Numbers 14:43
For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the LORD, He will not be with you."
For there
This phrase sets a specific location and context for the impending confrontation. The Israelites are on the brink of entering the Promised Land, but their disobedience has led them to a place of danger. The Hebrew word "sham" indicates a definite place, emphasizing the certainty of the consequences of their actions. It serves as a reminder that disobedience to God often leads us to places of peril.

the Amalekites and Canaanites
These two groups represent formidable enemies of Israel. Historically, the Amalekites were a nomadic tribe known for their hostility towards Israel, first attacking them in Exodus 17. The Canaanites were the inhabitants of the land promised to Israel, representing the spiritual and physical opposition to God's people. The mention of these enemies underscores the real and present danger that disobedience brings, as well as the spiritual battles believers face.

will face you
The phrase indicates an inevitable confrontation. The Hebrew root "paga" suggests an encounter or meeting, often with hostile intent. This highlights the certainty of conflict when one steps outside of God's will. It serves as a warning that turning away from God leads to unavoidable challenges and struggles.

and you will fall by the sword
This phrase is a direct consequence of the Israelites' rebellion. The imagery of falling by the sword is a stark reminder of the physical and spiritual death that results from sin. The Hebrew word "naphal" (to fall) conveys a sense of being overpowered or defeated, illustrating the futility of fighting battles without God's presence and support.

Because you have turned away from the LORD
This is the crux of the issue. The Hebrew word "suwr" means to turn aside or depart, indicating a deliberate choice to abandon God's path. This phrase highlights the root cause of the Israelites' predicament: their decision to reject God's guidance and commands. It serves as a timeless warning about the dangers of turning away from God.

He will not be with you
The absence of God's presence is the ultimate consequence of disobedience. The Hebrew word "hayah" (to be) in this context emphasizes the relational aspect of God's presence. Without God, the Israelites are left vulnerable and exposed. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God, as His presence is our ultimate source of strength and protection.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Amalekites
A nomadic tribe known for their hostility towards Israel. They are descendants of Esau and are often seen as a symbol of opposition to God's people.

2. Canaanites
Inhabitants of the land of Canaan, which God promised to the Israelites. They represent the challenges and temptations that the Israelites would face in taking possession of the Promised Land.

3. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were delivered from Egypt and are on their journey to the Promised Land. At this point, they are experiencing a crisis of faith and obedience.

4. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who intercedes for them and communicates God's commands and warnings.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who promises to be with His people if they obey Him, but warns of consequences if they turn away.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Disobedience
Disobedience to God leads to His absence and vulnerability to defeat. The Israelites' decision to act against God's command resulted in their downfall.

The Importance of God's Presence
God's presence is crucial for victory. Without Him, even the strongest efforts are futile. This highlights the need for reliance on God in all endeavors.

Faith and Obedience Go Hand in Hand
True faith is demonstrated through obedience. The Israelites' lack of faith led to disobedience, showing that belief and action are inseparable in the life of a believer.

Learning from Past Mistakes
The account of the Israelites serves as a warning to learn from past mistakes and to trust in God's guidance rather than our own understanding.

The Role of Leadership and Intercession
Moses' role as a leader and intercessor is crucial. Leaders today are called to guide, warn, and intercede for those they lead, pointing them back to God.
Bible Study Questions
1. What can we learn from the Israelites' experience about the importance of obeying God's commands?

2. How does the presence of God in our lives affect our ability to face challenges and opposition?

3. In what ways can we ensure that our faith is demonstrated through obedience in our daily lives?

4. How can we apply the lessons from the Israelites' disobedience to avoid similar pitfalls in our spiritual journey?

5. What role does leadership play in guiding others towards obedience and faithfulness to God, and how can we support our leaders in this task?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 1:42-43
This passage recounts the same event, emphasizing the Israelites' disobedience and the resulting lack of God's presence.

1 Samuel 15:2-3
God commands Saul to destroy the Amalekites, showing the ongoing conflict and the importance of obedience to God's commands.

