“DO NOT GO!”

 Numbers 14:36-45                                      (ESV)

“36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land-

37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land-DIED BY PLAGUE BEFORE THE LORD.

38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, ONLY Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.

39 When Moses told these words to ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE MOURNED GREATLY.

40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, "Here we are. WE WILL GO up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned."

41 But Moses said, "Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed?

42 “DO NOT GO” up, for the LORD IS NOT AMONG YOU, LEST YOU BE STRUCK DOWN before your enemies.

43 For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you."

44 But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.”

My mom raised me and my two sisters by herself since we were 6, 4 and 2.  There were far too many times where we were told NOT to do something, and invariably did PRECISELY what we were warned NOT to do!  Looking back, the punishment probably wasn’t as fierce as it should have been, for this hard head didn’t learn as quickly as I needed to.  However, as I grew up I did realize that my mom gave up so much to provide for us that I respected her immensely, although I still did some senseless, immature things!  

The Children of Israel did exactly what we children had done growing up, they did precisely what they were told NOT to do.  Moses told them “DO NOT GO” without GOD leading us, but the Children of Israel were stubborn and went anyway.  “They presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp”, and the results were not very pretty!  Israel was defeated the Amalekites and the Canaanites, chasing them like wounded animals!  

It is one thing to disobey our earthly authorities, but to when we elect to shake our finger in the FACE of ALMIGHTY GOD we better be ready for Judgement!  It is bad enough for GOD NOT TO BE AMONG YOU, but when GOD is against you the outcome WILL NOT be good.  Exodus 14:14 says “The LORD will fight for you, AND YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT." If ALMIGHTY GOD wants us to BE SILENT, the best thing for us to do is keep our mouths shut!  

This humble servant is learning to quit trying to help GOD resolve every problem that arises on my journey through this wilderness.  Although I am 6’6” tall and WAS rather strong, GOD doesn’t require me to assist HIM, or do anything, other than stay out of HIS WAY!  If we want to SEE GOD work in ways that ONLY HE can work, we need to learn that “DO NOT GO” doesn’t mean that we will have to go it alone!  It means exactly what HE says, “DO NOT GO”!