Numbers 26 - 35 Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Father, it's in moments like this.

Where we need your strength. An extra measure of your grace

Lord, we lean into you. And we ask that you by the

spirit which speak strengthen Lord, those who may be sick,

those who may be distracted. Those may be weary and

discouraged or we just ask father that you would be in the

midst. And that you would take these

words from these chapters and soothe our souls Lord.

Let us not leave this place on this final Bible.

Study of 2018 unchanged. But Lord, you This study to

postures for this next year to thank you for what you've done

in the past and to be expected for what you have in the future

Lord Almighty. Would you show Yourself Strong

tonight? How we desperately need you to

speak? Lord, we don't want this to just

be another Bible study. We want this to be a touch from

heaven. Give it to us.

Lord, we pray, let Satan and his schemes tonight.

Fail miserably in light of your goodness.

Lord, in your power in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Then last week, we came to a

pivotal moment in the Book of Numbers pivotal moment because

we have reached the transition of the first generation that

received God's judgment to be completely obliterated and to

die in the wilderness to the second generation, the new

generation that was given the promise to go into the promised

land. That was given that privilege

and honor. And so where we touched on last

as we discussed the senses. Second census in the book of

numbers and the purpose of that census was to number the people

in order to know how to give out the land and appropriate

fashion, it was to dictate what pieces of land would be given to

what tribes. But not only that.

It was also done so that they would know which people 20 and

up, the men would be able to go to war.

Why? Because in numbers 25, we see we

can't even look there real quickly.

There was Baal worship caused by the midianites.

And so God. Wanting to take Vengeance on the

midianites, ask the people of Israel to get their army ready

and they do. So they go to war.

But before that, Joshua is ordained as the successor of

Moses and following that our laws to remind people.

Oh, you see the reputation in the Old Testament, especially,

you see, why is there so much repetition?

And it's, because we need it, we need it.

You see that from 28 to 30 repetition of various laws,

which we won't touch on and then 31.

We finally see Israel going to war with Midian and God

satisfying, his just wrath against those who have

instigated and tempted his people to fall into sexual

immorality. And this is that chapter in 31,

where Balaam finds himself to be caught in that judgment because

he was the one who whispered that suggestion. and so, as the

readers reading, The holy spirit is writing this.

The author is writing is inspired by the spirit and the

reader is anticipating something after chapter 31.

What's the reader anticipating all?

Here we go. Were finally coming into the

promised land. It's been thirty eight long

years and now all we can smell the milk and honey.

Or do we? Something happens in chapter 32

and again, I praise the Lord. Jesus Christ that through 32 and

33 especially Is it such a relevant text?

Especially as we are on the border of the new year.

Let's read verse 1 from 32 down. Now, the people of Reuben and

the people of God had a very great number of livestock, and

they saw remember that word. They saw the land of jazz are in

the land of Gilead and behold the place was a place for

livestock. So the people of God and the

people of Reuben came and said to Moses and Eleazar the priest

and to the chiefs of the congregation begins to list

these names and verse 4 says the land that the Lord struck down.

Before the congregation of Israel is a land for livestock

and your servants have livestock and they said, if we have found

favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants

for a possession. Do not take us across the

Jordan. Is that sound good?

Boost? Who thinks this is a good idea.

Who thinks this is a very bad idea.

Yes, it's a very bad idea. Why is this a bad idea?

Isaac precisely. So we have to understand where

we're at right now. Geographically.

And I wish we had a picture for but we don't have time for that

right now. If you look at the map you see

that they are on pretty much the border of the land of Canaan.

So we know the Jordan River is right there.

They are right there and they're just moments away of Crossing

into the promised land. But they look around, you know,

they see and they go, hey, this is, this is kind of good.

This is neat. This is there's a lot of room

here. You know what, let's try to

convince Moses. To park here and I go over

there. And it all stems down to this

one unfortunate reality. The human nature.

They saw. You know how much troubles your

eyes and my eyes give us? They saw that, it was plentiful,

they saw that it was good and they failed to trust that what

was beyond that River was better than what they could see with

their eyes. How do you think Moses reacted

to this? Let's find out in verse 6.

But Moses said to the people of God, and to the people of

Reuben, shall your brother's go to the war while you sit here.

Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel

from going over into the land that the Lord has given them,

your father's did this. When I sent them from Kadesh

barnea to see the land, for when they went up to the valley of

eshkol and saw the land, they discourage the heart of the

people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given

them not a favorable response. In fact, it's not just the

reaction, it's a rebuke. What's going on here in essence?

You know what's happening to Moses right now flashback?

Flashback. He's like I've been here before

I've seen this before and it doesn't take much room.

And you can almost sympathize with the man from the

immediately, going to rebuke mode, because he realizes that

something is about to happen that can almost as you're about

to find out. Press the reset button on the

whole Wilderness Journey. Again, this is a very scary

suggestion by these tribes and Moses comes to them and says

listen, Yes, I'm a question. Are you seriously gonna let

these other tribes your brother's go to war while you

sit here? And Moses main concern is that

you're going to discourage them by this decision.

And you can learn so much on a practical level for Moses

response here. And I want to pull out three

main things. Number one, one of the greatest

hindrances to the people of God, moving forward into God's will

is discouragement. Discouragement.

Now if encouragement is one of the greatest methods and means

by, which God has instituted his people to be propelled into

moving forward, you can guarantee that discouragement

has the same effect, but in the opposite direction, what is

discouragement do? It is an emotion that drain

somebody from Confidence. From Hope, from faith.

discouragement to the soul is, What it is like in the physical

was somebody literally get sucker punch in the stomach and

loses their wind. It's like that to the soul.

