 1 Corinthians 10:11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

The Wilderness Test The Believers Promised Land

I. A Record of the Wanderings  Numbers 14:26-35 ●The Wilderness – the consequences of sin ●The Wilderness – the preparation for blessing  Numbers 14:26-35 ●The Wilderness – the consequences of sin ●The Wilderness – the preparation for blessing

 Deuteronomy ●Two objectives intertwined ▪Moses’ account of Israel’s wilderness experience ▪Instruction for preparation to possess the promised land  Deuteronomy ●Two objectives intertwined ▪Moses’ account of Israel’s wilderness experience ▪Instruction for preparation to possess the promised land

●Israel at the Jordan River

●Reminded of what they have been through ▪Egypt to Sinai ▪Sinai for 2 years ▪Eleven day journey gone bad – turns to 38 years (1:2; 2:14) ●Reminded of what they have been through ▪Egypt to Sinai ▪Sinai for 2 years ▪Eleven day journey gone bad – turns to 38 years (1:2; 2:14)

 Moses’ account of the 40 years wandering ●Leave Sinai ●Israel’s first attempt at the promised land ▪The exploration ▪The rebellion ▪The judgment – no one 20 or older will enter (2:14) – exceptions of Joshua and Caleb –  Moses’ account of the 40 years wandering ●Leave Sinai ●Israel’s first attempt at the promised land ▪The exploration ▪The rebellion ▪The judgment – no one 20 or older will enter (2:14) – exceptions of Joshua and Caleb –

 Provision in the wilderness ●2:7 – blessed in everything, watched over, lacked nothing  Provision in the wilderness ●2:7 – blessed in everything, watched over, lacked nothing

●Victory over enemies

●Blessing not curses (Balaam – Numbers )

II. Instructions of Preparation  Moses’ last instructions – to those who remain after the judgment of death

 Ten Commandments revisited (chapter 5) ●Be careful to obey ●Stay on the path the Lord commanded you to follow ●Then you will live long prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy  Ten Commandments revisited (chapter 5) ●Be careful to obey ●Stay on the path the Lord commanded you to follow ●Then you will live long prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy

 All out for God (chapter 6) ●Commit wholeheartedly ●Love God – with all your heart, soul, and strength ●Teach your kids  All out for God (chapter 6) ●Commit wholeheartedly ●Love God – with all your heart, soul, and strength ●Teach your kids

 Deuteronomy 9 – know who you are ●About to cross Jordan River ●God will go before you to destroy them ●Don’t say God has done this because we are such good people ●It is because of their wickedness ●You are not good, not a people of integrity, - you are stubborn ●(7:7-8) God loves you and he was keeping his oath to your ancestors  Deuteronomy 9 – know who you are ●About to cross Jordan River ●God will go before you to destroy them ●Don’t say God has done this because we are such good people ●It is because of their wickedness ●You are not good, not a people of integrity, - you are stubborn ●(7:7-8) God loves you and he was keeping his oath to your ancestors

III. The Wilderness Test (Chapter 8)  40 years through the wilderness ●Humble you ▪Hunger – manna ▪Teach you man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord ●Testing you ●Proving character ●Discipline  40 years through the wilderness ●Humble you ▪Hunger – manna ▪Teach you man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord ●Testing you ●Proving character ●Discipline

 God is bringing you into a good land ●When you have experienced the plenty ▪Be sure to praise the Lord ▪Be careful – don’t forget the Lord ▪Do not become proud  Humbled you and tested you ●Never say – I’ve achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy ●The Lord is the one who gives you the power to be successful  God is bringing you into a good land ●When you have experienced the plenty ▪Be sure to praise the Lord ▪Be careful – don’t forget the Lord ▪Do not become proud  Humbled you and tested you ●Never say – I’ve achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy ●The Lord is the one who gives you the power to be successful

 Discipline – Hebrews 12:5-11 ●Discipline motivated by love ▪Correction for wrong doing ▪Disciple – instruct in right doing ●Not enjoyable while happening ●Harvest of right living for those trained in this way  Right living – the way to prosper  Discipline – Hebrews 12:5-11 ●Discipline motivated by love ▪Correction for wrong doing ▪Disciple – instruct in right doing ●Not enjoyable while happening ●Harvest of right living for those trained in this way  Right living – the way to prosper

 1 Timothy 6:6-10, ●True godliness with contentment is great wealth ●The love of money is the root of all evil ●People craving money have wandered from the faith and pierced with many sorrows ●Teach the rich not to be proud or trust in their money ●Use money to do good ●Store up treasures for the future ●Experience true life  1 Timothy 6:6-10, ●True godliness with contentment is great wealth ●The love of money is the root of all evil ●People craving money have wandered from the faith and pierced with many sorrows ●Teach the rich not to be proud or trust in their money ●Use money to do good ●Store up treasures for the future ●Experience true life

 Choose Today - Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ●It’s your choice ▪Life or death ▪Prosperity or disaster ●Love God – walk in his ways – blessing ●Heart turned away, don’t listen, serve other gods – certain destruction ●Choose life – by loving God, committing yourself firmly to him ●This is the key to your life (true life)  Choose Today - Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ●It’s your choice ▪Life or death ▪Prosperity or disaster ●Love God – walk in his ways – blessing ●Heart turned away, don’t listen, serve other gods – certain destruction ●Choose life – by loving God, committing yourself firmly to him ●This is the key to your life (true life)

IV. Post Script

 Moses gathered to his ancestors in death – saw the promised land from Mt. Nebo, but unable to go in

 Deuteronomy 34:10-12 "Since then no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel."

 Psalms 90:1,12 (A Prayer of Moses the man of God.)…"So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.“

Reflection Time  Obedience is not what makes us right with God as we are saved by grace through faith, not of our own works, however, obedience to God puts us in a position to receive the blessings of God. In what area(s) are you being resistant to the Lord’s will?  If you are experiencing a “wilderness” in what is God testing you, or humbling you? What good things are you being prepared for?  Obedience is not what makes us right with God as we are saved by grace through faith, not of our own works, however, obedience to God puts us in a position to receive the blessings of God. In what area(s) are you being resistant to the Lord’s will?  If you are experiencing a “wilderness” in what is God testing you, or humbling you? What good things are you being prepared for?

 Are you resistant to… or yielded to the discipline of the Lord? In what ways is God disciplining you now? Is it discipline for disobedience or disciplined training and instruction? Which do you prefer?