Series: How Do I Get Out Of This Mess
“Okay, I’ll Admit It… We’re Lost!”
INTRO: What a fantastic storyline…Hebrews Escape Egypt Miraculously With More Than Just Their Lives.
We all know the story, how they were finally let go by Pharaoh, followed Moses, saw the Red Sea parted allowing them to flee to safety. This is after they had witnessed the ten plagues that culminated in the Passover. Wow, how could they doubt God’s ability to do anything? They were well on their way to a new land, a Promised Land Canaan.
Things are GOOD! Well not quite, you see they got sidetracked along the way. They took a wrong turn at the wilderness of Paran. They listened to the wrong directions. They were lost! Have you ever been lost? I mean really lost? Have you known where you wanted to go, felt like you were going the right direction, yet you were lost? Have you ever stopped and asked directions and wished you had not bothered? Even though they were a local, they could not show you the right way? Not a great feeling is it?
Well today I want to continue with our series, “How Do I Get Out Of This Mess?” Today I am going to use for a thought, “Okay, I’ll Admit It…We’re Lost!”
I am going to spend some time looking at the Children of Israel after they have departed from their oppression in Egypt and made their way across the way to the wilderness of Paran. It is here that they send out spies to spy out the land so the people might understand what is before them and how best to claim the land God has returned to them. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it?
The problem arises when the twelve men return and ten of them warn the people it will be too hard. Now God had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey – in other words it would be blessed with great crops and resources. That is what they found! In fact they brought back the evidence.
Sounds good. Yet, ten of the men warned they could not overcome the inhabitants (since they were giants). Can you say Goliath?
Numbers 13:30-33 KJV 30And Caleb
stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess
it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up
against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had
searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have
gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and
all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come
of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in
their sight.
Okay, they don’t have to listen to the naysayers! Yet they did.
Numbers 14:1-4 KJV 1And all the
congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against
Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in
the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by
the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better
for us to return into Egypt?
4And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us
return into Egypt.
So, what brought them to this place? Why were they in the moment of their freedom going to turn away from the blessings of God?
Fear & doubt– chapter 13
Complaining – 14:2
Unbelief - 2d
Indifference to God’s plan and blessings - 3
Lack of faith –3
Rebellion - 4
These are the same steps in our lives that lead us to walk away from where God wants us to be in life.
There were too many voices of doom – Go with right, not numbers
There was too much doubt – 13:30-31 - More accurately too many willing to listen to the doubt – Trust in the Lord thy God
Psalms 37:1-9 KJV 1 Fret not
thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of
iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the
green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the
land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the
desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall
bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself
because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth
wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise
to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD,
they shall inherit the earth.
There was too much self-dependence – “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” Trust in the Lord’s might not your own.
There was too much unbelief – 14:11 – We must believe that He is and that He rewards us that diligently seek Him
Numbers 14:11 KJV 11And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?
John
6:43 KJV Jesus therefore answered and
said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
1 Corinthians 10:10 KJV Neither murmur ye, as some of them also
murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Philippians 2:14 KJV Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Wandering Aimless
Going through life Goal-less
They acted as if they were Clueless about God
Their doubt of God showed they were Faithless
They turned away from their Canaan Land and were Promise - less
They were sent back into the wilderness to wander for forty (40) years. No one over twenty (20) years was allowed into the new land except Caleb and Joshua.
When we look at this we see they were…
His Blessings
His Protection
His Guidance
His Glory
And family
And neighbors
Stumbled along
Dissatisfied
Lacking glory
Full of regret
Is your direction the one God wants?
Have you followed His plan or the path of dissent?
They…
Seduced by evil - Num. 16:1-
Numbers 16:1-7 KJV 1Now Korah,
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram,
the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of
Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown:
3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against
Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the
congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among
them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to
morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will
cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen
will he cause to come near unto him.
6This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to
morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall
be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
Others were…
Numbers 16:26 KJV And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
Sin cripples those exposed
Sin cost those touched
Use the “Road map” – God’s Word is our “road map”
Helps us know we are lost
Don’t be afraid to ask directions
Look for noted landmarks (use them as well)
Look ahead
Remember your path - not to dwell, but understand where God has removed you from
Mark the path for others – that they too might follow
Clear and obvious – no doubt which path you travel
Pitfalls well sighted and noted – warn others
Oases well noted and used – encourage others
Victories defined and celebrated – share His Way with others
On the wrong pathway in life?
Looking for something better?
Willing to go where God sends you?
Willing to trust God for all His promises?
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 061409am