It literally. Extinguishes any sense of

Desire, almost all desire to take another step into what God

has called them to do. And listen, discouragement can

be experienced in many ways, especially in a spiritual way.

Because there are spiritual Pursuits that God has called us

to and we can be encouraged to move forward in those Pursuits

or we can be discouraged and paralyzed due to something

called discouragement. Now here's a question that we

can all just be vulnerable as the family of God.

What are some ways in the spiritual?

Can we be discouraged from advancing?

Spiritually is anybody know. Any ideas?

Not seeing immediate fruit. That's a huge one.

Why do I keep investing in this ministry?

When I don't see Souls getting saved?

Why do I keep doing this? When nobody else is being fired

up for this ministry? Absolutely.

That's one of the greatest ones anything else.

Sometimes your spiritual walk is it won't.

Yeah. And that's the main one.

We're going to get to the next point.

So there's people and that's the main one, but there's other

things too. Not trusting.

God shirt, failing, maybe ants. Lack of answer to prayer.

I've been I've been pleading with God.

I've been interceding and I'm not seeing anything.

Yes. So many things can discourage

the people of God. And it's sing a simple language

though. There are many ways that

somebody can be discouraged, it all boils down to this one.

Reoccurring thought? No matter where the

discouragement is coming from whether circumstance or

whatever. I don't want to do this anymore.

I'm tired. I'm exhausted.

I rather give my energy to something else.

And listen discouragement can do so many things to somebody, it

can make somebody bitter. It can make somebody extremely

frustrated. Like the Israelites

discouragement the first time from going to the promised land.

You know what it made them do, it made them want to actually go

back. Like what is this whole thing

about? Let me just go back to what I

was doing before. Instead of doing this, it can

paralyze. You, you know what?

I can get so scary and Ministries that you can get so

discouraged that you just begin to go with the motions.

And you're not believe in God anymore, for something new.

You're not believing God to touch his people.

You're not believing God for the things that you've been

believing for when you first started and it just like, let's

just do this thing and just go and see what happens.

And you just lose Zeal and passion happens to so many

people. pray for the spiritual leaders that, you know, as I

said earlier, it can even cause somebody to just say, let me

just Let me just go back to what I first took in the first place

for this whole thing. Discouragement number two, In

this text shows me that it is the strongest when it comes from

within listen, discouragement from outside.

The household of God is something to be expected.

It's called persecution it when the family that there's no God,

when your friends, I don't know, God, your boss doesn't know,

God, when they come In different ways to discourage your

spiritual Pursuit and advancement.

That is to be expected. But this is also, what is to be

expected that in light of all of that craziness happening?

We should be able to come to the Refuge in the house of God to

find encouragement. Now, listen, that's not always

true, unfortunately, because sometimes people experience

discouragement from outside and they come inside and all they

find is more discouragement. That's a whole different level

of waiting anise. That's a whole different

challenge in itself because when you and I come together like

what we're doing now, you know what, we should feel every time

we come into this place, no matter what, you're going

through at least some surge of Hope and Faith to say, you know

what, serving Jesus is worth it. Serving with my brothers and

sisters is worth it. Worshipping him is worth it.

You reminded in the place of God that.

Yes, I know. Why did this in the first place?

And my prayer. I just studying this this week,

my prayer saying Lord, I pray that this house would never be,

never fail to be a source of life for the people of God

because we are all susceptible to feeling discouraged.

From everything outside. It should not come from within

listen. Let's just let's just pause here

and I've been going through the book of Acts and I've been

seeing something and it may be a simple thing but I just I fell

in love with the book of Acts in this one little detail and we

need to just look at it together.

Just turn to the book of Acts beginning in verse 14, I want to

I want to see something very simple but very beautiful,

concerning the life and the breadth of the early church.

Look at Acts 14:22. Acts 14:22, strengthening The

Acts 14:22 Acts 14:22

Souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in

the faith and saying that through many tribulations.

We must enter the kingdom of God here.

I just want to let you know today.

People of God we're going to go through many tribulations be

reminded as hopeful as 2019 is going to be.

There's going to be some things that might knock the wind out of

us. But behold he is with us.

And he will strengthen us go to acts 15:32 the next chapter.

Acts 15:32

And Judas and Silas who were themselves prophets encouraged

and strengthened the brothers. With many words, depending on

your translation, you might get eggs sorted.

Encourage. And strengthen the brothers,

with many words, their words, encourage the people of God, go

to the next chapter, ax, 1640 So they went out of the prison and

visited Lydia. And when they had seen the

brothers, they encourage them and departed.

Go to acts 1827. You guys see this axe 1827?

And when wish to Across the K of the brothers encourage them and

wrote to the disciples to welcome him, when he arrived, he

greatly help. Those who through Grace had

believed, go to acts, 21 and 22. After the Uproar ceased, its

after a riot. Paul sent for the disciples and

after encouraging them, he said, farewell and departed.

The Macedonia, when he had gone through those regions and given

them much and encouragement, he came to Greece people of God, we

need to know how to encourage one another.

This was literally encouragement, was pumping

through the veins of the church in the book of Acts.

It's what kept Him going. It was fresh breath every time

and how is it done? My words, your presence, my

presence. When we come together, I can't

tell you how many times I'm encouraged when I come on a

Wednesday night. Or Friday, or Sunday.

And I just see the people of God and I know that they're here for

God. Instant life comes to my soul, I

hope it does for you. I hope it does for you now, it's

not General encouragement, the world knows how to encourage

people in a general sense, we're talking about encouragement.

In the things of God, talking about being encouraged to

continue to zealously, pursue the Lord and serve the Lord,

that kind of encouragement. A Divine encouragement, a holy

spirit-inspired encouragement, Going back to number 32.

