MOSES INTERCEDES FOR THE PEOPLE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Moses intercedes for the people
i) 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, Lord, are with these people and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”
20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.” (Numbers 14:11-25 NIV)
1. What is the text all about?
a) The people didn't deserve it, but Moses pleaded for them because he was concerned about God's reputation among unbelievers. Think of the reputation you give God by the way you live. What your friends and neighbors think about God is more important than what they think about you.
b) Moses and Aaron asked God to have mercy on the very people who rebelled against them. They prayed for those with whom they were most angry and frustrated. Do you pray for those who try to hurt you? Or do you seek revenge, asking God to help you to get even? Only men and women who have a deep relationship with God can remain firm under pressure and pray for their attackers. They understand that God who called them to their task will take the responsibility to settle the score with those who rebel. It is not the child's job to discipline a sibling, but the parents'. In the same way, it is not our job to seek revenge against those who wrong us. God will make certain that, in the end, justice is carried out.
c) Moses pleaded with God, asking him to forgive his people. His plea reveals several characteristics of God:
@1. God is immensely patient;
@2. God's love is one promise we can always count on;
@3. God forgives again and again; and
@4. God is merciful, listening to and answering our requests.
d) God has not changed since Moses' day, Like Moses, we can rely on God's love, patience, forgiveness, and mercy.
e) The people of Israel had a clearer view of God than any people before them, for they had both his laws and his physical presence. Their refusal to follow God after witnessing his miraculous deeds and listening to his words made the judgment against them more severe. Increased opportunity brings increased responsibility. As Jesus said, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). How much greater is our responsibility to obey and serve God - we have the whole Bible and we know God's Son, Jesus Christ.
f) God wasn't exaggerating when he said that the Israelites had already failed 10 times to trust and obey him. Here is a list of their 10 failures:
@1. lacking trust at the crossing of the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:11-12);
@2. complaining over bitter water at Marah (see Exodus 15:24);
@3. complaining in the Wilderness of Sin (see Exodus 16:3);
@4. collecting more than the daily quota of manna (see Exodus 16:20);
@5. collecting manna on the Sabbath (see Exodus 16:27-29);
@6. complaining over lack of water at Rephidim (see Exodus 17:2-3);
@7. engaging in idolatry with a golden calf (see Exodus 32:7-10);
@8. complaining at Taberah (see Numbers 11:1-2);
@9. more complaining over the lack of delicious food (see Numbers 11:4);
@10. failing to trust God and enter the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:1-4).
g) The fulfillment of this verse is recorded in Joshua 14:6-15 when Caleb received his inheritance in the Promised Land. Caleb followed God with all his heart and was rewarded for his obedience. Are you wholehearted in your commitment to obey God?
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray for those who sin against us, giving us a lot of challenging situations that require our forgiveness, love and patience for them.
The End ...
0. Introductiona) Moses intercedes for the people
i) 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, Lord, are with these people and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”
20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.” (Numbers 14:11-25 NIV)
1. What is the text all about?
a) The people didn't deserve it, but Moses pleaded for them because he was concerned about God's reputation among unbelievers. Think of the reputation you give God by the way you live. What your friends and neighbors think about God is more important than what they think about you.
b) Moses and Aaron asked God to have mercy on the very people who rebelled against them. They prayed for those with whom they were most angry and frustrated. Do you pray for those who try to hurt you? Or do you seek revenge, asking God to help you to get even? Only men and women who have a deep relationship with God can remain firm under pressure and pray for their attackers. They understand that God who called them to their task will take the responsibility to settle the score with those who rebel. It is not the child's job to discipline a sibling, but the parents'. In the same way, it is not our job to seek revenge against those who wrong us. God will make certain that, in the end, justice is carried out.
c) Moses pleaded with God, asking him to forgive his people. His plea reveals several characteristics of God:
@1. God is immensely patient;
@2. God's love is one promise we can always count on;
@3. God forgives again and again; and
@4. God is merciful, listening to and answering our requests.
d) God has not changed since Moses' day, Like Moses, we can rely on God's love, patience, forgiveness, and mercy.
e) The people of Israel had a clearer view of God than any people before them, for they had both his laws and his physical presence. Their refusal to follow God after witnessing his miraculous deeds and listening to his words made the judgment against them more severe. Increased opportunity brings increased responsibility. As Jesus said, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). How much greater is our responsibility to obey and serve God - we have the whole Bible and we know God's Son, Jesus Christ.
f) God wasn't exaggerating when he said that the Israelites had already failed 10 times to trust and obey him. Here is a list of their 10 failures:
@1. lacking trust at the crossing of the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:11-12);
@2. complaining over bitter water at Marah (see Exodus 15:24);
@3. complaining in the Wilderness of Sin (see Exodus 16:3);
@4. collecting more than the daily quota of manna (see Exodus 16:20);
@5. collecting manna on the Sabbath (see Exodus 16:27-29);
@6. complaining over lack of water at Rephidim (see Exodus 17:2-3);
@7. engaging in idolatry with a golden calf (see Exodus 32:7-10);
@8. complaining at Taberah (see Numbers 11:1-2);
@9. more complaining over the lack of delicious food (see Numbers 11:4);
@10. failing to trust God and enter the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:1-4).
g) The fulfillment of this verse is recorded in Joshua 14:6-15 when Caleb received his inheritance in the Promised Land. Caleb followed God with all his heart and was rewarded for his obedience. Are you wholehearted in your commitment to obey God?
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray for those who sin against us, giving us a lot of challenging situations that require our forgiveness, love and patience for them.
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