Amen, so we're starting out a brand new book tonight. We're gonna be in the book of Deuteronomy and if you know that book
You know that we're gonna be in there
For a while, you know going through it one chapter every week
That's gonna take us all the way into like June or July somewhere in there
You know depending I might try and sneak in a few more on Sunday nights just to kind of keep us moving along
But it's a book in the Old Testament that I love. I really liked the book of Deuteronomy
I was reading through it and I thought you know was kind of looking for a book to preach through after we finished
First and second Timothy and I thought this would be a great one a lot of heavy stuff in there a lot of stuff
You know that we have to kind of pick apart and study, but we should enjoy that kind of thing
You know that's be why we're coming to church is to learn the Word of God and learn this the statutes and the judgments of
the Lord and
Deuteronomy is full of that and of course for familiar with the Old Testament
We know that this is coming about in the point of the story of the children of Israel where?
The previous generation that rebelled against the Lord has passed off and now this is their children
They're getting ready to go into the Promised Land and Deuteronomy kind of starts out these first
eleven or twelve chapters just Moses really rehearsing everything that had taken place and
reminding of them where they were and
And where they had come from and and also kind of warning them to not let these same things happen again
And we'll pick it up there in verse 1 where it says these be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel
Excuse me on this side Jordan in the wilderness in the plain over against the Red Sea between
Peran and Tofel and Laban and Hazoroth and Disahab
These there are 11 days journeys from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir unto Kadesh Barnea
So really what's kind of interesting right now that starting on the gate is he's kind of telling them where they are in the story
He's telling us
This is where they are and they're the plain over against the Red Sea
Between Peran and Peran as we'll see here in a little bit later is
Very close to the Promised Land they're out in this desert area this wilderness about ready to pass over into the Promised Land
So what's interesting though is verse 2 verse 2 just kind of has this random fact in there
It just kind of throws us out there where it says
There are 11 days journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir unto Kadesh Barnea. I was reading that
I'm going what what's the point of this?
He's just told us where they are and then he's just kind of giving us this measurement
It's so far from here to there because they're not in
Horeb, you know, and they're not in they're near unto Kadesh Barnea, but they're not that's not where they are
you know and it's just interesting because I think what the Bible is showing us here where God wants us to see is
That God is kind of it kind of gives the context of this book
But with this it tells us where they are right in verse 1
This is this is the story of where they are at this time, but verse 2 kind of reminds us where they could have been
Because if we'll see here in a minute or
Horeb is Mount Sinai. That is the
the Mount of God and if you would keep something there turn over to
Exodus chapter 3 Exodus chapter 3
Horeb is something that comes up quite often
It says there in Exodus chapter 3
It says now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in the priests of Minyan and he led the flock to the backside
Of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb
Of course
This is where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and this is the same mount where we'll see in a minute that he
Later appeared in a pillar of fire and smoke with thunderings and quakings
Go to Joshua chapter 14 Joshua chapter 14. So God's giving us these landmarks for a reason
You know, God doesn't just give us these geographical landmarks just because he's trying to take up space in the Bible
You know, he's not just put in there for filler. He wants us to notice something here
So you're going to Joshua chapter 14
It says in Exodus 17 the Lord said unto Moses go on before the people and take with you the elders of Israel and thy
Rod wherewith thou smotest the river take thine hand and go behold
I will stand before thee upon the rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the rock there shall water come out of it
So this is a significant place. This is where God showed up in the burning bush
This is where he split the rock and gave them waters. This is also
Where he came down in a pillow fire. We'll see that and look at Joshua chapter
14 verse 6 it says then the children of Judah came to Joshua and Gilgal and
Caleb the son of Jephunneh and
Kenzanite said unto him thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and the in Kadesh Barnea
For which things I was when I was the Moses the servant of Lord
Sent me from Kadesh Barnea to outspy the land and brought him word again as it was in mine heart. So we see that
Horeb first of all, that's where God appeared to Moses and then you have Kadesh Barnea
which is where God was telling them to go over in the Promised Land and of course they failed at that in the first generation and
That's where he tells
That's where he tells Caleb, you know, you will inherit this land, you know, he goes on and says except for Caleb
You know who was right in his heart who wanted to go into the Caleb or go into the Promised Land
He said he's going to go in as well. And where did that happen that happened in Kadesh Barnea?
So these are two different places. This is where they are
Kadesh Barnea and you know the plane in the in the plane between Peran and Tofel and
This is also and then you have another place which is Horeb the Mount of God
now look there in verse 3 of
Deuteronomy chapter 1 and it came to pass in the 40th year and the 11th month on the first day of the month now how
Long were they gonna wander in the wilderness
40 years, right
So God I mean 40 years is almost over there
It's 12 months in the calendar, right and it's the 40th year in the 11th month on the first day of the month
So this is literally, you know, just weeks away from them crossing over in the Promised Land
It just shows us that God, you know, he pays attention to detail when he says 40 years, you know
He's not just shooting from the hip, you know about 40 years. He means 40 years
Like God is specific and he keeps track of things. So he shows that this is when this is all going down
This is when Moses is giving these last words and you know, that's why I really think I like this book
Of course, we know the ending it's where Moses dies and he's kind of this is his last great speech to these people
rehearsing in their ears all the things that the Lord has done and
Reminding them of the things that the God expects of them and then passing off the scene and passing off the torch to Joshua
But it's interesting to note that God got some you know, he gets them right down to within a few weeks
He says look this took place in the 40th year in 11th month on the first day of the month and it took place here
in in Peran, you know in in in and he's giving us this measurement again about
being 11 days from Mount Horeb
And I believe he's telling us that because of God wants us to wanted that to remind them of how close they really were
I mean it that it was only 11 days
That first generation was 11 days away from passing over the world and into the wilderness or passing out of the wilderness in the Promised Land
But because of their lack of faith because of their unbelief and their disobedience and went from 11 days to 40 years
So he's showing us, you know that sin has consequences
That if we disobey God that if we you know, if we don't follow his commandments that that sin has consequences and they can be drastic
You know
I'm sure when they disobeyed they had no idea that they were gonna end up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years
And it's a shame game
I mean can imagine wandering on 40 years knowing you were just 11, you know, you were you started out
It was 11 days journey and you could have been there less than two weeks
So he's kind of giving us these times and these places to kind of I think show us some things about you know
The consequences of sin and and where they are in the story and of course, you know giving it the context there
So they are in the wilderness and they're just days from crossing over into
Jordan it says there in verse 4 after he had
We'll pick it up in verse 3
He says and it came to pass in the 40th year in the 11th month in the first day of the month that Moses spake
unto the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them
after he had slain Sihon king of the Amorites which dwelt in Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan which dwelt at Azeroth and
Ed and Edri I on this side Jordan in the land of Moab began Moses to declare this law saying
so he goes into
You know what he you know, this is begins the speech this is the context of what we have it here
So they're in the wilderness. He begins the speech. They're just days away from crossing the Jordan and
Moses begins by reminding them and warning them
By rehearsing the things that have taken place in the last 40 years
So you gotta remember this is the children of them that have passed off the scene
I mean these people have been they've been waiting basically for their parents to die
You know, it's kind of a you know, I don't want to say that lightheartedly, but it's the truth
I mean, they're out there wandering in the desert
They you know, a lot of them were probably old enough to have heard
the the judgment that came down on them and they knew that
they were kind of just waiting for the last and that previous generation to pass off before they could go in and
Moses is taking the time to warn them saying don't forget about what your fathers did
Don't forget about how they failed and and trying to remind them
So he's saying, you know, he's reminding them
He's warning them and then he begins he begins the story of course with them departing. He doesn't begin in Egypt
You know, he doesn't begin there
he begins in Mount Horeb is where he begins to tell the story of the children of Israel and
He goes back and he says there in verse 6 and the Lord spake unto us in Horeb saying you have dwelt long enough in
This mount so that's where the story begins is in Mount Horeb or what's called Horeb or Mount Sinai the Mount of God
Horeb is the place where Mount Sinai is and is referred to as either Mount Horeb or Mount Sinai
And you'll you know, and I don't want to just throw that out there
So let's take a minute and look at it go over to Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 9 Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 9
Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 9
It says only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen
Unless they depart from thy heart of the days of thy life, but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons
Especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb
When the Lord said unto me gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words
That they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their children verse
11 and they came here and stood under the mountain and what was that mountain referred to as Mount Horeb, right?