If there's a third lesson in this amongst many, there's this

that I see here that there are two ways that We can be a source

of discouragement to one another.

Now remember he's reminding them of their fathers.

He's saying, hey, I've seen this before and it's not going to end

up good. If you do this, you're going to

discourage the people, the rest of the tribes from moving in,

just like the spies did with the whole nation.

But what's interesting is, when you compare this to numbers 13

though, discouragement was the final result.

The means of discouragement was different.

How did the people get discouraged from the spies in

numbers 13? What happened?

You're right. So it was a direct verbal

assault to their faith. It was them coming and saying we

can't do this. This is impossible.

And it worked, they lost heart. They said These Giants are too

big. It's just, it's just not going

to work. The walls are too great.

It's not going to happen. And actually unfortunately

worked but then here we see a different means of

discouragement. We don't see a direct verbal.

Disheartening statement being made, what do we see?

What are we seeing this in this sea of stronger, you're trying

to send some isolated bingo. In this case, it's passivity.

In this case, what you have is two tribes that are so content

with their current state, that their contentment and their lack

of Desire of wanting to go further in the will of God was

actually contagious to the others who wanted to move

forward to actually say, you know what, maybe this is better.

Oh man. That's scary.

So I can, I can discourage people in my own words, right?

I can discourage my fellow brothers and Ministry by saying,

oh, this isn't worth it, all God's, not going to do that all.

That's just too much. I'll be realistic.

That can happen. But I believe this version, this

means of discouragement. It's more prevalent and more

real than we actually think it's a greater threat.

What is it is that when you have people within a people group who

don't want to grow in God, and that kind of mindset and posture

can actually, in fact, The rest of the people of God from moving

forward, in the things of God. Although it's so real.

It's scary. And you don't have to be here on

the pulpit to be that kind of a person.

Reuben, Gad I thought to themselves that their decision

wouldn't affect others. It's completely selfish here.

Right there are saying we want this land.

They're not thinking about the Battle, they're not thinking

about the war, they're not even thinking about the glory of God.

All they're thinking about is we have all this cattle.

We have all this stuff and we want to be able to be sustained.

And taking care of, this is about my well, being a Moses as

a good leader, does remind them. Hey, this is not just about you.

This is bigger than you. And we might hear this and say

well it's not a big deal if I don't do my part in serving the

lord it's not a big deal. If my spiritual state is not

intact the way it should be, according to the word of God.

You're right. It's not a big deal.

If you're not a part of a local body, If you are a part of a

local body, it is a big deal. Let's give an illustration here.

That's like saying, Look at your own body and let's say you're

right hand stops working all for a sudden it becomes lifeless.

And every other part of your body is working just fine and

you can be thankful that everything else is working for.

I can speak. I can see, I can move but your

right hand is that and you have the ability to bring it back to

life but you choose not to That's like saying in the

spiritual, it's not important if I'm not active and I'm a part of

my it's like saying with your physical body, doesn't matter of

my right hands, not working, would you say that with your own

body? Would you say that if your ear

stop hearing, would you say that's fine?

Everything else is, it doesn't effect the rest.

Everything else is working. Just fine.

We have another year, we have another hand.

Nobody would dare to say that if they had the opportunity to

actually bring about some restitution and some Revival to

those nerve endings and to those muscles.

And if you are a part of a body, guess what?

No matter what you're automatically, a member of a

body. So, you know what you are,

you're something that offers some operational benefits.

The rest of the body and we can as a body be thankful that we

have everything else functioning but you know, it's much better.

If everything is functioning, it's much better of all my

fingers are working, it's much better.

If all my nerves are in tight, it's much better instead of

trying to justify. And so this is the reality here

is that if you are plugged in You have a contribution to make.

And your spiritual Vitality, your spiritual discipline your

spiritual love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Has a consequence of how the rest of the body functions.

We might not like that but it's true.

Nonetheless. And so this is a question we can

ask yourself. Am I a body part that's

functioning? Well, Or am I lifeless?

And there's some body parts. Actually bring disease.

That's a whole nother thing, but just talking about life, this

talk about something, that's not moving, something that's not

functioning. The experience of the body could

be different if everything was alive.

Why are Reuben and Gad wrong in this request?

What does it reveal about their hard work by asking Moses for

this? Anybody have an idea.

Why I mentioned it earlier but there's two things being said,

here by them requesting to Moses.

We want to stay on this side of the river because of what they

saw because of what they perceive because of what they

calculated in their own natural understanding.

What they were saying in directly to God was, I don't

believe that what you have to offer across this river is

better. I don't believe that what you

have for me on this other side of the river will actually

provide for my flock and my hair is my family.

God your plan seems nice but it seems like it's a little tight

in there. And right now right here this

seems just fine. So I'm going to stay somewhat

connected to you but I'm not going to go full on in and it's

a very powerful image in a physical sense of a spiritual

parallel reality. This is where the wrong.

Yes. It's a declaration of unbelief

but it is motivated by a sense of contentment again and a

selfishness. I, I'm more concerned about my

stuff and my family more than the glory of God and the

well-being of my brothers. That's what they're saying here.

That's why Moses was so angry. That's why Moses was so ignited

with passion when he responded. And we should not dare to fail,

to think that their temptation is not a Temptation that we can

experience. Listen guys, the promised land

was God's will for the people of God to go in there.

To experience. Those blessings was God's desire

to pull them into. And what they're saying here is,

I don't want to be in the center of God's will.

I want to be right on the fringes.

You how many people are like that and what was their

motivation is materialism? What they are Desiring is not

inherently evil, they're not like Lord.

