This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the Bible iMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I want to take you on a little trip tonight. We’re going to go back in time. You like to go into Twilight Zone? Now we’re going to end up in Hebrews, but we’re going to start off in numbers. You’ve heard me say many times, and it’s not original, I didn’t come up with it. There’s stories in the Old Testament that teach a lot of doctrinal truths, but they’re illustrations. We now can go back and read those stories and see, ah, that’s what it means.

Because sometimes the New Testament relate to those stories and tell us this is an example and they’re good stories, good examples. And many times they’re warnings for us. You know, we don’t like to be warned. It’s amazing. Some people they hear what God has to say and then does totally rebel against the Lord and do what God says not to do. That’s a shame. But I want you to take your Bible and turn the the numbers, chapter 14. Now there’s certain words here that I will draw your attention to, but later on you’ll see why because it’s something I want to refer to into the New Testament and we’ll go there.

Remember what God did for one person in the nation of Israel, he did for the whole nation. So when he brought him out of Egypt, he brought him all. When He brought him across the Red Sea, he brought him on. When he brought him into the wilderness, he brought him on. When he gave him all manatee, everything he did for one he did for all. The cloud, the pillar of fire, everything, it was for all of them. So there’s no favoritism that was played, it was done for all of them.

When God saved us, he saved us all exactly the same way. He gave all of us, eternal salvation. All of us was born into His family and were His children forever. He gave us all the Holy Spirit. And almost all of us, He gave us a certain amount of time to live. And some people, I guess they’d trust the Lord and go right away, but He gave us time to live. But what do we do at that time? So here in the book of Numbers in chapter 14, the Lord was very, very upset with some of the children of Israel.

They had turned on God, they turned on Moses. They were ready to stone Moses. Now there were some spies that had gone into the land at Katie’s Parnia. Now remember it was only an 11-day journey, but because of their rebellion, it took them 40 years to go that 11-day journey. Now with some Christians they trust Christ as Savior instead of growing and maturing in the Lord. They take forty years to learn what some people learn in eleven days and most of them never get to be used.

They’re saved, they’ll have eternal light, they’ll go to heaven when they die. But to understand that what God has for us is to grow to maturity we can mature in the Lord. Bible refers to it this way. There is a rest for those who mature. It means when you learn how to trust the Lord. Have you grown up to the place where you have learned how to trust the Lord? Or do you worry now more than you ever have in your life?

Or do you say, I’m not worried about that. God will walk me through it. It doesn’t matter what it is. You’ve learned how to trust God. And if you haven’t, you’re still a little ways from the promised land. We’re talking about it in the land of Canaan. We’re talking about some people just never get out of the wilderness. They never grow up. They never mature and reach that level of understanding where they can just totally trust God. And so that is what maturity is about.

It’s not that you don’t fall, that you don’t stumble, it’s that you recover quicker. You still get mad angry a little bit maybe once in a while, but you recover quicker. And some people don’t. They carry grudges all their life, bitterness and hatred. That’s a sign of such childishness. That is such pitiful. Life is so short. And to ruin your whole life by being a bitter individual, filled with hatred and unforgiving spirit, then there’s a lot that you haven’t learned about the Lord yet.

So there’s someeus of God’s children that never get there and they’re still walking around in diapers. They never grow up, never mature. Well this is a little bit about an illustration to that point. So he says there in verse 1, and all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And said, would God that we had died in the land the Egypt or would God be had died in this wilderness?

Well, guess what they did. Those that rebelled against the Lord, God let them die in the wilderness. But there was only a couple of people that really believed them. Now this is those that are over 40 and so forth. So it was a lot of things that happened. And if God’s going to let them die in the wilderness and bring the other ones on the end, you know that God had to be in charge of who died and when they died because they couldn’t go into the last one died.

We often talk about we know the rapture is going to take place. Well, maybe the rapture won’t come until the last person that God wants into the body is complete. I don’t know if that’s true or not. Sounds good. But here he says in verse 6, In Joshua the son of none and Caleb the son of Jeff and then, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes, and they spaken to all the company of the children of Israel, send the land which we pass through to search is an exceeding good land.

If the Lord delighted us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us in verse 9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, but the congregation didn’t hear it. Verse 10, all the congregation bathed stones, them with stones. They haven’t even got there yet. And look how quickly things can change. They were so glad when they, oh God get us out of this land of Egypt and they cried unto God and he heard their cry and he sent Moses and he got them out of there.

