Deuteronomy 9:23
And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh-barnea, He said, "Go up and possess the land that I have given you." But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You neither believed Him nor obeyed Him.
And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh-barnea
Kadesh-barnea is a significant location in the wilderness journey of the Israelites. It served as a major encampment site during their 40 years in the desert. This place is often associated with the Israelites' failure to trust God, as it was from here that the spies were sent to scout the Promised Land (Numbers 13:26). The name "Kadesh" means "holy," indicating its importance. The sending out from Kadesh-barnea marks a pivotal moment of decision and faith for the Israelites.

He said, “Go up and possess the land that I have given you.”
This command from God underscores His promise to the Israelites to give them the land of Canaan, a promise first made to Abraham (Genesis 12:7). The directive to "go up" implies an ascent into the hill country of Canaan, which was geographically higher than the surrounding desert. The phrase "I have given you" indicates that the land was already theirs by divine decree, emphasizing God's sovereignty and faithfulness to His covenant.

But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God.
The rebellion here refers to the Israelites' refusal to enter the Promised Land after the negative report from the majority of the spies (Numbers 14:1-4). This act of rebellion is a recurring theme in the wilderness narrative, highlighting the Israelites' lack of trust in God's power and promises. Rebellion against God's command is seen as a serious sin, leading to severe consequences, including the 40 years of wandering in the desert.

You neither believed Him nor obeyed Him.
This phrase highlights two key aspects of the Israelites' failure: unbelief and disobedience. Belief in God is foundational to the covenant relationship, as seen in Abraham's faith being credited as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). The lack of belief here is a direct affront to God's character and promises. Obedience is the expected response to God's commands, and the Israelites' failure to obey is indicative of their spiritual condition. This dual failure is echoed in the New Testament, where faith and obedience are central to the Christian life (James 2:17, John 14:15).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who commands and guides His people.

2. Kadesh-barnea
A significant location in the wilderness where the Israelites camped and from where they were instructed to enter the Promised Land.

3. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were delivered from Egypt and journeyed through the wilderness.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants.

5. Rebellion
The act of disobedience and lack of faith by the Israelites when they refused to enter the land.
Teaching Points
Faith and Obedience
The Israelites' failure at Kadesh-barnea highlights the necessity of trusting God's promises and acting in obedience. Believers today are called to trust in God's Word and follow His commands, even when circumstances seem daunting.

Consequences of Rebellion
The rebellion at Kadesh-barnea serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience. It led to a generation missing out on God's promises. Christians are encouraged to heed God's instructions to avoid spiritual stagnation or loss.

God's Faithfulness
Despite the Israelites' rebellion, God's promise to give them the land remained. This underscores God's faithfulness and patience, encouraging believers to rely on His steadfast nature.

Spiritual Readiness
Just as the Israelites were called to be ready to enter the Promised Land, Christians are called to be spiritually prepared to act on God's calling in their lives. This involves cultivating a heart of readiness and willingness to move forward in faith.

Learning from the Past
The account of Kadesh-barnea is a lesson for believers to learn from past mistakes. Reflecting on biblical history helps Christians avoid similar pitfalls in their spiritual journey.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the rebellion at Kadesh-barnea teach us about the importance of faith in God's promises?

2. How can we apply the lessons of obedience and trust from this passage to our daily walk with God?

3. In what ways does the account of Kadesh-barnea challenge us to examine areas of potential rebellion in our own lives?

4. How does the faithfulness of God, despite the Israelites' disobedience, encourage us in our spiritual journey?

5. What practical steps can we take to ensure we are spiritually ready to act on God's calling, as the Israelites were called to enter the Promised Land?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 13-14
These chapters provide the detailed account of the spies being sent from Kadesh-barnea and the subsequent rebellion of the Israelites when they refused to enter the Promised Land.

Hebrews 3:7-19
This passage warns believers against hardening their hearts as the Israelites did in the wilderness, emphasizing the importance of faith and obedience.

Psalm 95:8-11
This psalm reflects on the rebellion at Meribah and Massah, urging worshipers to listen to God's voice and not harden their hearts.
Humiliating MemoriesR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 9:7-29
The Place of Human MediationD. Davies Deuteronomy 9:18-29
People
Aaron, Anak, Anakites, Isaac, Jacob, Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb, Jordan River, Kadesh-barnea, Kibroth-hattaavah, Massah, Taberah
Topics
Barnea, Believe, Believed, Command, Commandment, Credence, Didn't, Ear, Faith, Hearkened, Kadesh, Kadeshbarnea, Kadesh-barnea, Ka'desh-bar'nea, Likewise, Listen, Listened, Mouth, Obey, Orders, Possess, Possession, Provoke, Rebelled, Saying, Sending, Trust, Voice
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 9:23

     6223   rebellion, of Israel
     8032   trust, lack of
     8224   dependence

Deuteronomy 9:23-24

     8719   distrust

Library
The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6

Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book.
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou--wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written." In the preceding discourse we endeavored to show that the idea of being willing to be damned for the glory of God is not found in the text--that the sentiment is erroneous and absurd--then adduced the constructions which have been put on the text by sundry expositors,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf.
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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