We love the midianites woman and we want to hang around the

these. No, they're not saying That's

directly sinful. It's not a wrong thing to care

for your flock and to care for your stuff.

When it Trump's over the will of God and God's desire for your

life, it is an idol and this is where they've come to they said

we want to be somewhat connected and we're going to find that out

of the moment. We want to be somewhat connected

but we don't want to be in that. We don't want to live in the

center of your will Lord. We don't want to pitch our tents

in the promised land. We want to just see it from afar

be neighbors with it. Maybe visit sometimes but not

live in it. So many people like that today.

So many people like that today. That have put these things that

God cares about God will provide for so high up that they are

literally forfeiting milk and honey.

Is what they see in the Now is better than what God has for

them just moments away. The here's a question in this

Bible study, are you Desiring to live in the center of God's

will? Or are you satisfied to live on

the fringes? Because Reuben Gad were

satisfied. You can see where their mindset,

as you can see, where their Ambitions are.

They're not, they're not thinking like how God wanted

them to think they're not thinking, oh we're going to see

God's glory manifested. Yeah, it's going to get bloody

in there but oh what an exciting thing, it's going to be to go to

war with our brothers to see God, give us what he promises.

What are we going to know when we plant the Tabernacle?

What are we going to? Censor the presence of God?

What we have for the know? Nothing about the glory of God?

Nothing about the testimonies that God wants to give them

nothing about any of that. My house.

And my sheep my family. Like really.

And we asked ourselves the same question.

Do you think there are consequences to Ruben and gads

decision here. Didn't go smoothly for Reuben

and Gad by making this decision, that's the question.

No, is the answer. You know what, they forfeited

and wanting their way, and their version of Christianity, of just

kind of being right at the border of giving it all in.

Oh, you know, any people are like that.

Like, here's the cliff and to jump off as to say I'm going

all-in and they're going like this.

Taking pictures of it and I almost did it.

No, no, they just the right there.

You know what they forfeited. Three things.

Number one, they forfeited the reality of The Nearness of the

presence of God. Where was the tabernacle

supposed to be in the Promised Land?

And they were going to see that they actually put themselves

away from the glory of God. And it cost them generationally

go to Joshua. Go to Joshua 22.

Anybody know where we're going here with Joshua.

If you've read the book of Joshua, You know that these

tribes resurfaced again? Joshua 22.

It's just read the first few verses.

Then, we'll scroll down the latter part so guess what?

They actually went in to help their brothers.

I'm going to read that in the second.

And this is where they help their brothers and they finalize

everything by doing what they were supposed to do at that

time, Joshua summoned, the Reuben nights, and the gadites,

and a half tribe of Manasseh and said to them, you have kept all

that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you and of

obeyed my voice and all that. I have commanded you, you have

not forsaken your brother's these many days down to this

day, but I've been very being careful to keep the charge of

the Lord, your God, so they did it and they're now returning.

Remember, they cross the Jordan River to help their brothers.

Now they're about to go back. To what they wanted.

And they do something that almost caused the Civil War.

Does anybody know What do they do with our reading?

What did they do? That almost caused an all-out

civil breakout they built an altar.

So scroll down. What do they do?

They built an altar. This huge altar on the other

side of the river and the tribes here of it.

They go. Hold on.

What do they think they're doing now?

Why is that a problem? Because they're so strong to be

one altar in the Tabernacle one place of worship then we're

supposed to duplicate or replicate none of that was

allowed and they did it. Rumor comes in, they bear their

arms and they're ready to exterminate two-and-a-half

tribes. And what happens when they hear

the scroll down to verse 23, Verse 24.

So they explain a down to verse 20.

They go. Whoa, we did not, we're not,

we're not trying to build a place to sacrifice, we

understand the rules far. Be it from us, their clarifying,

and then they give the reason for why they did it.

No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children,

might say to our children. What have you to do with the

Lord, the god of Israel for the Lord has made the Jordan, a

boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben in the people

of God, you have no portion in the Lord.

So your children might make our children cease to Worship the

Lord. They realized that they were

forfeiting something in parking in that side, the east side of

the Jordan, what were they forfeiting the spiritual

well-being of their own children?

By being so far from the Tabernacle, from the place of

worship, they would have to replicate something in order for

the future Generations that when these other tribes see Ruben

Gallego, who do you think you are?

You're not part of us, this is a boundary between us and you and

they go. No, but there's an altar.

Here we are part of the Israelites.

We are part of your brethren. Do you see what risk?

They put themselves in? and the same goes today, even

with parents, they don't choose to live this wholehearted life

for Christ, and you know, who suffers for down the down, the

road, the children. Instead of bringing them into

their inheritance that have bring them into, introducing

them, to the presence of God, to the people of God to Fellowship,

their just neighbors. They're just on the fringes.

They're just there to see from a distance.

They have an idea of it but they don't have the fullness of it.

because they were so concerned about their sheep, and their

flock, and their well-being, and their houses, and their children

in the moment and not choosing to go into the will of God, they

were forfeiting the reality of the presence of God, number 2,

Think about this geographically. What kind of a risk that they

put themselves in by planting themselves on the other side of

the Jordan River? Think about it in terms of War.

Who's going to be affected first?

When the enemies try to come in? These tribes, these tribes would

be the first to be taken into captivity.

These tribes are more susceptible, they're more

vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy and we can turn there.

But we won't for the sake of time in Judges chapter 10 where

Judges 10 · chapter mention

they come in, and they inflict their pain upon these tribes

before they go into the promised land.

So, you know, what happens when you and I choose to live on the

bow Injuries of the fullness of the will of God we open

ourselves up to Greater attacks of the enemy.

