Numbers 14:40-45 And they rose up early in the morning, and got them up into the top of the mountain, saying, See, we be here… The man who forsakes God's commandments forsakes his own happiness. 1. The importance of improving present opportunities. You have a throne of grace to go to; go there to-day, lest by delay your anxiety, though earnest, should be as unavailing as was that of Israel to go to Canaan, and you are compelled to say with the prophet (Jeremiah 8:20). 2. The necessity of God's blessing on all our undertakings. We do not say that man, without God's blessing, never gets what he wants; he often does, but not what is good for him; all things work together for good only to those who have this blessing. And further, those undertakings which, with the Divine blessing, are easy, without it are impossible. 3. The connection which subsists between transgression and sorrow. Sorrow is of two kinds; first, godly sorrow, which worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of — such was that of Peter; and, secondly, the sorrow of unavailing regret, when the day of recovery has passed away. It was this unavailing sorrow that Israel felt when the Lord said, "Thou shalt not enter into My rest." In a spirit of rebellion they resolve, "We will go up"; but they went without the Lord, and they were driven back. 4. The danger that results from an unbelieving heart! 5. We see from this passage the holiness of that God with whom we have to do. While every provision is made for the returning penitent, the impenitent transgressor will certainly be destroyed. God never tolerates sin; no, not even in His own people. 6. Finally, we should learn from this subject our need of special sanctifying grace; for no outward advantages can secure personal holiness. (George Breay, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned. |
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