Now, how does he describe this this instant this this event and it says in the mountain burned with fire under the midst of heaven
With darkness clouds and thick darkness and the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire
He heard the voice of the of the words, but you saw no millitude only he heard a voice
So we see it of course that's if you know, I won't take the time to go through it
I think I made my point here
But if you go and compare that to Exodus chapter 19 where that event takes place in verse 16
It says and it came to pass on the third day in the morning. There were thunders and lightnings
There was a thick cloud upon the mount and there was a it was on a smoke because the Lord descended upon it and fire
I mean, it's the exact same event. There's no tonight. There's no denying it
You know if it's not this one then which one is it?
When it was where was the other instance where God came down in a pillar of fire and smoke
it's this is it and he calls it Mount Horeb and
He says in Exodus chapter 13 that it's in the wilderness of Sinai and is where that Mount is
So Mount Horeb Mount Sinai the plains of Horeb. This is all the same place
This is the place where God came down in a pillar of fire and smoke
And you know another place you could turn to if you wanted to further prove that would be first Kings 19
You don't have to go there. That's of course where Elijah after defeating the prophets of Baal
Fleece for his life and he goes to Mount Horeb the Mount of God
So that's what that's often referred to in Scripture as well. So that's where he begins the story though
You know, he begins a story taking them back to where they first heard the law, you know
And that's really I think where God started to make them really accountable
He kind of introduces himself to them, you know, of course
they saw the miracles and everything and they understood that it was God that was doing the working and
That God was fighting for them on their behalf against Egypt
But when he brings them over into Sinai
On the other side of the Red Sea and he comes down and starts to give them his commandments
That's really where God starts to make them accountable
You know, you've seen all my works
You see what I've done you've seen that I'm fighting for you
And now here's how it's gonna be between me and you you're gonna do this and this and you're not gonna do this and this
And he kind of makes them accountable at that point
I think that's why Moses starts the story there because that's the what's what he's trying to accomplish here
He's trying to remind them that they are accountable to God that God has revealed them
Them to themselves by a by a stretched out arm and a mighty hand and that has made them, you know accountable to him
So that's why I think he starts out there now verse 7
It goes on and says turn you and take your journey and go to the mount of the Amorites
and unto all the places nigh there unto in the plains and the hills and the vale and the south by the
Seaside the land of the Canaanites and unto Lebanon of the great river the river Euphrates
But I have set the land before you go in and possess the land which Lord swear unto your fathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob
To give unto them unto their seed after them and I spake unto you that time saying I'm not able to bury you myself
Alone the Lord God hath multiplied you and behold you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude
So here we see where you know
God's telling him to go in and then Moses is recalling the instance where he's saying
We're gonna look at it here where he's you know, he's judging the people from Sun up to sundown
He's handling every single case that comes before him
And I think what we see here in this verse is just a great picture of what it's like to kind of be in ministry
You know, this is kind of a small course is on a you know, a bigger scale, you know
We're talking about millions of people here
But this is some things that we could take away from and understand what it's like to be
You know following God with a group of people, you know and desiring to serve him
I mean, that's the same thing that we're doing, you know, it's called the church in the wilderness these people write this group of people
Well, that's kind of what we are, you know that church back then in Israel is a picture of us and of you know
us as
individuals, you know living the Christian life and also as as a church and we see a glimpse of that and really it makes sense that
There would be this parallel because in Moses's day. What's he dealing with? He's dealing with people and in the New Testament Church
What are we dealing with? We're dealing with the same thing people, you know, and and it's just a
We need to understand something is that people in the Bible are just like we are
You know, they're the there's no temptation taking you but such as common as is common to man
You know, they are men of like passions
So it's not that people were just completely different back then and had this, you know, and it's just kind of this disconnect
I think sometimes, you know, we living in our modern society
We kind of look back in the Bible and somehow we just get this disconnect by thinking that people
Behave differently or they had different reactions to things. It's not so, you know, there was still the same, you know
human experience back then as it is today and
So I think this is just kind of a great picture of
What it's like to kind of be part of a ministry to be in a ministry
It's something that we just all need to kind of take note of
Because of the fact that if we're gonna be involved in this tree
We're gonna be dealing with people with one another
And he said he said so the Lord multiplied
implied you and behold you are this day is the stars of heaven for multitude now Moses isn't saying that as if it's a bad
Thing right, you know, he's glad for that
Look there at verse 11 and he says and look at the end of verse 11 before we read this
There's this there's a punctuation there right, you know the exclamation mark, right? This is something that's being explained
This is something that's being said emphatically
He said the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as he are and bless you as he had
promised you
So Moses is glad that there's a lot of them Moses wants even more
So, you know take that to your to your environmental meeting and in your overpopulation crowd and tell them to deal with it
Because you know God is for
Multiplying. All right, and that's a whole nother sermon
We're not gonna go off on that but it is worth noting that that Moses here. He doesn't have bad attitude about it
He's not against the big ministries. Okay, there's nothing wrong with being part of a big church. Okay?
