe of

Manasseh helped conquer the west side of the Jordan before returning (32:6, 16-19, 23)

– Each member is necessary (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

Conclusion

• An account of many who fell away

• Weren’t willing to pay the price

• Are we ready to make the necessary commitment?