Homiletics: Numbers 13-14

Contents (not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture):  Where?                                                                Who?

1	13:1-16	LtoM: scout Canaan, send 1 leader/tribe; M sent Shammua (son of Zaccur) of Reuben, Shaphat (Hori) of Simeon, Caleb (Jephunneh) of Judah, Igad (Joseph) of Issachar, Hoshea (Nun) of Ephraim, Palti (Raphu) of Benjamin, Gaddiel (Sodi) of Zebulun, Gaddi (Susi) of Manasseh, Ammiel (Gemali) of Dan, Sethur (Michael) of Asher, Nahbi (Vophsi) of Naphtali, Geuel (Machi) of Gad; M renamed Hoshea, Joshua.
2	17-20	M told them: go to Negev then hill country, what land like? Ppl strong or weak? Few or many? Land good or bad? Cities encampments or fortifications? Land fertile or unproductive? Trees? Be courageous, bring fruit – season for 1st grapes.
3	21-25	The scouted wilderness of Zin (Rehab) through Negev to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, Talmai (descendants of Anak) living; valley of Eshcol cut single cluster grapes, carried on pole by 2 men; also pomegranates & figs; at 40 days, ret’d.
4	26-29	Brought report, showed fruit, to M: land flowing w/milk & honey, ppl strong, cities lg & fortified, descendants of Anak , Amalekites in Negev, Hittites-Jebusites-Amorites in hill ctry, Canaanites by sea & along Jordan.
5	30-33	Caleb: we must take land, we can certainly conquer; men who had gone w/him: we can’t, ppl stronger; they gave neg rpt: land devours inhabitants, we saw Nephilim, we like grasshoppers.
6	14:1-4	Ppl wept; complained about M&A: if only we died in Egypt or wilderness, why L bringing us into land to die by sword? Let’s appoint leader, go back Egypt.
7	5-9	M&A facedown in front of assembly, Joshua & Caleb (who explored land) tore clothes: land exceedingly good, if L pleased w/us, He lead us into land flowing w/milk & honey & give to us; do not rebel against L, do not be afraid of ppl of land, their protection gone, L w/us.
8	10-19	Assembly talked about stoning them, glory of L appeared at ToM; LtoM: how long ppl treat me w/contempt? Refuse to believe me in spite of signs?  I strike w/plague & destroy them/make you into nation greater/stronger; MtoL: Egyptians will hear & tell inhabitants of land; they heard You are w/ppl, You seen face-to-face, Your cloud stays over them, You go before in pillar of cloud/fire; if You put to death, nations will say L not able to bring ppl into land; Now may L’s strength be displayed: slow to anger, abounding in love, forgiving sin & rebellion, not leave guilty unpunished, punishes children for sin of parents to 3rd & 4th generation; in accordance w/Your great love, forgive ppl.
9	20-25	L: I forgiven as you asked; not one who saw glory & signs in Egy & wilderness but disobeyed will see land I promised; Caleb follows me, I bring him into land, his descendants inherit; since Amalekites & Canaanites in valleys, tomorrow set out along route to Red Sea.
10	26-35	LtoM&A: how long wicked grumble?  I heard complaints; tell them I do the thing you say  -in wilderness your bodies fall 20 y.o. or more who grumbled; not enter land except Caleb & Joshua; your children enjoy land, will be shepherds here 40 yrs, suffering for your unfaithfulness; 1 yr/day you explored land (40 days).
11	36-45	Men sent to explore land responsible for spreading bad rpt died of plague only Joshua & Caleb survived; M reported to Is, they mourned; next morn they set out for high cntry; M: why you disobeying?  Do not go up, L not w/you, Amalekites & Canaanites face you there, you fall by sword; they went, neither M nor ark moved; Amalekites & Canaanites came & attacked & beat them to Hormah.

 

Divisions (run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture):

1		Scouting the promised land and the report of the findings
Principle:		If we are looking for God in our circumstances, we will find Him. If we are looking to find fault in our circumstances, we will find that. If our hearts are pure and focused on God, we can find the blessing in any circumstance.
2		Israel complained, Joshua and Caleb encouraged, the Lord made a promise and the Canaanites and Amalekites attacked.
Principle:		When you stand up for truth and righteousness, it is good to be outnumbered. Forgiveness does not eliminate consequences. When we declare God’s attributes to Him, it is not so much for His benefit as it is for ours. Obedience is a key component of a loving relationship with God. God keeps His promises. God will use even heathen people to accomplish His will.

 

Subject Sentence (10-word sentence with proper structure):

After scouting Canaan Israel is divided and God promises discipline.

 

Aim (Christian and Non-Christian):

TCMAT look for the Lord in their circumstances no matter how bleak they appear and to trust His provision and protection, leading them toward absolute obedience and away from a complaining spirit.

 

Application:

1

Why might the Lord want the people to scout the land? What do you know from Scripture about Caleb’s ancestry? What do you know from Scripture about Hoshea’s ancestry? Why do you think Moses renamed Hoshea, Joshua? What would you conclude after hearing these reports if you hadn’t seen the land for yourself? How would you respond to these reports?

2

What are the people complaining about now? If you were Moses or Aaron, how would you respond to the complaining?  How did they respond? Describe a time when you have been outnumbered in your beliefs about a subject and how you handled it.  What life lessons can you draw from such a situation? What does Joshua’s and Caleb’s trust in the Lord reveal about them?  About the other Israelites? Where in Scripture do you find references to obedience linked with love?  What does this teach you about how to love God?