Think About Your Thinking – Lesson 4
Detours and Wrong Turns!
By Glennys Elliott
As we think within our hearts, that is who we are.
Paraphrased from Proverbs 23:7
“The Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all you mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29b-31 NASB
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Luke 10:27; 1 Timothy 1:5)
Lesson 4
Read Numbers 13-14
In Lesson 4 we are going to look at how the different spies represented the same event. Much has happened in the history of the Israelites since we left them in their new home in Egypt. After Joseph’s death and the death of the Pharaoh of Joseph’s time, the Israelites became slaves. Even under the hardships of slavery the Israelites greatly increased in numbers, as God had promised Abraham.
Genesis 17: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty[a]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram[b]; your name will be Abraham,[c] for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
As we read through the Old Testament, we see that the characters and stories tell us of God keeping his covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17.
Isn’t it interesting to read about the lives of real people that were just living out their lives? Each story and each character give us a glimpse of God’s working out His plan for mankind.
Not only was God keeping his covenant promise to Abraham, but He was also setting the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ.
How do you think that God might be using you as He sets the stage for the final coming of Jesus?
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The Israelites have now left Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Unlike Joseph, the Israelites could not see that what was happening to them was all part of God’s plan for his people. Their focus was on the here and now, and on their 5 senses. They grumbled about everything.
As we join the Israelites in Numbers 13, they are standing at the border of Canaan. The oral history that they had heard from their youth was about to become a reality. They were standing at a place that would fulfil God’s promise to Abraham. Read Deuteronomy Ch. 1. Because we know the whole story, it should have been an exciting time for them. But what human emotions and fears overpowered their faith and trust in God’s promises? (v 17-20).
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In Numbers the Lord gave instructions to Moses to send in the spies. However, in Deuteronomy 1:22-23, it would appear that it was the people that first suggested that men be sent in ahead of them. It really was the grace of God to have Moses send out the 12 spies. The Israelites wanted to know what they would encounter once they entered the land. God had already promised them that he would give them the land. The oral history, the retelling of the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph, had to have been passed down for generations. Unlike Abraham, they did not reason through the promises of the Lord. Hebrews 11:19a: “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead.” Did they not find reassurance in the God that led them out of slavery in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and gave them their daily food and water?
Were they representing their circumstances by faith or by sight? Were they relying on divine revelation or on what their 5 senses were telling them? What were they thinking?
Think back on the events of your life. What can you say that “by faith” you not only reasoned but responded with actions?
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The report
The 10 spies:
- See whether the land is fertile or poor.
The grapes should have given them an indication of the goodness of the land that the Lord was giving them. It was a land of “milk and honey.”
- See whether the inhabitants are strong or weak/few or many
The people are powerful. The men are giants, some are even descendants of Anak. We seemed like grasshoppers in their eyes and in our eyes as well. (by faith or by sight?)
It would appear that the frightened spies gave an exaggerated bad report.
- What kind of towns do they live in? See whether they are unwalled or fortified?
The city walls are tall and fortified. The land will devour us.
The report of the 10 spies spread throughout the Israelites and their grumbling increased. It was as if God had not been with them at all. There is a mob mentality/collective behavior that escalates into irrational and impulsive thinking and behavior. (See verse 2: “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?”) They thought it would be better to go back to Egypt.
What is happening in today’s world that would indicate an absence of focus and trust in the promises of God? (faith/sight, seen/unseen)
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What is happening that is an indication of mob mentality/collective behavior?
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The 2 spies (Caleb and Joshua)
The rebellion against God’s promises and the leadership of Moses and Aaron grew in intensity. (V.30). Then Caleb silenced the people. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
Caleb and Joshua trusted in God’s power and in his promises. In 14:8-9 it shows that they had confidence in taking the land and defeating the inhabitants. “Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid.” (seen/unseen)
Caleb was a man that followed the Lord wholeheartedly: Numbers 14:30-31 He was totally committed to the Lord and obeyed him fully.
The people would not listen.
The punishment
God was ready to destroy all the rebellious Israelites, but Moses intervened. God spared their lives, but they did not go unpunished.
Only those under 20, plus Joshua and Caleb would enter the Promised Land. They would die in the desert as they had wished for in 14:2.
Caleb and Joshua suffered the circumstances caused by other 10 spies. They would wander in the desert for many more years. Caleb and Joshua had been ready to go into the land. The two of them represented the taking of the land from an unseen perspective. The other spies represented what they saw from a seen perspective. “We fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen.” “We live by faith not by sight.”
The 10 spies were quickly struck down by a plague.
After all of that, the people decided that they would go into the land that God had promised. The plan had been changed, God told them that they would die in the desert and not enter the promised land.
They took it upon themselves to go in anyway, even after Moses told them that they were disobeying God and that they would not have success over the Amalekites and Canaanites. Many Israelites died in battle because they did not obey the Lord.
How often do we know what we should do in obedience to God but do it our own way instead?
Can you think of examples in your life or in the life of someone else?
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Teacher’s Note–
I like to provide a visual, hands on object to emphasize a point. I will call these objects symbols.
With this lesson I provided a handout of a roadmap with scripture references. (See below)
A road map is used to give the route to a desired destination.
As we go through life, we know that heaven is our destination. However, we often take detours and wrong turns that take us off of the desired route to our destination. We must use scripture to give us the only true route to take and how to avoid those unnecessary detours.
The Prize
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:13b-14)
God has appointed us to live in this time in the history of mankind. He chose this place on the earth that He created for us to dwell. In our humanity and in our spirituality, we are no different from the people of the Bible. Do you think that God just stopped interacting with His people because the writing of the Bible is complete?
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). “Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time” (Daniel 11:35). Psalm 15; Psalm 16:8; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Matthew 7:13; Colossians 3:17; Proverbs 16:3
Obstacles: How do These Affect my Thoughts about God’s Interaction?
- Family
- Jobs
- Hobbies
- Recreation
- The past
- Fear
- Worry
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Depression
- Resentment
- Abuse
- Hopelessness
The Prize (Road Map scripture references)
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).
The road map of life is one of blessings and challenges to our faith that will help us to grow spiritually. We can by faith, walk the path that is set before us. We can also walk in disobedience, attempting to set our own path. On that path there will be many obstacles and hazards.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, 2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
“Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time” (Daniel 11:35).
“If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).
“The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life” (Proverbs 16:17).
Psalm 15; Psalm 16:8; Proverbs 4:14-15, 10:9, 16:3; Jeremiah 6:16; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Colossians 3:17
A Psalm of David.
15 O Lord, who may lodge [as a guest] in Your tent?
Who may dwell [continually] on Your holy hill?
2
He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness,
And speaks and holds truth in his heart.
3
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4
In his eyes an evil person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].
He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];
5
He does not put out his money at interest [to a fellow Israelite],
And does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.
Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Proverbs 4:14-15 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not go the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
Proverbs 10:9 He who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely,
But he who takes a crooked way will be discovered and punished.
Proverbs 16:3 [a]Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],
And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].
Jerimiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord,
“Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is; then walk in it,
And you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
1 Peter 1:3-11 To those who have [b]received and possess [by God’s will] a precious faith of the [c]same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through [d]true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has bestowed on us His precious and magnificent promises [of inexpressible value], so that by them you may escape from the immoral freedom that is in the world because of disreputable desire, and become sharers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, [e]develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit]. 8 For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by [f]doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]; 11 for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.
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