There's nothing wrong with God's ministry growing and people and you say well, we don't have that problem here
Well, maybe one day we will you know, and there's by the way
There's nothing wrong being part of a small church either
There's get there's pros and cons to each, you know and me being in the position that I am
I I'm getting a good feel of both, you know, I'm coming down here, but I'm also part of Phoenix been there for a while
So I've seen kind of both sides and you know what there's pros and cons to both and
But what this is showing us is that there's nothing wrong with having a big ministry
Because some people they have this attitude like they once a church gets to a certain size
They just can't be part of it anymore or order the things that just aren't the same
Well, they're not the same but that doesn't mean they're bad. It's just it's different, you know and Moses here. He's all for it
He wants them to get big but he also has a realistic view of what that means and because he's experienced it
And he says in verse 12
How can I myself bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife now as Moses complaining here, or is he just stating the facts?
Moses just stating the facts because this is the facts that when you're dealing with people we all have
The potential and the ability to you know be a cumbrance to be a burden and to create strife this happens in ministries
So Moses, you know, he desires the blessing of a multitude
But he also understands with that with that multitude there comes
difficulties and that's what we need to understand as well that as a church grows as it gets bigger there are going to be
difficulties, you know in these he names three specific things doesn't he that could be a
Difficulty, you know in dealing with people and one of them, you know, he says cumbrance. How can I bear your cumbrance now?
That's kind of you know a different word, you know
You might think of a cucumber has nothing to do with it, right?
Because of the fact that just spelled it we that's not a word we use a lot, right?
It's not referring to a vegetable. Okay, he's referring to trouble or bother or
Worry or carefulness that's what that means cumbrance
Okay, you know in a good way to kind of get an idea what this word means is you don't have to turn there
But I'll remind you of the story of Martha and Mary right when one was cumbered about with much serving
Right in Luke 10 verse 40. It says Martha was cumbered about with much serving
What does it mean by she was cumbered?
Well, if you read on Jesus in verse 41 says Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things
So she was cumbered. What did that mean that she was careful and troubled? So that's what it means to be
Cumbres, you're someone who's very troubled. You're somebody who's bothered you were worried you have carefulness
You know and that's part of ministry people have concerns people worried people have
Troubles in their life, you know
And if we just want to be a part of ministry where just nobody has any trouble
When nobody has any worries when nobody has any carefulness in their life
Well, you know good luck finding that church because that's that's just life, you know people go through life and they have troubles
they are cumbrance from time to time and
So people have issues basically is what I'm trying to say, you know
And people have baggage people have issues and and and some you know, whether it's it's justified or not
It's there, you know in some instances a lot of times, you know, people worry about things justifiably understandably
So, you know they go through life they go through difficult things and they're worried about things, you know
and and
So we have to understand that's what kind of comes with the territory when you're starting to deal with people and you have the more
People you have the more of this you have you have more cumbres
He says how can I bear your cumbres and your burden? Right? So what is burden?
Well, that means something as born with difficulty something now you think of putting a heavy burden on your back, you know and carrying it
Another good example to define this would be Exodus 23
Where God's commanding and saying if thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden
He's talking about an animal that has collapsed under the weight of the load
It's carrying he said and what is forbear to help him thou shalt surely help him
All right
So that's what it means to be under a burden and he's saying look you guys are a burden people have burdens in life
You know people have come in and they have burdens. Sometimes they themselves are a burden to others, but we don't write them off
You know, we don't we don't just say well, you know
It's unimportant to us, you know, we need to bear one another's burdens what the Bible says
so people have issues people have difficulties and
You know, they they they can be a burden at times, you know, it's interesting to there that he says
How can I bear your burden?
You know, it's not that they only had one burden. He's kind of referring to them as a burden
You know and you know, that's not necessarily said in a bad way
You know, that's there is a burden in the ministry when you have people coming, you know
There is a weight of responsibility that is put on leadership to make sure that you know
Those they're being looked at people are being looked after and taken care of spiritually
That is a burden a spiritual burden and it was something that Moses felt. He's that's why he said your burden not burdens
So he says, you know your burden he goes on and says your strife, right and what is strife?
Well, strife would be vigorous or bitter conflict
All right, and you know
It just goes to show that sometimes people can cause trouble in churches and that's just kind of comes with the territory
you know, nobody's perfect and and that kind of thing comes up from time to time and
So he's saying here and he's showing us all these things and he's saying look, you know
I want you to multiply want you to grow God bless you and make you know
make you a thousand times more so as the stars of heaven and
Then he's but he's kind of reminding them at the same time where he said, you know at this point
He said how can I bear myself? How could I myself alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife?
there's a reality that comes with the ministry and
He is
you know
he is
Basically just expressing the way it is, you know
He's not he's not saying in a bad way or a negative way and you know, it's worth taking note of it's worth
Taking the time to mention this and bring it up and preach about it because of the fact that you know
We're admonished to do the same thing in the New Testament. You say why are we in Deuteronomy? How is that gonna help us?
Well, this is pretty applicable when you think about it because again, it's people it's dealing with people then
That's what we're dealing with today. And you know, we are admonished in the New Testament to act accordingly
Understanding that people come in with burdens that people come in and there's strife
That people come in and there's cumbrance that people have cares these things happen in a ministry and we have to act accordingly
Not just as leaners, but also as people in the pew
When we're rubbing shoulders with one another the Bible says in Colossians 3 I'll read to you
It says in verse 12 put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies
Kindness humbleness of mind meekness longsuffering now
These are the kind of attributes we should all be striving to have in our life
Because we're always going to be dealing if we're gonna stay in the ministry whether you know
It's just serving in the pew or behind the pulpit or whatever capacity we serve in, you know
You're gonna be serving people, you know, you're gonna be out there knocking doors. You're gonna run into people with cumbrance
You're gonna run into people with strife
You're gonna run into people with these these things and the Bible is telling us that look if you're gonna serve God and deal with
People that you need to have humbleness of mind meekness longsuffering
forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and
above all these put on charity
Which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are also called a one
body and be he thankful
So why does that matter?
Why should I stop even and point that out there in the Deuteronomy?
