{39} And Mose told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. {40} And they rose up early in the morning, and gather up on top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we are here, and will go up onto the place which the Lord has promised: for we have sinned. {41} And Moses said, Wherefore now do you transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. {42} Don't go up, for the Lord is not among you; so you don't be beaten before your enemies. {43} For the Amelekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you have turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you. {But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. {45} Then the Amelekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and defeated them, even unto Hormah. (Numbers 14:39-45).
It has been said: "Wise men presume nothing, but hope for the best; presumption is hope out of her wits."
In this portion of Scripture we have a solemn example of the fool hardiness of attempting to do work for the Lord without his presence and the help of the Holy Spirit. Sad to say is happening in a lot of our local churches today.
I - Who were they?
1. They were pilgrims from Egypt who had been saved by the power of God.
2. They were followers of the Divine pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.
3. They had, through Moses the servant of God, witnessed again and over again the wonder
working miracles of Him who dwelt therein.
4. They were murmurers who had refused to accept the report of the two faithful spies, Caleb
and Joshua.
5. They were the ones who desired ro make for themselves a captain and return to Egypt. (v.4).
6. Where have you seen this before?
II - What they did.
When they heard the Lord had, because of their unbelief, sentenced them to 40 years of wondering in the wilderness, they said, "Lo, we be here, and we will go up." (v.34).
By doing this out of God's will,
1. They went against the Word of god - (v. 41).
2. They went presuming on the past mercies of God (murmuring will lead to failure).
3. They went without the presence of the Lord, you can't accomplish anything for God without
the Lord and His Holy Spirit.
4. They went thinking that a formal or religious confession would satisfy God. (V.40).
5. Where have you seen this before?
A confession without a submission of the will to the mind of Christ is ardent hypocrisy.
III - What they experienced?
In their self-confident effort they only gained for themselves. (V.45).
1. Disappointment - They did not reach the place which the Lord had promised. They built their
house on the sand.
2. Defeat - The enemy overcame them. Without the armor of God we can't make it!
3. Disgrace - They lost the favor and presence of God.
4. Death - Many died. Presumption is always accompanied by the blow of death. The wages of
sin is death.
5. Where have you seen this before?
IV - What they teach us - I Corinthians 10:11
There is in this passage a solemn warning,
1. To the Christian worker. - Beware of Godless effort hoping to succeed in Christ's work
without the presence of God and His Holy Spirit with you and in you. Except the Lord build
the city they labor in vain who build it.
2. To the self-righteous - make absolutely sure that God is in it with you.
3. To the religious or formalist - Beware of trusting formal prayers and confessions while the
revealed will of god stands opposed to your character and purpose - (Vs. 41-45).
4. To the procrastinators - Beware on depending on a late repentance. If God gave you a
vision
make sure you just don't only talk about it but that you execute it. Talk is cheap when the
Lord is not in it.
5. Where have you seen this before?
Conclusion:
Beware of the sin of presumption. For this sin there was no sacrifice appointed.
{4} "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, {5} And have tasted of the good word of god, and the powers of the world to come, {6} If they shall fall away, to renew again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6).
It has been said: "Wise men presume nothing, but hope for the best; presumption is hope out of her wits."
In this portion of Scripture we have a solemn example of the fool hardiness of attempting to do work for the Lord without his presence and the help of the Holy Spirit. Sad to say is happening in a lot of our local churches today.
I - Who were they?
1. They were pilgrims from Egypt who had been saved by the power of God.
2. They were followers of the Divine pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.
3. They had, through Moses the servant of God, witnessed again and over again the wonder
working miracles of Him who dwelt therein.
4. They were murmurers who had refused to accept the report of the two faithful spies, Caleb
and Joshua.
5. They were the ones who desired ro make for themselves a captain and return to Egypt. (v.4).
6. Where have you seen this before?
II - What they did.
When they heard the Lord had, because of their unbelief, sentenced them to 40 years of wondering in the wilderness, they said, "Lo, we be here, and we will go up." (v.34).
By doing this out of God's will,
1. They went against the Word of god - (v. 41).
2. They went presuming on the past mercies of God (murmuring will lead to failure).
3. They went without the presence of the Lord, you can't accomplish anything for God without
the Lord and His Holy Spirit.
4. They went thinking that a formal or religious confession would satisfy God. (V.40).
5. Where have you seen this before?
A confession without a submission of the will to the mind of Christ is ardent hypocrisy.
III - What they experienced?
In their self-confident effort they only gained for themselves. (V.45).
1. Disappointment - They did not reach the place which the Lord had promised. They built their
house on the sand.
2. Defeat - The enemy overcame them. Without the armor of God we can't make it!
3. Disgrace - They lost the favor and presence of God.
4. Death - Many died. Presumption is always accompanied by the blow of death. The wages of
sin is death.
5. Where have you seen this before?
IV - What they teach us - I Corinthians 10:11
There is in this passage a solemn warning,
1. To the Christian worker. - Beware of Godless effort hoping to succeed in Christ's work
without the presence of God and His Holy Spirit with you and in you. Except the Lord build
the city they labor in vain who build it.
2. To the self-righteous - make absolutely sure that God is in it with you.
3. To the religious or formalist - Beware of trusting formal prayers and confessions while the
revealed will of god stands opposed to your character and purpose - (Vs. 41-45).
4. To the procrastinators - Beware on depending on a late repentance. If God gave you a
vision
make sure you just don't only talk about it but that you execute it. Talk is cheap when the
Lord is not in it.
5. Where have you seen this before?
Conclusion:
Beware of the sin of presumption. For this sin there was no sacrifice appointed.
{4} "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, {5} And have tasted of the good word of god, and the powers of the world to come, {6} If they shall fall away, to renew again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6).
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