We open ourselves up to. A failure to see God's

protection and provision. Like it could be if we go full

in. Happens all the time.

People wonder why? Because you're not in the

promised land, my friend, you're outside your on the fringes and

God wants you to cross that River.

And thirdly the obvious one. They forfeited.

God's best. They thought that they had their

idea of Life, their idea of their plans, their idea of what

this whole thing is all about. They thought that they can come

up with something better than what God had promised them from

long ago, and I wonder what it would have been like if they had

gone in, we'll never know. We'll never know.

Who knows what kind of profits could have come out of these

two, who knows? unfortunately, it's only down

the road, where you realize and I realize that As glamorous as

it looked in the moment to give up my young years to go full out

for God. Only later, will you realize

what it could have been God Almighty?

Protect me from such a foolish decision.

Ruben and God unfortunately, made that decision.

And then he goes on to, let's go back to number 32.

He goes on from verse 10, down to verse 15 to describe how the

first generation did not wholly. Follow the lord.

Accept two people verse 12, men except Caleb.

The son of jephunneh a they can, as I and Joshua, the son of nun

for they have wholly, followed the Lord.

I've read the numbers so many times, but this time, this verse

in verse 14, 15 popped out to me in a way that it just struck my

heart. Look at verse 14 and behold, you

have risen in your father's place.

A brood of sinful men to increase still more.

The fierce anger of the Lord against Israel.

Look at this receiving, this is scary stuff for a few turn.

Away from following him, he will again, abandon them in the

wilderness and you will destroy all this people.

You don't read the story about the first generation.

The second generation, we automatically almost think like

the second generation is going to directly go into the promised

land, no matter what. That was not the case.

This verse shows that God was willing to restart the whole

thing over again. If they were unfaithful But if

they did not comply and Obey, and cling to the Lord, this

verse shows, Moses, listen, we could have done another 40

years. What are you guys thinking?

That's crazy. I just wonder if they did, it

would have been like how many generations until one really

got. It said, let's do this.

And so it's just it's just a strong reminder that God is not

a respecter of persons. It's a strong reminder that I

do. Although God is so faithful.

He is so faithful. We need to be faithful to

experience what he wants us to experience.

So, what happens? Verse 16 down, they agree to

fight. They said, well do it will go

in, will help the brothers and then we'll come back out.

And in verse 20, Moses agrees and says, okay, you do this, he

reminds them. And then he says these words

here in verse 21, says verse 20. So Moses said to him, if you

will do this, if you'll take up arms and go before the Lord for

the war and every armed, man of you will pass over the Jordan

before the Lord, until he is driven out.

His enemies from before, Amanda A subdued before the Lord.

Then after that, you shall return in free and be free of

obligation to the Lord. And to Israel, and this land

shall be your possession before the Lord.

Now, look at this verse. We've heard it before, but if

you will not do so behold, you have sinned against the Lord and

be sure your sin will find you out.

Famous verse who here has never heard this verse.

So 99.5% of us have heard that verse and it's even more

powerful. When you understand this verse

in its context, it's powerful enough.

When you isolate it from its surrounding text, be sure your

sin will find you out, but it's even more impactful when you

understand what Moses trying to say, remember, Moses is going to

die, he's not going into the Promised Land.

He's not following in with them. And so as he's making this

agreement with Reuben, Gad Reuben.

Gad could have given false Assurance.

Yeah, we'll do it. We'll go in and bear arms, wait

till he dies, and we'll just park here.

Forget all that bloody mess. They could have, you know what

Moses trying to say. Hey, I might be off the scene,

but know this be sure your sin will find you out.

I don't have to be here for that to happen.

It's not dependent upon spiritual leaders is not depend

upon who's accountable to you, none of that that helps But in

the end, God has established a law in the universe.

Be sure your sin will find you out.

Now what does that mean? Exactly?

Because we've kind of centralized it to Define it as

if you sin and secret it's going to come out one way or another,

that's partly true. But that's not the core meaning

because this is not a secret sin.

It's not a secret sin now, that implies that implies something

greater than that though, that whether its private sin or

Publix in, there is a rule concerning sin being entertained

that eventually whether sooner or later sin will come and it

will bring the check for the payment of you participating in

it. Always always, it's just a rule.

And so another way to interpret this is be sure that if you will

engage in sin, that sin will come And require payment for

your participation. whether it's private or public, And so in a

holy way, Moses as a leader, is trying to instill the fear of

the Lord and these men as he's about to depart from the scene

of the earth until he gathered to his people to say, Hey

listen. I might not be here but God sees

I might not be here, but sin has a law that it will come.

Hey, remember you entertain me? Here's the payment.

Always Always. I love the fear of God.

It's the beginning of wisdom. I love the fear of God because

it is a Fountain of Life. I love the fear of God because

those who fear the lord are friends with the Lord.

I want it more and more my life. I pray that you would have to be

sure your sin will find you out. This is why he says, what is he

saying here? Behold, you have sinned against

the Lord. Not against Moses.

Not against your brothers, do you have?

But ultimately it's against the Lord.

Remember that, Ruben remember that God, if you really are

going to do this, keep your word, keep your word and that is

the secret, to victory in Holiness.

That when you understand that, despite Moses watching my life

or Aaron Riley azer, all these guys that I'm account.

If that is the main motivation for you to live, holy and to

live in righteousness, you'll find a loophole around it

because when Moses is not on the scene, well, that's fine.

But when you understand that, the Lord nothing is hidden from

him. Oh, it's awesome.

I'm reminded of Thomas when the boys told him.

Hey, Jesus appears, as he said, yeah, he's like listen until I

see his marks and put my fingers there.

Then, I'll believe it. He didn't even pray it.

