6-2-16. Numbers 14:10-19. God Gave Moses Strength To Pray- my devotional

Numbers 14:10-19       6-2-16

Key Verse: 14:19         Kevin E. Jesmer

“In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” (NIV)

Part 1: Contempt Is Unreasonable In Light of God’s Grace (10-11)

Verses 10-12, “But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”

Joshua and Caleb had given their people a positive report about the land. They encouraged the people not to rebel against the Lord, but to remain true and obey the Lord and follow the Lord to the Promised Land. These two men were so sincere. They even tore their clothes and pled with their fellow countrymen. Actually, it was God speaking through these two men, helping the people not to rebel.

But the people did not listen to the words of Joshua and Caleb. Look at verse 10a. “But the whole assembly talked about stoning them.” The people met the pleas of these men of God with murderous thoughts. They wanted to stone them to death. How unreasonable these people were, especially in light of God’s grace to them.

God saw what was happening and intervened in a very miraculous way. In verse 10b, we learn that “…the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.” We are not sure how this scene all played out or what it looked like. It must have been very powerful. All of the Israelites observed it.

The Lord shared the agonies of his heart with Moses in verse 11, “The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?” Moses and God had a relationship. They shared things that were on their hearts. What a privilege it is to have such a relationship with God! In the Old Testament times, only specific people could have such a close relationship with God. But now, because of the Gospel, anyone with faith in Christ can have a close relationship with God. Let us nurture and build up that relationship.

It is clear that God was not pleased. He was not pleased that his own people were treating him with contempt. God was angry at the people’s unbelief. Let’s explore what it means to treat the Lord with contempt.

There are dictionary definitions for contempt; “The feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn”,  “disregard for something that should be taken into account.” (Google Search), “the state of being despised.” “Willful disobedience to or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body” (Miriam Webster Dictionary)

I think that verse 11b sheds more light on this issue. “…How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”  Putting it all together…treating the Lord with contempt is refusing to believe in the Lord, and even treating the Lord with disrespect and dishonor, in spite of the miraculous signs God has performed among us, despite of the grace poured out  in abundance.

The greatest miraculous sign that God has performed among us, is the  sign of Jonah, for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, Jesus was three days and three nights in the earth, before he rose again. (Matthew 12:38–41) People also see the miracle of Creation each and every day. They see the miracle of life and yet they refuse to believe. They hear the testimony of those whose lives have been touched by the love of Christ and yet they refuse to believe. Maybe they have experienced personal miracle in their lives and don’t believe. There is also the miracle of the Bible itself.  How can people refuse to believe in the Lord, and even treat him with contempt, despite of so many witnesses and so much evidence? That is why it is so contemptuous.

Why is God so concerned that his people were showing contempt for him? It is because God was their father God. He wanted to have a relationship with his people. He loved them. He also had a plan for them, that they would to be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. They were to reveal God’s glory to the whole world so that the whole world will be able to turn to the God of Israel, the God of the Bible, their Creator, and be saved.

Treating the Lord with contempt is blameworthy on our part for God tries his best to reach us. We are the ones who are closing the door. But do you know what? Because of Jesus and the Gospel, God forgives us. He does not treat us as our deeds deserve. He forgives us. He embraces us as his precious children. He opens our eyes and helps us to stand in faith. He honors and respects us. (think about propitiation.).

We need to stop it with our complaints against God, take stock of God’s grace and draw near to the Lord in faith. Yes, our faith may be weak at times, but we don’t have to remain there. There is a beautiful response by a man with weak faith in the Bible. He was a man whose daughter was dying. He came to Jesus, desperate to seek the Lord‘s help. He came to Jesus, saying “I do believe, help me to overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) We can be weak in faith, but we can come to Jesus, confess our need and ask Jesus to increase out faith and he will.

Part 2: Moses Sought The Glory And Honor of God (12-19)

Verses 12-19, “12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they. 13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, Lord, are with these people and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

The Lord made an offer to Moses. Look at verse 12. “I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.” God offered Moses an easy way out from a very hard job. God made an offer, that he would destroy the rebelling nation with a plague and start over again with Moses’ family. He would make a greater nation out of Moses’ descendents. Moses could forget about the people who were complaining and threatening him and raise his own sons as founders of a new nation.

