Israel's Lack of Faith

Vol 2 - No 13, September 27, 2005

Defeating the enemy by faith - Part 2:

Our last study dealt with the subject change in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews marked by the verse: "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land and: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." - Hebrews 11:2929 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

. In this verse Israel was on the defensive but by faith was saved and the enemy destroyed. In the very next verse they were on the offensive and by faith gained victory over the enemy: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days." - Hebrews 11:3030 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

. It is imperative to note the 40 year history that occurred between these two verses because what happened reveals how the Lord was able to give the Children of Israel such a victory at Jericho.

Moses and a few others had demonstrated their faith in God's Word upon exiting Egypt, however the corporate body of Israel was marked by total lapses of faith. Not long after the exodus and at God's command Moses selected 12 spies to search out the land of Canaan - Numbers 13. They returned back after 40 days, Numbers 13:2525 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

, with a report that it was indeed flowing with milk and honey,& but was inhabited by giants, a strong people with well fortified cities - Numbers 13:26 - 3326 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

. Ten of the 12 spies lacked faith in God's Word and emphasized the size and strength of the inhabitants in the land, reporting that they would not be able to take it. Only two (2), Joshua and Caleb, had faith that Israel could conquer and take the land - Numbers 13:30 & 14:6. The people listened to the ten and were filled with fear, loudly complaining that they wanted to appoint a captain to take them back to Egypt - Numbers 14:1 - 41 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

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!

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?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

. Moses, Aaron and Joshua fell on their faces imploring that the Lord was able to do what He said He would, verses 5 - 9, but to no avail. The people were ready to stone Moses, Aaron and Joshua and so God was ready to destroy the lot of Israel and make a great nation from Moses, verses 10 - 12, but Moses prayed to God to save them, verses 13 - 19.

This was the tenth time Israel had rebelled against God's Word, even after having witnessed first hand the magnificent, supernatural miracles He had performed - Numbers 14:2222 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

. They had seen the terrible plagues inflicted on Egypt, from which they had been immune and by which they had been released from Egypt. The entire nation, estimated to have been 2