It's not like you said, Lord, let me put my Using your marks

and I'll believe in you, he just said it in a comment, you know,

heard it but wasn't there physically Jesus.

He's like, all right. And he shows up and he goes, I'm

here, so cool. I don't even pray about it.

Yeah, because when you talk, he's there.

When you sit, he's there when you're driving, he's there.

The Lord was listening to Thomas, even though he wasn't

directly talking to Jesus. I think Lord, let me live with

that conscious awareness that you are always with me.

Always with me, always watching me.

So we see here, that Moses says in a very Godly way, be careful

with your words. Now we come down to verse 33,

Moses tells Joshua. Hey, this is what they said.

He's giving them the instructions because he knows

that he's not going to be on the scene.

And look at this reader, slowly in verse 33, And Moses gave to

them to the people of God, and to, the people of Reuben and to

the half tribe of Manasseh. What's interesting about that?

Where does the minister come from?

Up to this point, it's only been Reuben, Gad, Reuben, Gad, Reuben

and got ruined. Again, offer said in verse 33.

Once the deal was made, once the contract was side, Vanessa comes

on the scene and now his joy in them and many people have

different explanations. But I believe this is the one of

them at least you could disagree with it.

That when Vanessa was watching and hearing this conversation,

he eventually was persuaded and joined them.

And it goes back to our first point.

It goes back to our first point that you and I based on our own

Pursuit after the Lord can either influence others to be

stirred up to run after Christ or to just be content where you

are and I exhort you Brothers and Sisters in Christ, which one

are you? You don't have to be a pastor,

you don't have to be a leader to have influence.

Just who you are. Whether you believe it or not

your love. For Christ.

The Heat Of Your Passion can affect others even who are cold

when they sense the warmth of your Devotion to the Lord.

It's trust me when I say it. You may not see it immediately,

but there is nothing more attractive than when a person is

on fire, for God. It Comforts those who are on

fire for God and it can fix those who are not doesn't

condemn them. It convinced them.

It challenges them to say, oh this person lives for Christ and

they're not even in full-time Ministry.

How much more can I? I love seeing people on fire for

God, that don't have the excuse that they have learned.

History and I have to do this so that people can see my example.

I love when I see the businessman on fire for God.

I love when I see the father on fire for God, I love when I see

the person. Working the hospital, the

student blazing for the lord. It's it's one of the most

awesome sights. And it's contagious.

Just like, when we read early and numbers that complaining was

contagious, you had a few Rivals that were complaining and guess

what everybody else is. Give me either one, reminder,

either one can affect for the good of for the -.

And unfortunately, because of Reuben Gad where they thought

that their decisions only affected them, a reuben, and go.

Hey, let's just do this for us and Vanessa joined in, This is

exactly what Moses was worried about.

So we got another tribe down now.

You know what the crazy part is when I'm reading this.

The Lord lets him do it. See if you don't want to go full

in for the Lord, is not going to twist your arm to do it if you

want to live on the fringes, okay?

Lemon. The fringes and this is what

they're basically saying. They're saying this will do will

do what you call this to do. Will do the bare minimum.

You want us to fight? We'll fight.

But to live in there. Nah, well sir, at the bare

minimum will scrape the bottom of the barrel and we'll have our

part right? Well what we want.

Yeah sure. If you want to you can have not

going to force you. So we all have to make that same

decision. I think this is what this text

is teaching us and our understanding of our spiritual

State and this is the thought that I want us to leave with as

we go into chapter 33 very quickly, if it was God's will

for every tribe to go into the promised land.

Don't you think that it's God's will for every single one of us

to go in fully? If it's God's will for each of

them to go in, how much more us? Every single one of us, God

says, come in and live here. Don't visit live in the center

of my will for your life. And unfortunately, because of

Ruben and God hear me very carefully because of their

selfishness, because of their contentment because of their

love for materialism. What could have been a different

experience for the whole nation of Israel?

Was not. Listen, this experience

corporately is so much different when everybody's burning for

God. When everybody's burning for

God, when you have some better. And I and some that are, we're

thankful for the ones that are. We pray for the ones that are

not, but it's not the same. It's not the same.

For them, it wasn't the same. Then we come to chapter 33.

Are you guys doing? Okay, good.

Chapter 33 is an interesting chapter.

Because this decisions made and then you almost get this other

sense that you okay, we got that whole kerfuffle figured out.

Let's now go in and all of a sudden, there's a pause, there's

a pause in The Narrative of the book of numbers and it's this

interesting chapter, that's dedicated to one simple thing to

recounting the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to this

moment. Now, look at it, we're not going

to read it, just look at the chapter and skim through it, and

you'll realize something. From verse 5, down to verse 49,

you know what it is, and they were from this place to this

place. I'm from that place to this

place. And from that place to this

placement in every detail, there are 49 verses dedicated to

Simply describing how they went from one post to the other, and

you go. Why would the Lord by the holy

spirit gives so much attention to that?

let's read the first few verses and we'll find out why these are

the stages of the people of Israel when they went out of the

land of Egypt by their companies, under the leadership

of Moses. And Aaron Moses wrote down,

their starting places stage by stage by what command of the

Lord. And these are the stages

according to their starting places.

Then it goes down to describe it.

Does anybody have an idea why God would give this?

Especially at this point? Isaac,

I believe there's the fact that this chapters planted right

here. So strategic because they're

about to go into the promised land and before going into the

promised land, he wants to think about the Wilderness Journey.

They're about to transition into a new phase of life and before

they do. So you know, what he says stop

and think about where it brought you from before.

And it's an awesome practical reality before you move forward.

Think about my faithfulness I want you to think about every

single step that I've LED you through now.

