The Lord Is Not Among You Num-14:42 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In this passage, the spies have returned from Canaan and 10 of the 12 of them talked the people out of following the Lord into Canaan. After the people refused to go, the Lord pronounced that all of the men over 20 would die within the next 40 years while the Jews wandered around in the wilderness. Then the 10 rebellious spies died by the plague. When the people heard the Lord’s pronouncement and saw the death of the spies, they were determined to go into Canaan and fight for the land. That’s when Moses said, “Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.”
How many times have you found yourself leading your family or others into something and the Lord is not among you? I believe that more often than not the Lord is not among you in your endeavors. The Lord is not among you when you:
Disobey the clear direction of the Lord – Num 13:2 – the Lord told them that he was giving them the land of Canaan. They were to reconnoiter in Canaan to know how to go in and take the land. When they came out and refused to attack, the were disobeying God’s will.
Walk by sight and not by faith – Num 13:27-29 – the Lord had proved to them over and over with his plagues, with his deliverance from Egypt, with his miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, with his destruction of Pharaoh, and so forth that if he wanted them in the land he was going to get them there regardless how big the inhabitants were. But they didn’t believe him. What they saw diminished their faith in God.
Reject the wise counsel of godly men – Num 13:30-31 – there was a different spirit in Caleb than in the other spies [Num 14:24]. He was a godly man. His counsel was far greater than the majority of the spies that had gone into the land. When the people refused to heed his counsel, they refused to follow the Lord.
Follow the counsel of ungodly men – Num 13:32-33 – the 10 spies brought up an evil report of the land. They were determined to defeat the counsel of Joshua and Caleb. And they succeeded in convincing the people against the Lord, against Joshua and Caleb and against Moses and Aaron.
Move contrary to the spiritual authorities in your life – Num 14:2 – Moses and Aaron were being used by God to provide spiritual direction to the Jews. So, when they decided to turn away from Canaan, they murmured against Moses and Aaron and they would not follow them. You must remember that these were the men who interceded for them every time they got in trouble with God [Num 14:11-21].
Determine to do “God’s will” your own way – Num 14:40-45 – the Jews, after they had seen the consequences of their sin, were determined to go do what God said. But the Lord was not among them and so they were smitten before their enemies. They refused to do God’s will God’s way and so it wouldn’t work. God’s will must be done according to God’s timing and God’s way.
Conclusion: If you disobey the clear direction of God in your life, walk by sight and not by faith, reject the wise counsel of godly men, follow the counsel of ungodly men [Ps 1], move contrary to the spiritual authorities in your life, determine to do God’s will your way, then you will find that the Lord is not among you and you will fail in time.