Because it's it's it's because of the fact that we're dealing with people and we're admonished to have you know
These attributes in Colossians and when we're dealing with people
I mean what it says there that they are to put on humbleness of mind and meekness and what was what's Moses his title?
the meekest man on the earth
Why was Moses selected and used of God in such a mighty way because he had these attributes in Colossians chapter 3
Again those are what's necessary to lead a people or to deal with people because people have these problems and we all do
so
And really just kind of moving on here, you know one thing we also understand from this is that you know
Moses is of course expressing the fact that you know, there's a lot of them at this time in the story
You know, they're being told to leave Mount Horeb and go open the Promised Land and he just kind of abruptly says
You know and I spake unto you at that time
You know remember we were leaving Horeb and we were told to go and I spake to you at that time
Saying I'm not able to bear you
Myself alone, you know, there was this great work that had to be done, right?
they had to leave Horeb they had to go up and they had to conquer the Promised Land and
Moses is saying hey, I can't do this. How can I do this myself alone? And
What we need to understand from that is that
Leadership okay in a church cannot cease to accomplish spiritual goals because of human hindrances. Let me say that again because it's kind of wordy
leadership cannot cease to accomplish spiritual goals because of human hindrances
You know Moses couldn't let these think the cumbrance and the burdens and the strife stop him from
accomplishing the goal that God had for his people that had to happen and
Moses is as a leader
That was his primary goal not to say that he didn't care about all these other issues
And he didn't care about helping people in these areas
but he had a
ultimate spiritual goal of going into the Promised Land and doing what God wanted to do and he recognized something very quickly is
That you know, he man Moses had to learn this for himself and if you would go to over to Exodus chapter 18
And
That that he could not let these things stop him from accomplishing God's goals. That's what he had to learn
Look there in Exodus chapter 18 verse 13 and it came to pass on the morrow
That Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from morning until the evening
you know
You think getting the the scene of a full inbox in the church emails, you know
or when I go check the Google Voice and it's just like
You know, man, can I answer all these got to listen to all these? Well, you know, at least I wasn't there
It's not going to be from morning until the evening listening to every single person come and you know it and say I've got this
Problem. I've got this problem. You need to fix this. You need to deal with that
What do I do here? Can you give me advice and it's just but that's the reality of the ministry and Moses, you know
He's sitting here from morning until evening and when Moses father-in-law saw all that he did to the people
He said what is this thing that thou doest to the people
Why sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
So what are you saying here? He's kind of expressing like what do you know? What are you doing? This is Jethro
He's saying this isn't good. And and what it's showing us is that it was inefficient to have one man bear the whole burden
It was inefficient to have one man sit there and judge every man's cause
And he goes on to verse 15 and Moses said it was father-in-law because the people come unto me to inquire of God
When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another
And I do make them to know the statutes of God and his law
So he's basically like breaking down and explaining the Bible to them, you know in every one of these instances
So, I mean that can be that can be that can wear a guy out
You know having to sit there and explain the Bible in this situation what you need to do in this situation in this situation
from morning until evening
You know, that's that's a lot of work and and Moses father-in-law said to him the thing that thou doest is not good
And you know what? He's right. It wasn't good. It wasn't good for Moses and it wasn't good for the people
Because what happens, you know, he goes on he says there
Thou shalt will surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee
He says if you keep doing this Moses if you this is the way you're gonna try and do things you're going to wear
Away and this people because here's the thing if they're relying on Moses alone and Moses wears away
Where else to where are they else? They're gonna go they got nobody
Right, so it doesn't benefit Moses and it doesn't benefit the people to just have one guy doing everything
He said for this thing is too heavy for thee thou are not able to perform it thyself alone
so in that kind of thing Moses had to learn here that
you know and he had to learn that nobody benefits and from this kind of
Ministering where it's just one guy, you know, just trying to do everything and
What it shows us is that we're leadership, you know in order to accomplish the task that God has given
You know
It can't stop be stopped by these human hindrances these things that come up
That are just part of the ministry that are just you know
Natural they're just natural parts of ministry because we're dealing with people that they cannot
They can't they can't do all of it on their own that leadership relies on others in order to accomplish the mission
You know, he needed help right so this required but what does that what does that mean to us?
That if there's a you know, like for example of the preacher pastor Anderson, you know, the church has grown
We got a satellite church, you know trying to do these works trying to accomplish God's task
You know of reaching the preaching the gospel to every creature, you know, he's gonna need help, you know
He's gonna need people to step up and and to fill roles and to and to help in the ministry so that he himself
Does not wear away
But what does that mean to us?
What it means is that they requires some of us to be spiritual and we're gonna accomplish this great goal
You know other people are gonna have to grow spiritually, you know
They're gonna have to you know, man up for lack of a better term
I have to step up to the plate and fulfill that role. I mean Moses will see you in a minute
He had to turn to other people right and that required other people being spiritual and growing in the Lord
So he says there in Exodus chapter 18 verse 21
Moreover thou shalt provide out. This is the solution right Jethro. I like me
It wasn't just a guy who complained about that. He had he had a solution, right?
he wasn't he saw a problem that he had a solution and
That's the way we ought to be not just have to see a problem and say oh, there's a problem here
What are you gonna do about it, you know and but actually have a solution. Anyway, that's that's that that's a whole sermon right there
So he says in verse 21 moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear
God men of truth hating covetousness and place such over them to be rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds
Rulers of 50s and rulers of tens and let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter
They shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge
So it shall be easier for thyself and they shall bear the burden with thee
That's what you know ministries that get big and as they grow that's what they need people that are going to bear the burden with
the leader and
That requires them to be these type of guys men of truth, you know
No, the Bible understand the truth believe the Bible practice the Bible live the Bible hating covetousness, you know
They're not in it to try and get fame and glory or money or whatever
What have you and those are the people that are gonna be placed over them?
And of course he breaks it down real practically gives them numbers, right?
Then he says like you're gonna rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds and rulers of tens
So there's kind of like a hierarchy there in every if this matter was too hard for the ruler of ten
Then it goes to the ruler of hundreds and if that guy can't figure out then it goes to the thousands and if that guy
Can't figure out you know
And the thought being that you know
Somebody somewhere along the line is going to be able to figure this thing out before Moses has to stop what he's doing and deal
with it
but not to say that there wouldn't be those instances where there are some things that are just you know,
You know, we have an experience we haven't go through
We don't know the answer that we go to the next person and it could go all the way up the chain
But what it shows us is that?