Listen, This is a strategic timing, they're about to move

forward into something brand-new and before he does that it's

almost as those to say stop. And just think about his

goodness before that because this is scary.

You're going to bump into new territory.

You're going to bump and see new battles.

And before that just pause and reflect of how I've been with

you. Not in a general sense, look at

the wisdom of the Holy Spirit but step by step, by step by

step. If you read this, if you take

the time to read this you'll realize that there's a

recounting of the moments that God has intervened.

Look at verse 8 in verse 8, And they set out from before hair

Roth and passed through the midst of the sea Into the

Wilderness. And they went to Three Day's

Journey Into the Wilderness of etham at camp tomorrow.

So there's there's a reminder that God has made a way where

there was no way. And you come down to verse 14,

what does it say? And they set off from alloush

and can't that referred them? Where there was no water for the

people of drink. When there was no provision God,

made provision, you come down to verse 38 and 39, what does it

say and Aaron? The priest went up Mount hor at

the command of the Lord and died there in the 40th year, after

the people of Israel, came out of the land of Egypt.

So they reminded how God comforted them.

When somebody, a great significance to them died, you

come down and see him verse 40, the Canaanite the king of Arad

who lived in an egg up, in the land of Canaan, heard of the

coming. The People Israel.

They stopped and reflect how God dealt with their enemies.

Do you see what God is trying to show me?

That in critical moments of your life and desperate moments in

your life. You remember when I came but

this is the beauty part because we think of those things, but

that's not all that God does. He doesn't just bring the

highlights. There are many names here of

places that they've been through that.

We haven't even heard of in the whole Bible nowhere.

These things. There are stretches of verses

that say, they go from this place to this place is made me

go, what happened there? But it shows to me that God

doesn't just lead us in the, you know, God is Not Just in heaven.

And he says, I'll figure out when there's desperate times,

then I'll come in, he's with you in the mundane, he's with a

step, by step, day by day, when you go in on your nine to five

Monday to Friday, he's there because you remember how they

were LED, right by the pillar fire night.

The cloud by day each one of those stops.

Every time they stop it was that cloud.

His presence was always with him and with you and me.

So it's not just think about the highlights of your life.

All I remember when God provided that moment, I remember when

God's presence was so real, that tragic season, my life.

No, he was with you throughout it all.

That's what he's trying to show them.

Every moment I was there. Every step I was with you.

So remember the faithfulness of God but not just the

faithfulness of God dwelling on on God's unmerited, favor.

That's what God wanted them to do.

Why I wonder if you read this chapter, you'll notice something

very special about God, commanded, Moses.

He commanded him verse by verse you write down.

What I'm telling you concerning these past few years about how

I've LED my people. You'll notice something.

I wonder if anybody's noticed it just look through it quickly.

I'll give a couple seconds that way.

My throat can take a breath too, and just think, Is going on here

that God's doing strategically? It's not direct.

Its indirect. Or obvious, at least.

You know what, you notice. And I encourage you, if you

haven't read this chapter, take sometime this weekend or

something, to read chapter 33, as he's recounting.

There's no. Mention of the failures.

Subtle at most, but no blatant obvious mention of how they've

messed up. And when God wanted them to

recount it, when God commanded Moses to do that he intended to

leave out those details. He did that on purpose, not so

that they would not learn from their past failures for the

future, but to reflect that in spite of their failures, God is

merciful and gracious. And I see a hint of God's mercy.

In this chapter, though, it's a list of place to put it.

You know, what it is, your sins? I remember no more.

I've cast them into the heart of the sea.

I don't reflect on. I don't remember them.

You know, how many people can't move forward because of the

things that happen in the past. You know many people can't

believe God for a greater things because of how they've messed up

in the past. And when God chooses at this

transitional moment of life. He says, I want you to recount

something and I want you to count on my grace mercy, not on

your failures. It's a powerful illustration of

God's immutable, mercy and Grace.

And then he comes down to verse 50.

As we close in this chapter, we're not going further than

this. And the Lord spoke to Moses in

the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho saying speak to the

people of Israel and say to them.

When you pass over the Jordan, into the land of Canaan then you

shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from

before you destroy. All their figured stones and

destroy all their mental images in the plate, demolish, all

their high places we're here. And I believe this portion is so

awesome for us at this point of Our Lives.

As we're on the border of a new year. if you're convinced that

the end, this Bible study, And all, what you've heard, then

just go out one ear and out the other.

If you're convinced, if you had a place in your life, Were you

like man? I've been living on the fringes.

He might be a truly safe person, but you've been living on the

fringes. Listen, let me testify to this

in a moment. I can this is real to me because

for 19 years of my life, I had my own version of Christianity.

And it was live close enough to the Border but still do my own

thing. Have an altar so I can remember

yeah I grew up Christian and yeah I'll take my kids to church

when I'm 30 and I have my own family, I want to do my own

thing. That was my idea of

Christianity. You know what, for the longest

time it was the best plan. I thought I had hear me.

I'm not lying to you. I'm not exaggerating.

I literally thought those thoughts in college that I'm not

going to go so far where I forget about God, but I'm going

to go and do my own thing and still have some kind of symbol

in some kind of way to remember that he is there and he forgave

me. Oh yeah, and I thought this plan

is brilliant. Let me testify to you.

It's so much better when you cross over.

So much better. When you hear and you see what

this book says to be true. And it took the Holy Spirit to

rebuke me hard like Moses, that would rebuke them.

And I had a choice to either. Convince myself, I'll do the

bare minimum and just stay here to say, you know what, I'm going

to go over and I can tell you this the past eight years.

