We Walk By Faith, Not Presumption
INTERESTING FACTS : "The existence of the Bible is a book for the people. It's the greatest benefit the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity." Immanuel Kant[1]
DAILY READING [NUMBERS 14 - 15]
TEXT : Num 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. Num 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! Num 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? Num 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
THEME : UNBELIEF
We see in chapter fourteen, the result unbelief has on the congregation of Israel when they trust the heads of their tribes. That is, we see what a powerful influence authority is - for better or worse. After the ten spies give their evil report of the land - contradicting the Word of God, the people fall in behind them and join in their evil report. The influence of leaders they trusted had a negative impact on their lives. Even more so, since the punishment of wandering for forty years in the wilderness, and not ever seeing the Promised Land applied to everyone. What a great responsibility it is to be in spiritual leadership and to lead the people according to the Word of God and not by our fears, feelings, emotions, and prejudice. The true leader in the Church will uphold the Word of God, and not permit themselves the luxury of indulging their own anxieties that in turn, affects and influences so many others.
Again, we see the reward of faith, as the curse of not seeing the Promised Land does not fall on Joshua or Caleb. Since they had "another spirit" in them, they also had a different fate. They would see the Promised Land, and Joshua would become the leader of Israel after Moses death. We see here, that among God's people, that is, in the midst of the people who congregate in His Name, not all have faith. Like the parable of the wheat and tares told by Jesus, the Church has true believers and false brethren mixed together, and at times it difficult to tell them apart. That is, until stressful, taxing, or demanding times fall on a congregation. Then, it is plain to see where the faith of the individuals lies. God has always tested His people to see what is in them, and in sending out the twelve spies, it was no different.
Still, the power of unbelief that originated with the ten spies, spread like an evil disease among the people. So great was their anger and fear of dying - either in battle or in the wilderness - that they speak of stoning Joshua and Caleb. Presumably, they would have stoned Moses and Aaron as well. The Lord complains that no matter how many miracles they see, they never come to the place of trust in Him. God's anger is great, as he speaks of destroying all of them and making a new nation of Moses.
However, Moses reminds God of His reputation, and how the Egyptians would presume the Lord could not deliver on His Word to establish Israel. Again, we see the power of intercessory prayer and what it can do. Still, the ten spies die in a plague of the Lord, and the people, though spared, are sentenced to wander for forty years in the desert - one year for each day the spies were in the land.
TRUTH FOR TODAY : WE WALK BY FAITH NOT PRESUMPTION
Man is an amazing bundle of contradictions, and Israel displays this in chapter fourteen. Once judgment is pronounced the people are remorseful and decide they will attack the enemy. Moses warns them not to do this. He tells them God is not with them in this confrontation. Still, they will not listen. Therefore, they go after the Amalekites and Canaanites and lose the battle. When asked to fight, they would not. When told not to fight, they do. In both cases we have the same underlying sin - unbelief. Perhaps I should add disobedience. In verse forty four, it says they went up in "presumption." Presumptuous is defined as - "failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate. " [Oxford English Dictionary] Presumption of God's favor and blessing, especially in fighting their enemies, would be a problem in Israel's history until they finally go into captivity and lose their nation.
Jesus taught that we must walk by the Words that proceed from God's mouth. Any other approach to God is presumption, not faith. All presumption is based on contradicting plain statements in the Word of God and disobeying them. It is - "failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate." When God says something in the Bible we must agree with Him. This is true faith. To do otherwise is unbelief, no matter how good or noble it may seem.
Many preachers today are clever with the use of words in their speeches. Specifically, they can take verses out of their immediate context and the context of the Bible as a whole in order to fabricate a meaning or doctrine that suits the hearer. Though the average Christian with the help of God's Spirit can understand the plain meaning of Biblical texts, they are willing to listen and obey a doctrine or system of belief contrary to both the spirit and letter of God's Word. This is rebellion and presumption and must be avoided at all costs. Waling by faith is saying what God says - no more and no less. Adding or subtracting to God's Word is strictly forbidden.
Therefore, let us learn from the lesson we glean from the Bible and become followers of true men and women of faith - such as Joshua and Caleb. Let us also shun the unbelief of those in the Bible who walked by sight, feelings, emotions, and opinions. The men and women of faith and unbelief in the Bible are held before our eyes to decide - which will I be? Let us walk by faith and not presumption.