You know, the ministry isn't a one-man show, you know
People kind of get this idea that it's all about just the guy behind the pulpit, but that's not what ministry is
Ministry is not a one-man show, you know, it requires a multitude of people doing the work of God
You know, this is just one small part of what we do as a ministry, you know
We're not just all about the preaching on the preaching is important. It's got to take place
We got to admonish one another you got to build each other up
You got to you know, help each other grow but you know, there's a lot of other things that go on
You know the preaching that goes on door-to-door knocking the doors the song leading the Bible reading all these other things and and other things
That can be added unto it. I mean, there's more that this ministry could do
Than even what we're doing now, you know
There's other things that we could try getting involved in and and and all to the same goal
Of course all to the same end of trying to preach the gospel
You know, I've got things in mind that I even want to do, you know, like starting a truck stop ministry
I keep telling myself I got to get on that, you know, we've talked about the nursing home ministries and getting started
But you know that requires able men that requires other people. That's not something that just one man does
so
It shows us that it's not a one-man show and you know it and and it shows us that there's kind of there should be
A pattern of how things are kind of dealt with that, you know
It's not we should not every issue has to be brought to Pastor Anderson, you know
There's a lot of things that you know
We as a body here
That maybe could bring to a brother in Christ a sister in Christ and and and get advice and help right there
From a more experienced Christian, you know someone who's gone through some things and you know, you can get advice right there
You know that that would we could probably find an answer to some of our problems in that regard
You know if there's something else that you know, you'd have to bring to myself maybe you know as the deacon and say hey
What do you think about this? Can I get your advice here? That's that's part of what I'm here for
You know, maybe if there came something up that was so difficult and so hard to to understand then we'd say hey
Well, let's talk to Pastor Anderson about it, you know and get his mind on it
But you know, we should be able to solve things in-house
we should be able to solve things in our own lives if
Possible and not just be the type of people that just every little thing
We got to have we have to know what the pastor thinks about this and what the pastor thinks about that or what the man
Of God thinks about this. I mean we have the same Holy Spirit
we had the same book that that any man of God has and there's a lot of things that if we would just be
Spiritual and get into it for ourselves and be faithful and reading it and understanding it and knowing it
That we could probably resolve on our own or resolve, you know with a brother in Christ or sister in Christ, you know
And the Bible kind of even says that if a church can't do that, it's kind of a shame
Because it kind of shows the church to not be very spiritual
if a church can't handle its own problems that kind of deal with things amongst themselves and I'm not saying you know if you
Ever have to come to some somebody for help, you know, of course, that's not a shame, but
It could turn into where it's just like every little thing, you know
It has to be pastor Anderson has to handle this and some people have that kind of mentality
You know and if you listen to last night sermon that he preached, you know
He kind of talked about this and
it was kind of great because it kind of tied in with what I was gonna be preaching about and it kind of gave me
some ideas but
You know, some people have that mentality where it has to be pastor Anderson that's gonna handle this and they call the church all the time
You know what? Here's the thing. I call these people back. They seem sincere. They leave a voicemail
Hey, I've got a question about the Bible and you know
I'd really appreciate if pastor and I'll call him back and say hey pastors not available, you know, I'm the deacon here
Can I help you? Oh, I was really hoping he would he would call
like well
Well, I mean if I gave you the same answer, he's going to then what does it matter?
You know what? It really is a lot of them
They just they just got to talk to pastor Anderson. They're just they'll build they're trying to bait us
You know, like they just want to get on the phone. They're like, I've got this deep spiritual question this real complex problem
they want to get him on the phone and start talking about I
Don't know what some weird thing. There's so much weird stuff out there now that could that happens though
They do that all the time
You know and it's I have to watch myself because I don't want to get you know
Jaded it and be like well every guy that calls the question is just some bozo
And just start hitting delete delete delete delete delete delete, you know, I have to stop myself and say wait, you know
There's probably still gonna be some some people here that have a sincere problem. That would appreciate a call for me
You know or anybody in the church, you know
They just need somebody to talk to them and help them through some situation
I've called people back and had great conversations and help them in that way and and and amen for that
So those things kind of come up, but I'm just you know
This kind of warning that we we don't want to be like that as a body as a church
We're just you know pastor my shoelaces untied
What do I do?
You know
Here's what I want you to do. I want you to bend over, you know
I want you take the make the loop have the rabbit go around the tree through the hole
Make some bunny ears or something like that, you know, however, they do it. So
Mm-hmm
And the Bible does say if a church can't judge within itself that it's a shame to them
The Bible says in 1st Corinthians 6 I speak to your shame
Is it so that there's not a wise man among you? No, not one that should be able to judge between his brethren
So, you know, we should be able to judge amongst ourselves and resolve issues without having to bring every little thing to leadership
so
Let me just move on here says there in verse 13 because we got oh, you know big chapter here
And I've considered maybe even had a breaking these chapters up in parts 1 & 2
I don't want to feel like I have to rush through these things, but we'll get through here in verse 13
It says, uh, take you wise men and understanding and known among your tribes and I will make them rulers
Over you so this is again, you know back in Exodus where excuse me Deuteronomy where we're picking back up and he's telling them
You know
This is what I said to you and he and he answered me and said the thing which thou was spoken is good for us
To do so I took the chief of your tribes wise men and known
and made them heads over you captors over thousands captors over hundreds captors over fifties and captors over tens and officers among your
tribes and I charged you and I charged your judges that time saying here the causes between your brethren and
Judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him
So, you know, that's a big theme in the Bible and we'll get into this more later
But that that's as the you know, the one law for the for the the the home-born and the stranger, you know
That's what the Bible teaches and that's another sermon, but he said he shall not respect persons in judgment
But you shall hear the small as well as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of man for the judgment is
God's and the cause that is too hard for you bring unto me and I will hear it
So if it is genuinely too hard for you, then yeah, bring it to him
He's saying and I command you at that time all things which you should do
So again, he kind of just kind of sums up there and I command you at that time all things that you should do
So, you know, he's just kind of giving him a synopsis here or synopsis
Excuse me, and he's you know, the specifics, you know have been covered already, right? And here's the thing about this
I don't want to dive into all what was just said because the fact that these specifics are discussed again later in Deuteronomy
you know verses 1 through 11 are kind of him just reminding and warning Israel of what has taken place and then when you get
Into chapters 12 and onward that's where he kind of picks up the statutes and the judgments the Lord and starts rehearsing them
You know and basically repeating the things that he said to the previous generation
So we'll dive into that when we get to it
But he says in verse 19 and when you departed from Horeb
we went through all that great terrible wilderness which you saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites as the Lord your
God commanded us and
We came to Canish Barnea and I said unto you you're coming to the mountain of the Amorites
Which Lord God doth give unto us behold the Lord thy God
Set the land before thee go up and possess it as the Lord the God of thy fathers hath said unto thee
Fear not neither be discouraged and he came near unto me every one of you and said
We will send men before us and they will go search out the land and bring us word again
By what way we must go up and into what cities
We shall come so it's interesting here because if you would go to Numbers chapter 13, okay
So he's saying look we came up into the land of the Amorites
You know, this is them coming to you know, brink of River Jordan. They're ready to pass over the promised land and he says
And he says them and he came near unto me every one of you and said so he's saying look you guys came to me
and said
They came to him and said we will send men before us, you know, the toys talking about the 12 spies, right?
