Week #31 The Final Joshua Lesson The Purpose of the Wilderness Various Scriptures Presented Live - April 19, 2015

Transcription

1 Week #31 The Final Joshua Lesson The Purpose of the Wilderness Various Scriptures Presented Live - April 19, 2015 I. Introduction and review A. We have studied the book of Joshua and learned its central themes and acute messages B. We have looked back at the men God chose as leaders, including Moses and Joshua C. We have seen and heard Joshua s final words to his people D. Today I want us to look back at two different sets of people 1. Two different generations 2. One was 20 and over 3. The other was under twenty 4. The division of generations occurred while the nation of Israel were encamped in the wilderness of Paran II. God s division of generations [Num ] A. Review 1. The 12 spies had been sent into the Promised Land 2. When they returned, ten (10) rejected entry into the Promised Land and two (2) urged the people to advance under God s direction 3. The people sided with the ten and God s judgment is declared B. Num. 14:17-23, Page 1 of 8

2 1. Those who should have known God were to die in the wilderness 2. The knowledge they should have had, should have resulted in a. Faith b. Love and c. Fear d. But their knowledge did not 3. What did they know? a. What they had seen and witnesses first hand b. Key events in the life of the nation witnessed by this generation: (1) The Plagues of Egypt (a) Nile River turned to blood (b) Frogs (c) Swarms of gnats (d) Cattle becoming diseased (e) Boils or sores (f) Hail (destroyed crops and livestock) (g) Locusts (h) (i) Darkness Death of the first born male offspring (2) The parting of the Red Sea (3) The destruction of the Egyptian army (4) Turning bitter water sweet (5) Providing manna for daily sustenance (6) Causing water to flow from a rock (7) Defeating the Amalekites (8) God s giving of the Law (9) The incident of the golden calf (10) The construction of the Tabernacle (11) The march to the Promised Land (12) The provision of quail Page 2 of 8

3 (13) Leprosy of Miriam (14) The Spies sent into the Promised Land 4. Why did that knowledge not result in faith, love and fear? 5. How could Joshua not have prepared a successor? C. Reasons for failing to do the obvious 1. We want His power, but don t want to live by His principles 2. We want the benefits He offers, but do not want to be under His Lordship D. What was the result of the peoples actions 1. Numbers 14: The older generation will die in the wilderness and never see the promised land 3. The younger generation will have to be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years before they get to enter the promised land E. Now the forty years are past and it is time to enter the Promised Land as God has sworn III. Preparing to enter the Promised Land [Deuteronomy 8:1-3] A. Understanding key words 1. Live a. This word speaks of being saved b. And experiencing the benefits of that salvation c. In the same context of Jesus description of the abundant life 2. Remember rk;z" zakar {zaw-kar'} a. Meaning: to remember, recall, call to mind b. Perfect tense The Perfect expresses a completed action. 1) In reference to time such an action me be one just completed from the standpoint of the present "I have come" to tell you the news or 2) The perfect Page 3 of 8

4 is often used where the present is employed in English. c. Moses wants the people to recall: (1) When the time of division of generations occurred (2) And what has happened in the wilderness 3. Notice the word shall in the text which indicates a mandatory nature of this verb 4. Why is this act of remembering so important to Moses? 5. It is so his people can understand what has been happening in the wilderness the last forty years 6. Reflecting on the past acts of God encourages loyalty and strengthens our trust in God and His provision for us B. Besides punishment or correction there was another purpose for spending forty years in the wilderness 1. God allows us to suffer difficulties and hardships for a purpose 2. To humble you hn'[' `anah {aw-naw'} a. Meaning: 1) (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with 2) to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down 2a) (Qal) 2a1) to be put down, become low 2a2) to be depressed, be downcast 2a3) to be afflicted 2a4) to stoop (Piel) 2c1) to humble, mishandle, afflict 2c2) to humble, be humiliated 2c3) to afflict 2d4) to humble, weaken oneself b. Grammar: Stem - Piel Mood - Infinitive (1) Piel: intense and intentional action 3. Testing you hs;n" nacah {naw-saw'} a. Meaning: 1) to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test 1a) (Piel) 1a1) Page 4 of 8

5 to test, try 1a2) to attempt, assay, try 1a3) to test, try, prove, tempt b. Grammar: Stem - Piel Mood - Infinitive c. One would assay a presumed precious metal for several purposes: (1) to determine if it is precious (2) to determine how much you have (3) to determine the purity of what you have d. What is God assaying in this instance (1) what is in the peoples heart, (2) and whether it will lead to obedience e. But what is the it f. See Ex. 16:4 and Deu. 8:3 g. This it is all about obedience based on trust or faith h. What happens to the family which gathers only enough manna for one day and then the manna fails to fall from the sky during the coming days? i. They had to learn to trust in God s promise of provision and allow that trust to motivate their obedience C. How were they to develop that trust 1. This second generation s parents had failed to enter the land a. This they did in disobedience to their God b. Why? Because they failed to trust Him c. Why? Because they didn t know Him d. If they had really known Him, they would have trusted Him 2. Now this second generation will have to decide whether or not to enter the Promised Land and possess it a. Will they balk at the Jordan River Page 5 of 8

6 b. Will they decide that the fortress of Jericho is just to strong c. Will they determine through analysis and reason that the chariots and horses of the enemy are jsut too musch for them 3. God wants this knowing, it is important to Him a. He wants to be known b. He also wants to know His people c. Deu. 8:2b to know what was in your heart d. Does this mean that God does not know prior to this testing? (1) Is there a difference between inductive or observed knowledge and experiential knowledge? (a) In us, (b) In God e. What kind of knowing are we talking about f. To know [dy yada` {yaw-dah'} Meaning: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skillful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise g. We should understand this word to mean an experiential knowledge or knowing 4. Testing also develops the kind of trust that establishes our faith a. See James 1:3-4, 12 D. But then Moses gets to his main point about faith, Page 6 of 8

7 knowing and trust 1. The provision of manna and the resultant lesson of reliance was a merely a picture of something more important the provision of God s Word 2. His Word is the most important thing we have 3. They trusted God s Word to them and a. Crossed the Jordan, b. Conquered Jericho and c. Defeated the cavalry and chariots of the indigenous people of the land 4. We know that they did and that God s school of wilderness testing was successful IV. Some final thoughts A. We shouldn t view tests with fear or trepidation, but instead for what we will gain from them 1. They are opportunities to know God more intimately B. Living by bread alone Our bodies have a need for sustenance and they can only go so far without food; our spirits (if they are alive) also need to be fed, and God s Word supplies the sustenance which we need. 1. The spiritual nutrients found in the Word of God supply all of our spiritual needs Believer s Bible Class, & Douglas W. Brady Coming in 2 weeks (May 10, 2015) THE FEAR OF GOD Study All Past Lessons available on: and Page 7 of 8

8 The Names of God Part 11 Yahweh Shalom Original Name English Primary Important Meanings Translation Scripture YahwehShalom LORD of Peace Judges 6: Peace on a corporate level. 2. An individual level. 3. Internally, within a man s soul 4. God at times demands peace Page 8 of 8