I suppose the Israelites seemed pretty hopeless, even to God’s eyes. Yes, because of their unbelief and complaining and murderous thoughts towards servants of God and treating the Lord with contempt, they deserved to be destroyed. God would have every right to start again, fresh with Moses’ descendents. I think God was letting Moses know how terrible the people were. But God was not going to carry out the judgment that the people so clearly deserved. He would forgive and bear with them and continue to work with them to establish them as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation for his glory. We know all of this is not true, but the pagans would not know it.

Let’s think about God’s glory among the surrounding nations. God had brought the people out of Egypt with his mighty hand and led them through the desert. The pagan people, who lived in the region, could not understand the moral and religious difficulties of the Israelites. They could only see their physical troubles. If the Lord killed all of Israel, then the pagan people would think that God killed his own people as a response to his own defeat and failure before the idols of the surrounding nations. God would appear defeated. He would not be glorified. He would appear as a God who made mistakes and could not even guide his own people, nor defeat the power of idols. Who would want to follow the Lord, if they could only see themselves failing and dying of a plague? This is important issue for the God who seeks to draw all people unto himself.

It was also very tempting to Moses. There are many people who would have taken God up in the generous offer. I am a father of five kids. If I had a guarantee that my kids would be the founders of five tribes and out of those tribes would come nations, kings, prophets and a messiah, who would save the world, and I and my wife, Julie would be the originators of these five tribes, I might be tempted to take God up on the offer.

Yet Moses did not accept God’s offer. Moses definitely had the right attitude. His heart was in the right place. He knew that God’s honor was at stake. He had a shepherd’s heart for these people, and he loved God. So Moses asked God to forgive the people one more time.

Moses based his plea for God’s forgiveness on God’s character. Look at verses 17-20, “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”  Moses knew God personally. He knew God’s character and that is why he could pray so specifically. To grow in our prayer life, we need to grow in our relationship with and knowledge of the Lord.

Moses’ knowledge of God kept him from choosing the “lesser” way. If Moses took God up on the offer, was it sin? After all, God was sincerely asking Moses if he wanted to take him up on the proposal. If Moses said, “yes” no one could fault him. But Moses knew God. He knew God’s plan and God’s hopes for his people. With this intimate knowledge of God, Moses was able to choose the better, most God honoring path.

His plea reveals several characteristics of God. First, God is very strong and his strength needs to be displayed. Second, God is infinitely patient. He is abounding in love and faithfulness. He has such a great capacity to forgive sin and rebellion. We can always count on his grace. Third, God is just. He does not turn a blind eye to sin and rebellion. There are consequences to sin, especially the sin of contempt. Fourth, God is merciful, listening to and answering our requests. God has not changed since Moses’ day. Like Moses we can rely on God’s love, patience, forgiveness, and mercy.

Moses pled in prayer for his people. Look at verse 19, “In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”  This is part of knowing God’s love. He acknowledges God’s patience forgiveness. Moses was reflecting God’s heart when he prayed for sinners. Moses was already doing his best to serve the needs of the people, through teaching, and guiding in civil matters as well as in worship. But Moses took his priestly duties one step further, he prayed for the people. He was showing us what it means to be a priest of God.

It is not easy to do what Moses did. He actually stood as the leader of people who were treating the Lord with contempt. The people were complaining intensely and they were even contemplating killing their leaders. Who could stay in that position? Who could minister to such people? Who could pray for them? No one. I am sure that it was a struggle for Moses. But God granted him strength to stand as a priest and leader. Simply knowing God gave Moses strength. He was a leader of his people by the grace of God alone.

Prayer: “Lord, thank you for protecting my heart and keeping me from treating you with contempt. Your grace is abundant. You have made that clear. Help me to bring honor and glory to your name.”

One Word: Knowing God and his grace helps us to stand as spiritual leaders who pray.