So here it sounds like what was their idea? They're the ones that came up with this idea of sending in the 12, right?
But what does it say in numbers chapter 4 verse 13? Let's see whose idea this really was
It says in verse 1 and the Lord spake unto Moses saying send thou men that may search the land of Canaan
which I given to the children of Israel of every tribe of their fathers you shall you send a man every one of ruler among
Them and Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Peran all those men were heads of the children of Israel
So again referring to 12 tribes
So in Deuteronomy I'm saying he came to me and said we will send men and then you read numbers
Where the Lord commands Moses to send men, right? So whose idea was it?
I don't know. It sounds to me like it was the Lord's right?
But why does it phrase it that way in Deuteronomy? Why does it say that he came to them?
Well, you know, I don't know that I really have the answer that but I have some thoughts. Okay, so verse 22
You know and in Deuteronomy, it might be just saying that you know, they were in agreement with what the Lord had commanded
You know or it could be that God knew that that's what they were gonna do anyway, and God commanded Moses presenting
You know preemptively
You know, it also might be an example of
the Bible recording what somebody
Said and what actually happened, right? This could be an example of Moses said, oh, yeah
I remember you guys came to me, you know
And that would kind but that would kind of insinuate that Moses isn't recalling the story correctly, but so I really don't go with that
You know, I think it might be that God just understood the people would want this and he approved it ahead of time
Because he already knew it was gonna happen. God knows the beginning from the end
And in spite of knowing the outcome of them not just going out by faith and going to the Promised Land
That they knew they were gonna come and make this
Request to have these spies sent in and he knew what that was gonna lead to
You know, he might even known that Moses would object to it and see the potential danger in it
I don't know. This is all me just
hypothesizing
Yeah, but I think that's probably that's kind of what I go with is that God already knew that they were to come make this
Request so he just kind of ahead of time says look do this
You know and so when the people come it's just kind of you know, they already they were all on the same page
but it could be an example of you know, and I don't think it is but it's just worth bringing up that
Whenever we're reading the Bible we have to make sure you know
Especially we think there's some kind of contradiction
when the first things you need to figure out is whether or not the Bible is telling you something that was said or
Commanded or something that just happened and there's many instances of this in the Bible
You know one that I've heard even recently that I've come up with and even wondered about myself was an Ezra
Where where would they put they divorced their strange wives and put them away?
But the Bible says God would never command that and he didn't command it
Yeah, but the Bible doesn't say that God commanded them to do that. It just says that's what they did
So and there's a lot of things like that in the scripture where the Bible just tells you. Hey, this is what they did
Like, you know polygamy is a great example of that where they would multiply wise to them
God never seen God specifically said that not for them not to multiply wives, you know
It should be one man and one woman, but he gave clauses for when that did happen do this and that
So keep that in mind. I don't think that's what this is going on here. What's going on here with this passage
I think this is just God on a kind of understanding what the people are gonna want anyway, just going ahead and doing it
And the Bible says in verse 23 and the same pleased me
well, and I took 12 many of you one of a tribe and they turned and went up into the mountain and
came to the valley of Eschol and
Searched it out and they found the fruit of the land in there
the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down unto us and
Brought us word again and said it is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us
Now withstanding you would not go up or rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God and he murmured in your tents and said
Because the Lord hated us and hath brought us forth out of land of Egypt to deliver us in the hand of Amorites to destroy
so
This is just one of the most disappointing stories in all of Scripture
I mean they go I mean you just can't even fathom how a group of people could be so
Ignorant and stubborn and and lacks such faith after everything they've gone through, you know
It just blows your mind that they would go they would be delivered out of Egypt the way they were with miracles the plagues
The miracle of plagues and that you know crossing the Red Sea
Just huge miracles seeing the pillar of fire and smoke and thunderings and quakings and the voice of God the trumpets
You know, but even then when all that was going on there the Moses comes back and they're worshiping a calf
And you just you can't understand these people
But that's human nature and you know, it shows us something about that
You know, we're just as human beings. We are at times can be
You know
faithless
Stiff-necked stubborn rebellious even in the presence of God himself
And you know, that's kind of what's going on here. They're going into the land. They're seeing all the fruit
Oh, it's a good land. The Lord does give us
But you know, there are these grass. There's these uh, not grass. There's these Giants there. We're grasshoppers in their sight
We can't go in, you know, they have chariots of iron, you know, it's just not possible
You know you get the twelve tribes ten had the bad report and two had the good
And what happens is that Israel went and it says and they murmured in their tents and to show you something else
you know that just because you know, you're
You're not doing it in public. God still hears it, you know, God hears it when you get in the car
I can't leave the preacher center
Do you I don't appreciate that sir, you know God hears that when you're murmuring we read something in the Bible we put it
I can't leave God whatever
God notices all that, you know people think that just these guys thought well if I get behind some canvas
Or whatever that somehow God can't see through that
but he did and you know and and it's a lack of faith on their part and what did it lead to it lead to a
Serious false accusation to where they're saying God brought us out to kill us. Oh God hates us
He's here. He brought us out just to kill us
I mean if that were the case that would make God just the cruelest person in the world
Like just just think how cruel that would that'd be it'd be like torturing a bug or something
Well, I'm just gonna bring him out and just to kill him just for my own sick amusement
That's what they're saying about him
No, he just brought us out because he hates us and he wants to kill us and you know
It'd be better if we were back in Egypt
And so this lack of faith leads to a false accusation of the worst kind
Says in verse 28 wither shall we go up our brethren have discouraged our hearts saying
The people is greater and taller than we the cities and the great are walled up to heaven and moreover
We have seen the sons of the anacoms there which were the Giants now, you know, it's not an excuse for them
You know, they shouldn't have allowed this to happen. But the fact is the Bible does say their brethren have discouraged their hearts
You know and and that is what happened. That's not an excuse that doesn't excuse them from being a faithless generation
But it does show us something that our attitudes and our actions they have an effect on others
That we can discourage one another we can be an encouragement or a discouragement to one another
So that's all I have to say about that because we can move on but that is something worth noting, isn't it?
