This Is Not True Repentance

Numbers 14:36-45     Kevin E. Jesmer

Key verse 14:41-42    6-21-16

“But Moses said, ‘Why are you disobeying the LORD’s command? This will not succeed! ⁴² Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,’”

Part 1: Confessing Sin Is The Beginning…Not The End Of Repentance (36-39).

When the Israelites learned of God’s quick decisive judgment on those who gave a bad report, they were shaken and mourned bitterly. Look at verses 36-45, “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. ³⁹ When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly.”

The people did not have newspapers and so Moses had to report to all of them what had happened to the men. It seems that all died at one time by plague. All the men who shared a bad report of the showing contempt for the Lord died quickly. Only Joshua and Caleb were spared. It was clear where the Lord stood on this matter. He was very serious about faithless, fear mongering that leads to complaining and rebellion. This is for certain. It would behoove any believer to watch their attitude and their words, for how they are delivered will have consequences. However, there is the grace of God that stops us from perishing by a plague when we fall into such disposition of heart.

The people took the first step towards repentance when they mourned after hearing of the deaths by plague. Look at verse 39, “When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly.”  They were responding. They cared about what they did and what happened. They feared that the same plague might come upon them. They regretted their unbelief. They confessed their sin.

They were eager to try to change their ways. Look at verse 40, “Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, ‘Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!’” When the Israelites realized their foolish mistake, they were suddenly ready to return to God. They mourned.  But mourning bitterly is not the same as repentance. It is only a beginning. However, they did take a good first step.

Part 2: The People Made A False Presumption. (40-45)

After mourning, they response went off course as they proceeded under false presumptions. Look at verses 40-45, “⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!”  ⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the LORD’s command? This will not succeed! ⁴² Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, ⁴³ for the Amalekites and the Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the LORD, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.”  ⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the LORD’s covenant moved from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.”  They presumed that the Lord would be pleased with any offering they made to him and that the Lord would be with them, no matter what they did.

They were eager to make things right, but not on God’s terms. Look at verse 40. They immediately taught, “We will do what God wanted. We will go up and fight.” They presumed that their offering to God was what would be pleasing to the Lord. They presumed that God would be pleased with whatever change of attitude they offered him. They presumed that God would be with them, even if they bypassed God himself. This attitude shows that their repentance was not true; they are still disobeying the Lord. We can see where their presumptions led them in verse 44. “Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the LORD’s covenant moved from the camp.”  They decided to enter the land thinking that this was acceptable to the Lord.

It seems that their mourning did not lead them to true repentance but merely to a frantic attempt to avoid punishment. God didn’t confuse their admission of guilt with the true repentance because he knew their hearts. The Lord was not happy. His displeasure was revealed in his words through Moses in verse 41-43. They had turned away from the Lord and treated him with contempt. He was not going to ignore this.  God tried to keep his people from plunging headlong into their own folly. God made it crystal clear to his people. Moses told them clearly that this was disobedience and that God would not be with them. God did not delight in any of them perishing. But they disobeyed and went. They were soundly defeated, despite of their “human” sincerity to change.

Their choice led to a disaster. Look at verse 45, “Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.”  So many of them died horrifying deaths at the hands of their enemies. If God was with them, they could not be defeated. But without the Lord, they were already defeated. It didn’t have to happen this way.

What would be the proper response? The answer can be found in verse 44, “Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the LORD’s covenant moved from the camp.”  Of course beginning with acknowledging and mourning over their sin was the right first step. But they bypassed Moses and ignored the Ark. That means that they ignored God’s ways of repentance and restoration. They should have sent their representatives, and come to Moses and talked with him. They should have confessed their sin and expressed their desire to repent. They should have asked Moses what would be the best thing to do and referred to the Levites and the Law, and then come to the Lord on his terms and proceed from there. If it was the Lord’s will to advance, they should have worked with Moses and the Levites and gained their co-operation and brought the ark of the Lord with them into the battle.

The same goes for us today. What do we do when we fall into sin and the judgment of the God seems to be upon us? You need to come to the Lord in prayer, confessing your sin and your need. Then go and talk someone in the church, a pastor or an elder or a mature Christian. Find out the best way to proceed, before your presumptions throw you headlong in the wrong direction. Take some time to discover God’s will in the matter and how to proceed. When it becomes clearer, there is no need to go forward alone. Have someone come along side to mentor, counsel, listen, and to pray. This would be approaching God in his terms for forgiveness and grace. Yes, there could still be suffering by “wandering in the desert”. There could be consequences. But you would enter into the right relationships with God and with God’s people and please the Lord. If you want to hold onto your own presumptions and do it your way, then get ready for a bumpy ride.

Prayer: “Lord, I know that I have sinned. I don’t want to be restored in your way. I presume that I can do it any time way that I want. But I know that is wrong. Lord, teach me the way of true repentance. Create in me a clean heart and restore a right spirit within me.”

One Word: Repent in the right way before God.