Hebrews 3:12-19
Warns believers against having an unbelieving heart, using the Israelites' disobedience as an example of what not to do.
The Could not Enter in Because of UnbeliefW. Binnie Numbers 14:1-45
A Confession Contradicted in ActionD. Young Numbers 14:39-45
A Presumptuous Enterprise and its Disastrous TerminationW. Jones.Numbers 14:40-45
Religious Explanation of FailureJ. Parker, D. D.Numbers 14:40-45
Unauthorised EnterprisesGeorge Breay, B. A.Numbers 14:40-45
People
Aaron, Amalekites, Caleb, Canaanites, Egyptians, Israelites, Jephunneh, Joshua, Moses, Nun
Places
Egypt, Hormah, Kadesh-barnea, Red Sea
Topics
Amalekite, Amalekites, Amal'ekites, Canaanite, Canaanites, Death, Face, Fall, Fallen, Forasmuch, Front, Inasmuch, Sword, Swords
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Numbers 14:43

     6628   conversion, God's demand
     8707   apostasy, personal

Numbers 14:39-45

     6734   repentance, importance

Numbers 14:40-45

     4207   land, divine gift
     8801   presumption

Numbers 14:41-43

     5290   defeat

Numbers 14:41-45

     6109   alienation

Library
Moses the Intercessor
'Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.' --NUM. xiv. 19. See how in this story a divine threat is averted and a divine promise is broken, thus revealing a standing law that these in Scripture are conditional. This striking incident of Moses' intercession suggests to us some thoughts as to I. The ground of the divine forgiveness. The appeal is not based on anything in the people.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Weighed, and Found Wanting
'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
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Order and Argument in Prayer
It is further observable that though a good man hastens to God in his trouble, and runs with all the more speed because of the unkindness of his fellow men, yet sometimes the gracious soul is left without the comfortable presence of God. This is the worst of all griefs; the text is one of Job's deep groans, far deeper than any which came from him on account of the loss of his children and his property: "Oh that I knew where I might find HIM!" The worst of all losses is to lose the smile of my God.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 12: 1866

The Spies
THE UNBELIEF OF THE CHILDREN of Israel, prompted them to send spies into Canaan. God had told them that it was a good land, and he had promised to drive out their enemies, they ought therefore to have marched forward with all confidence to possess the promised heritage. Instead of this, they send twelve princes to spy out the land, and "alas, for human nature," ten of these were faithless, and only two true to the Lord. Read over the narrative, and mark the ill effect of the lying message, and the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Afraid of Giants
'And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain; 18. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Personality of Power.
A Personally Conducted Journey. Everyone enjoys the pleasure of travel; but nearly all shrink back from its tiresomeness and drudgery. The transportation companies are constantly scheming to overcome this disagreeable side for both pleasure and business travel. One of the popular ways of pleasure travel of late is by means of personally conducted tours. A party is formed, often by the railroad company, and is accompanied by a special agent to attend to all the business matters of the trip. A variation
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

Exploring Canaan by Faith
EXPLORING CANAAN BY FAITH I can not understand faith. What is faith, anyway? I try to believe; sometimes I feel that my faith is strong, but at other times I feel that my faith is giving way. Can you help me in this matter? Faith seems such a hazy, intangible, elusive thing; now I think I have it, now it seems certain I have it not. I feel at times that my faith is so strong I could believe anything, then again I feel that every bit of faith I had is gone. Can you give me any instructions that will
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

Trinity Sunday the Doctrine of the Trinity.
Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.[1] [Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] 1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other festivals of the year present
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

The Scriptures
Q-II: WHAT RULE HAS GOD GIVEN TO DIRECT US HOW WE MAY GLORIFY AND ENJOY HIM? A: The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. 2 Tim 3:16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' By Scripture is understood the sacred Book of God. It is given by divine inspiration; that is, the Scripture is not the contrivance of man's brain, but is divine in its origin. The image of Diana was had in veneration
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices.
Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What,"
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Earliest Christian Preaching
1. THUS far we have confined ourselves to the words of Jesus. The divine necessity of His death, indicated in the Old Testament and forming the basis of all His teaching regarding it, is the primary truth; the nature of that necessity begins to be revealed as the death is set in relation to the ransoming of many, and to the institution of a new covenant -- that is, a new religion, having as its fundamental blessing the forgiveness of sins. I do not think this view of our Lord's mind as to His own
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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