I mean, that's what happened here not an excuse, but it is what happened
Then he says in verse 29 then I said unto you dread not neither be afraid of them the Lord your God
Which goeth before you he shall fight for you according all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes
He's trying to remind him remember what he saw in Egypt and in the wilderness with us has seen the Lord thy God
Doth bear thee as a man doth bear his son and all the way that you went until you came into this place
He's saying God's been providing for you and taking care of you. He's done miracles in your half. Don't be afraid and
But we know the result that that wasn't enough for them
And I love the analogy that he uses here to try to express this to them. He says as a man bears his son
and that's just a great way of
Moses expressing that God's attitudes towards them
You know because that's a that's a very close relationship
That's a very loving and caring and nurturing relationship a man towards his child a man towards his son, right?
And but you know it also has more layers to it than that
Just a man protecting and providing over his family and his children his son
You know a father also has a certain role for his his children as well. What does he do?
He instructs them right and that's what God was doing with them instructing them as a man doth his son
He commands them right if we're fathers, you know, we're ruling our house as well. We are we command our children, you know, be quiet
Or whatever it is pick that up put that away, you know behave yourself. Don't look at your mother like that
Don't talk your mother like that and all these things that we command right a lot of things
You know trying to guide them and lead them in the way they ought to go. We punish them, you know
The Bible says, you know spare not the rod that we are to beat and to instruct and part of that is you know
Corporal punishment, you know and applying the the rod of instruction to the seat of learning
Right, and we are to to to punish when they do wrong and to care for them as well
So I just love the analogy uses there
He's trying to encourage them to go in to not be doubt not to doubt to not be faithless and say look God cares for
you like a man cares for his son and
He goes to show us also that being a child of God is a double-edged sword
You know just like a son if you have a good dad, that's a double-edged sword
If you're on dad's good side, you know things go very well if we misbehave we got a line
you know dad's gonna do his duty as well and
That's really what it kind of comes down to the Christian life
If you know as God's child, do you want to be blessed or do we want to be chasin of God?
So just moving along here verse 3 chooses yet in this thing
He did not believe the Lord your God who went in the way before you to search you out of place to put your your
tents in in a fire by night
To show you by what way he should go and a cloud by day now that didn't if you recall a story that wasn't just a
One-time event that happened the entire time. It was a fire by night every night. It was a cloud by day every day
They had this constant witness before them of God's presence and yet still we're on believing
Bible says in verse 34 and the Lord heard the voice of your words and was wroth
You know, God cares about what comes out of our mouth. God cares about our attitude towards him and our situations and he swears saying
And he goes on it's in verse 35
But you know before we get there, you know, I want to focus on that where he says that the Lord heard your voice
You know that should be a warning to us and I kind of talked about it earlier with you know
You heard your murmuring in the tents
the Bible says
Ecclesiastes 5 be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God for God is in heaven
And thou upon the earth therefore let thy words be few
You know
We should be careful about the things that we say and
and how we say them in our attitude really because you know out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and
Really what you know want to get to them?
You know the the core of the matter it's it's the heart it is the heart of the matter
You know the words that we say are just
Projecting of what we feel inwardly so, you know, we should not forget that and we should always remember that God
Like a father knows, you know pays attention not to just the things we do but also even attitudes
Even even you know, even even the words that we say now verse 35, you know, I'll move along here for sake of time
It says surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land
Which I swear on to give your fathers save Caleb the son of Jephunneh
He shall see it and to him will I give the land
That he hath trodden upon and to his children because he hath wholly followed the Lord of your call the story
Joshua was the other one that received the same promise also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes
Saying thou shalt not go in hither. So he's angry at Moses, too
and why was he angry at Moses because remember the second time he told him to not smite the rock but to speak to it and
Moses was wroth and he hit the rock and then he hit it again, right and finally the rock breaking in water came forth, but
But well and that was supposed to be a picture of Christ and that upset God that you know, and so even Moses
You know, he was he was punished to some degree
He was not allowed to go in and also the Lord is angry with me for your sake saying thou shalt not go in thither
Now it's interesting there. I I didn't really come up any thoughts, but I kind of told when I really couldn't get anything but
You know, I wanted to kind of talk to you know
Some other people about this and I didn't have the time but he says that the Lord was angry with me for your sakes
Now to me, it seems like Moses is kind of maybe
Blame-shifting a little bit like he's saying like it's not really my fault, you know
Because of you or maybe he's taking responsibility, but he is saying look, you know, if it wasn't for you guys
I wouldn't have gotten upset and I wouldn't have done what I did
You know and he's saying look the Lord is angry with me for your sake
Because of what you did you made me mad and now I'm in hot water with God, too
And he says thou shalt not go in thither, you know
And that is such a disappointment
Just to read that and as the story goes on and do it around me
We'll see that where Moses even again kind of says hey
Do you think maybe I could go in and God says don't speak to me no more of this matter
You know, this was a real source of disappointment for Moses and you know, I don't want to get ahead of myself
But I mean think about that
I mean being the guy that led the children of Israel and was not faithless, you know
That did not doubt God but having to stay back with those same people who were faithless
What a disappointment that must have been to him and he goes on he says
In verse 40, but Joshua the son of none which standeth before thee he shall go in thither
Encourage him for he shall cause Israel to inherit it
Moreover your little ones which he said shall be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil
They shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it
So that's the generation that we're dealing with now those little children have grown up the 40 years of past
They're now into adulthood, you know, they were not being held accountable for the sins of their parents
They had as it says there. They had no knowledge of good and evil. They didn't know what was going on
You know, they were innocent in this but you know
He's he's just saying they're gonna be the ones that go in to possess it and not you guys
This is the punishment then he answered me
No, he goes on it says in verse 40 but as for you turn you and take your journey in the wilderness by the way
of the Red Sea
So and then and then they answered said unto him we have sinned against the Lord
we will go up and fight according to all the Lord our God hath commanded us and
We get rid on every man has weapons of war you were ready to go up into the mount or into the hill
so, you know, it's just crazy like
They are so doubt that so, you know faithless they were, you know rebellious and stiff-necked
But as soon as God says, okay, fine. You're not going in. Oh, no, no, no, we'll go in, you know
And it just goes to show you, you know, sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone
You know and they didn't realize the opportunity that they had until God says, okay, we'll have your way then
And and now it's gone, you know reminds me of you know
My kids they start arguing over a toy or something like that
So you're gonna get along with that toy over that toy or I'm gonna take it away from you
And now no one's gonna play with the toy and it's amazing how quickly they figure out how to get along and playing with those
toys
Because they realize they have an opportunity before them to enjoy, you know, the the toys, but if they don't that's gone
It's kind of the same thing here, you know, they're they have they're they're taking this for granted
You know, they just let their attitude get out of control and then God has to come down on them. Oh, no
No, we're sorry. It's too late
You know what happens if you you know, you say that now
but what if we get over in the promised land you have that same attitude and
Now God's gonna have to just you know, keep you know, you get the Jericho. Oh, we can't believe it
No, we can't do why'd you bring us out here?
