20 October Numbers 14

Faith versus Fear

Numbers 14:1-4 (NIV) That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

The people of Israel believed the negative report of the ten spies. Instead of trusting God's promise, they became fearful and cried all night. They complained to Moses and Aaron, saying it would have been better to die in Egypt or the wilderness than to face the challenges ahead. They accused God of bringing them to the land just to be killed, claiming that their wives and children would become prey to their enemies. They even considered returning to Egypt out of fear and began looking for someone to lead them. Joshua and Caleb, however, tried to encourage the people, saying:

Numbers 14:7-9, (NKJV) “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.

But instead of listening to this encouragement, the people talked about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Numbers 14:10, (NKJV) "And all the congregation said to stone them with stones" What caused the people to fall into unbelief? They focused on the difficulties rather than trusting God. They saw the size of the giants and the strength of the city walls, but they forgot the greatness of their God.

*A few differences between faith and unbelief are:*

Faith brings comfort even when we are afraid, but unbelief brings fear even when we should be comforted: Psalm 27:1, (NIV) "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?".

Faith makes big burdens feel light, while unbelief makes small burdens heavy: Matthew 11:28-30, (NIV) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”

Faith lifts us up when we are down, but unbelief drags us down even when things are going well: Psalm 40:2, (NIV) "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand".

Faith brings us close to God, but unbelief creates distance between us and God: James 4:8, (NKJV)"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded".

Faith leads us to God’s grace, while unbelief leads us to face God’s judgment: Ephesians 2:8, (NIV)"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". Confirmed by Revelation 21:8, (NIV) "But the cowardly, unbelieving... they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death".

Faith purifies our hearts, but unbelief pollutes them: Acts 15:9 (NKJV)."Purifying their hearts by faith"

Faith gives peace to a troubled soul, but unbelief brings turmoil even in peaceful times:

Philippians 4:7, (NKJV) "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"

Faith causes us to rejoice during hard times, but unbelief leads us to mourn even when we are blessed: James 1:2-3 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance".

By faith, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, but many died in the wilderness because of unbelief. Hebrews 11:29, (NKJV) "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned".

Numbers 14:22-23, (NKJV) "Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers" The people of Israel rejected a life of faith. Albeit they did not want to trust God more than they had before. They would have been happy if God had handed them the Promised Land without requiring faith. But they chose to turn away when faced with the need to act in faith.

This failure to believe God's promise marked a turning point in Israel’s history. It is a crucial lesson for all believers: Hebrews 11:6, (NIV) "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him".

In conclusion, the story of the Israelites at the edge of the Promised Land is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith in God's promises. When faced with obstacles, the people allowed fear and unbelief to dominate their hearts. They focused on the size of the challenges rather than the greatness of God, which ultimately led to their downfall. This turning point in Israel's history is a sobering lesson for every believer today. Faith is not about the absence of challenges but about trusting God during them. As believers, we are called to walk by faith, not sight. God does not promise a life without difficulties, but He promises to be with us and to give us victory if we trust Him.

Just as Joshua and Caleb urged the Israelites to believe, we, too, must remember that God can fulfil His promises. The same God who parted the Red Sea and delivered His people from Egypt is with us today. He calls us to step forward in faith, even when the path seems complicated.

Let us choose faith over fear, trusting that God is more significant than any challenge. As Hebrews 10:23(NIV) says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful”. In every situation, we must cling to this truth: with faith in God, we are more than conquerors.