Book of Numbers
Series: Walk Through the Bible
The Cost of Unbelief
The book of Numbers is the story of the consequences of faithless choices. The voices of faith in God were drowned out by fear, negativity and grumbling.
After the Israelites had camped at the base of Mount Sinai for over a year, God called on them to take possession of the land He had promised to them. But Israel took almost 40 years to make a journey that normally would have taken 11 days. Why? Because of their unbelief, fear and rebellion. Their lack of faith and trust in God paralyzed them.
Twelve men went behind enemy lines, spied on the land for 40 days, and brought back a report. Ten of the spies focused on the difficulties, while the other two, Caleb & Joshua, focused on God’s promise to give them the land. Instead of trusting and obeying God, the people believed the majority report, grumbled, and refused to go. As a result, that generation spent the next 38 years wandering in the wilderness until they had all died off. Only their children entered the land. Why did this happen? UNBELIEF.
The Promised Land is a picture of salvation and an intimate relationship with God. Unbelief gets in the way of people entering into the “Promised Land” and God working His best through and for them.
EVIDENCES OF UNBELIEF:
1. FEAR & WORRY. The ten spies never said anything about God in their report. They were afraid and created fear in the camp because they focused on the PROBLEM and what THEY could do rather than what God could do.
2. ANGER & ENVY. The Israelites rebelled against the Lord and against the leaders God put in place. In the face of hard circumstances some people lash out in frustration and anger. Instead of acknowledging their own sin or failure, they blame God or those in leadership.
Envy will sap your passion for prayer and your commitment to Christ so that when God comes with a fresh opportunity for you to step out in faith, you will struggle responding to it because your focus isn’t on the Lord but on the person you envy. Envy and anger will not only rob you of joy and of God’s best for you but will keep you from stepping out in faith and doing what God is calling you to do.
3. A GRUMBLING, CRITICAL SPIRIT. 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 desert!” (Numbers 14:12) The people were so distraught they completely forgot all God had done for them.
Grumbling and whining are tangible signs that our heart is in the wrong place. We are actually questioning the goodness and promises of God. Unbelief in its various forms is what prevents the purposes of God from being fulfilled in our lives. We miss God’s very best for us even as this generation of Hebrews missed God’s very best for them.
Caleb and Joshua had a God-pleasing faith, a ‘different spirit’ that followed God wholeheartedly and firmly trusted God! Therefore God promised to bring them into the land and their descendants would inherit it. (Numbers 14:22-24, 30).
The Book of Numbers teaches that only those who BELIEVE GOD and step into the land God has promised by faith will inherit it and all God wants to do in and through them. When we trust the Lord, get out of our comfort zone, and surrender to Him our time, our abilities and resources, amazing things begin to happen!