You know the first city, you know
God's got to keep dealing with these people and over and over again because this is who they were
You know, this is just was ingrained in them. So God takes it away from them and then they decide no, we'll go up anyway
And he says in verse 42 and the Lord said to me say unto them go not up neither fight
So God's warning them and it goes to show you again that how rebellious and stiff not there. God says don't do it
Oh, we're gonna do it. Anyway, God says go to the promised land. No, okay, fine. Oh, no, we'll go
No, don't go and then they go. It's just they're rebellious people
He and the Lord sent him he's saying them go not up neither fight for I am NOT among you
Let's you be spitting before your enemies
So a good lesson there, you know
Except Christ, you know without you know, except you abide in me
You can do nothing as Jesus said, you know
We need to have the Lord to fight the Lord's battles or we'll lose every time
And he says so I spake unto you and you would not hear but you rebelled against the command of the Lord our Lord
He got and went presumptuously up into the hill and the Amorites which dwelt in that mountain came out against you
And chased you as bees do and destroyed you in mount and seer even unto Horma. So the same people
That's just a few verses before they're all fearful of now. They're willing to go fight, but the difference is
You know that God isn't with them this time. God would have been with them
but they didn't believe that and
They're the only reason that they're
Acting like they're they're gonna do right now and go and fight is because they don't want to deal with the consequences
They're just trying to avoid the wilderness for 40 years or whatever
They don't want to deal with that, you know, and you know, God doesn't want us to obey out of fear of punishment
You know and that if that's what it takes fine great
Okay
but what is showing us is that God wants us to obey because we love him because we believe him because we have faith because we
Trust him because he's our father
We're his children and he's going to watch over us and care for us and protect us and fight our battles and help us
You know, they're there that's not why they're going to fight the Amorites
It's because they it's not because they love God all of a sudden
It's because they don't want to deal with the consequences of their sin and say no
We don't want to end up in the wilderness
But you know God's saying look you've already shown me what you are. You've already proved to me
What's in your heart and I'm not gonna fight your battles. You're gonna deal with what you know, you're gonna
You got your coming-ups coming and you're gonna deal with it
And he says and the Amorites which dwelt them out came out against you and chased you as bees do and
Destroyed you in Seiram and Hormai and he returned and wept before the Lord your God
But the Lord would not hearken to your voice nor give ear unto you
So you obey abode in Kadesh many days according to the days that you abode there
so it does the story of Israel is not necessarily a very cheerful one and
But the fact is that he has to remind this generation of that so they don't repeat the same problem
They have the same instance because remember they're they're right there the 40 years
It's almost to 41 years the 40th year is coming to an end
God's gonna keep his promise to bring him in the Promised Land
And he's remind him said remember the way your parents were when we got to it
We got up to Jordan we got to the Mount of the Amorites. Remember how they behaved in Kadesh Barnea
You know, we're right there, you know, don't do it again. He's reminding them of this and
Really the the lesson to be learned here is to fear God and not men that was their problem
They feared men more than God
they saw the Amorites they saw the the what the great walled cities and the chariots of iron and
Instead of trusting in God and being afraid of what would happen if they didn't trust God
They feared man more and the Bible says the fear of man bringeth a snare, you know, it will rob you
It will hold you back a snares like a trap
It will keep you in a certain place where you can't move and do the things that you would want to do
That's what the fear of man does and that's exactly we see here here that fear of man brought a snare to them
Didn't it? It kept them trapped in the wilderness. They could not go over they tried to go over
But they were chased out, you know as if they were chased by bees the Bible says
So lesson really that we learn from that the story is to fear God and not men
You know if they just trusted God all it had been
Well, it had been a totally different story if when those 12 spies came back
Regardless of whatever report they had good or bad if they just said well
You know what the Lord is for with us if they just listen to Joshua if they just listen to Caleb if they just recalled
All the things that God already done for them and and been faithful and and trusted in him
I'm not saying that been you know, nervous or apprehensive, but just said you know what?
You know, we look at it humanly speaking the odds are against us
It doesn't make any sense, but God's with us and if God be for us who can be against us
And if they'd had that attitude, who knows this could be a totally different story, but this is what happened and
You know the punishment might seem a little harsh
I mean you guys he says look none of you were gonna go in
You're gonna go out in the wilderness and your carcasses are gonna fall in the wilderness
You're gonna go out and die and it's gonna take 40 years just wandering around till you all die
You know wasn't 40 years and then maybe you'll learn your lesson and go in was 40 years
And so I'm no I'm not even gonna you know
You're gonna have to die before anyone else goes in and move you know
I was thinking about it throughout the week. What an awkward circumstance that must have been for their kids. It's been like
You know, let's take it so long I'm getting real tired as wilderness and it's there it's it's the old man's fault, you know and just like
Walking to your kids bedroom. They just got a calendar. They're marking
What's that? Oh nothing. Yeah
Just counting down to 40 years, you know, or if you were that last guy
You know that was alive in that generation
everyone's just kind of like
You know every time every time he walks out the door there's just banana peels everywhere
And what are they always cutting the brakes in my chariot, you know, I don't know
It's just yeah, that's the thought that came in I was thinking about that but
But it seems harsh right that punishment go out and die in the wilderness
But you know what got you have to consider the fact of everything they saw leading up to that
there really was no excuse and
and the Bible says
You know whosoever much is given of much shall of him shall be required
They saw all the mighty works that God did in Egypt. They saw all those miracles. They were without excuse and
You know, they should have gone in but and they were punished accordingly because of everything they had seen they were brought accountable
And that's what Moses is doing here in Deuteronomy 1 he's making them accountable
He's saying look I'm starting at Horeb and I remind you what was said there
because that's when your parents became accountable to God when they saw all God's mighty works and they heard the laws and the statutes and
The judgments of God and they saw you know
The pillar of fire and everything and they still were faithless and believing Moses is making this generation accountable by reminding of these things
And that's what he's gonna do in the book of Deuteronomy
So stick with us throughout the upcoming months and we'll get through a great book in the Bible. Let's go and pray