And this is a special moment. I might try to talk about

myself. I'm just trying to testify and

be real night of this Bible study.

I know Peter and Tim are here and they had their own

experience in New Year's 2011. Correct me if I'm wrong but he

and Tim, they had their own moment without that make that

choice too. it was New Year's 2011 for me this time of the

year where it's just like, okay, it's either all or nothing and I

can tell you in the past 8 years, Has it been that long?

Yeah, seven. Eight years.

It's so much better in the Promised Land.

If you're holding on to your own version, if you're holding on to

your own idea, if you know, you're on the fringes, you know,

if your heart's not fully surrendered, you're missing out.

No matter how much land you have it, no matter how much structure

you have, no matter how many ideas you have it pales in

comparison, To the land flowing with milk and honey.

Trust, God on it. Trust the Lord on it.

And if you want to, if you wanted to and brothers and

sisters, if you're here, you already made that decision and

you want to go into this new year with that same mindset.

This is what we have to expect. There's going to be some

battles. 51 says that there's going to be battles, you're

going to fight some Idols, you're going to fight some

Temptations. You can experience pushback from

different things, but it's going to be worth it.

And this is the warning and verse 55.

But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from

before you, then those of them who you let remain shall be as

barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides and they shall

trouble you in the land where you dwell and I will do to you

as I thought I do to them. What is he saying there?

It's a scary truth because initially they could have gone

and saying we're right. There's to do it cross over the

river to be in the middle of the promised land.

I'm in God's will. Yes.

And that can be the initial excitement after a Bible study

like this, after a message after initial response, and then when

you go in, you realize, it's tougher than you thought.

And you want to give up and you start to make neighbors with the

things that God called you to kill.

And so, here's my strong exhortation that if you've

decided to go into this new year to fully, give yourself.

If you feel encouraged and like this Bible study to not just a

Content but to believe Got four more, don't give up.

Don't give up. Don't make neighbors.

Don't make friends with the things that God's called you to

destroy. So don't let up even if you

didn't, initially made that cry out to the Lord.

Because I tell you something, I've seen many people made that

initial decision, but then, they go in, and they end up letting

loose and they're miserable just like God warned them.

You have thorns on your side's Barb's and that's not

comfortable. That's painful, it's painful.

So if you're making that initial don't give up Going strong.

And it's a new testament old testament version of the New

Testament. Verse, does, anybody know what

the last verse of the first book of the book of First, John is

That awesome Epistle of love that tells us God is love.

You know what the last verse is who knows Little children.

Keep yourself from Idols. Once a keep yourself from Idols.

So what God is saying here, As you go in, keep yourself from

Idols. Keep your eyes focused on me,

believe me. When I say that, what I have for

you is better than what you could whip up on your own.

That's what I believe at the Lord and lighted.

This Bible study has to say to us that as we come up to this

new year, we have a choice to make and that's the call for

this Bible study tonight. Will you choose to be like Ruben

and Gad? Or you choose to go in across.

Even if the fight I could tell you, it's much more comfortable

to stay with Ruben and then Reuben, Gad area.

But there are greater consequences.

I rather go in and fight those battles to know that I have the

presence of God. You know that I have is

protection and blessing on my life to know that I have is

intimacy than to be void of the battle but to forfeit all of

that. The choice is all of ours.

The choice is all of ours. Pray with me, please.

As we ask the Lord for this new year, for God, to bless it, to

stir our hearts into that direction.

Father, we praise you for the way that you've helped us end

this book at the end of this year, Lord we magnify you for

your wisdom and your Providence in this Bible study, thank you

for your word for us to reflect on.

And Lord like Moses was commanded.

We somehow choose to do the same thing and to record your

goodness. And we think about the past.

Thank you for 2018. Thank you that you don't rub our

failures in our faces. Lord.

Thank you that you just remind us of how good you are.

And Lord, if you've been good to us up to this point, you will be

get to us in the year to come. and Lord, we choose to say yes,

the cross And yes to remain, and yes, to continue to fight, and

not to give up. Lord, we pray by the spirit.

That you would keep this house is a house of encouragement.

Lord, that we would be able to know how to speak into each.

Other's lives. Lord, that when people are being

beaten and bruised by life, they can come here and find bomb and

love. We ask father that in this new

year we would truly see greater things than we ever expected.

And Lord, we choose tonight to say, thank you for this family.

Thank you for every person that loves you.

Thank you for every person that has not given up.

And for those who have Lord, strengthen them and breathe life

into them. For those who have maybe gone

astray Lord, call them home, call them home.

Lord, Lord May Our Lives. Not be content, maybe not Park

here but believe that there's so much that we have yet to

experience. And God.

Right now we just come on and see before you, we don't try to

pretend We said, Lord ignite my heart again.

Oh God, I can easily get so cold.

They can easily get so distracted by things.

I can see things and be so drawn to things.

I feel to realize that you not only want to provide for me, you

want to give me more More than what I can build for myself.

Lord, help us not be like these Men Who Built for themselves and

forfeited way. You wanted to build for them.

We say yes to your will. We say yes to your will Lord as

this church has been together for these past few years?

We say together We give 2019 to you, Lord for your namesake, use

us, and protect us guide us and sanctify us.

Lord, you are worthy. If there's anybody in here,

father that has lost the joy of the Lord.

Anybody if anybody in here is feeling like giving up, anybody

feels like they don't want to just give it all.

They just want to kind of cruise control.

Oh, Lord, touch our hearts. So now even now Lord, we choose

to sing to you because you have been faithful.

In the, we choose to thank you, not just for the past but for

what you will do in the days to come.

Thank you God. Shepherd of shepherds lover of

our souls. Shepherd of shepherds lover of

our souls.