Would the God would have died in Egypt? Some people you cannot satisfy them. I don’t care what you do. They’re never happy, never satisfied. So you ought to know that in your Christian life. You can’t please everybody. I used to get where I really bothered me. It doesn’t bother me as much anymore. It hurts me a little bit, but it doesn’t bother me like it, you know, I quit. No. I just, I hurt for the people who carry bitterness and so forth because they’re hurting themselves.

They’re wronging themselves. They’re robbing themselves of some peace and joy and happiness. And you hate for that to be done. So the Lord says, this is what I’m gonna do. So we’re down in verse 11 and And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? How long will it be, heir they believe me? For all the signs which I have shown unto them, don’t they trust me by now? Can’t they believe me by now? I said that I would give them that land.

I will go before them. I will protect them. And all they got to do is trust me. All they got to do is believe me. And they have a believer problem. believer was broke. So he says in verse 12, I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them and will make of thee a greater nation and minier than they. I’ll start all over again Moses. I’ll kill them all. Sound like pretty good plan? But Moses, verse 13, Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it.

For thou brought us up this people, and thy might from among them, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. For they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, and our Lord art seen face to face. And that thy cloud standeth over them and that thou goest before them by day time in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillar by fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of these will speak saiyan, because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land, which he swear unto them, therefore he had slain them in the wilderness.

this Lord your reputation is at stake. You realize what people are going to say. So he says in verse 17, Now I be ceased to let the power of my Lord be great. According as thou hast spoken, now you have the power to totally smite him, kill him all, but it will take greater power in verse 18. The Lord is long suffering and a great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and the fourth generation.

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou have forgiven this people from Egypt, even until now. And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word. For as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” Now, buddy, you talk about the power of prayer. There’s the power of prayer. We don’t know how much will have been accomplished or done if Moses had not intervened.

There was another occasion where he did the same thing again, but he says on in verse 23, the Lord says, This is what I’m going to do. Surely they shall not see the land which I swear unto their fathers. Neither shall any of them that provoke me see it. They will not get in because of their unbelief. Now you can read the rest of this in this very interesting stuff, but I want you to take your Bible now and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians, the Lord uses that story back there here to make us aware of something. And I’ve shown you this before, so it’s not new, but it’s where I want to go. And this is just a stopping over point. First Corinthians in chapter 10, now as time has rolled on, the church age has begun. Paul has won people to Christ and these people were as rebellious as they were back then. So Paul goes back there and gets that Old Testament story and brings it up as a warning.

There’s some people back there because of their hardness, their rebellion, their disbelief, it cost them. And they did did not get into the land which was the land of flows with milk and honey. You see they were still in a physical world. It’s just that they were now in a wilderness and they could have been in a land that was beautiful and great and everything provided and that’s where God wanted them to get. So you may be here but God may want you there.

You may be a child of God but the only thing that makes a child of God into a man of God is the word of God that lies in between. As he told Timothy that from a child out has known the Holy Scriptures and all the Scriptures given by inspiration of God and so forth, that it can produce a man of God. So a child of God and a man of God, the only difference is believe in the word of God.

And if you don’t believe what God’s word says, you’ll never be the man or the woman God intended for you to be. So he says here in Corinthians verse one, moreover brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant. How that all our fathers died going all the way back. See the word all, just like we read while I go in chapter 14 of the book of Numbers. All our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all baptized in the Moses, in verse three, all did eat the same spiritual drink, all did drink the same spiritual drink, and all he says here over and over again, the rock that they followed was Christ, but in verse 5, but with many of them, God was not well pleased, but they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Not because it had to be, but because of their own rebellion, because of their unbelief. Now, I believe once you trust in Christ, the Savior, of course you have eternal life, you go into heaven. That doesn’t mean that all those who came out of Egypt and all those who are in the wilderness, they all trust the Lord, is there Savior and all that and what all they believe? It doesn’t make all that clear. But we’re talking about their physical life, the life that they had to live.

There’s so much that they could have done, what they could have been and how God could have used them as a nation. Okay. We’ll go. Go ahead. Okay. Okay. Good job. Okay. We’ll do a little bit of work. Okay. Okay. Okay. Good job. Good job. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. He says here in verse 6, now these things were our examples to the intent. We should not lust after evil things as they also lust it so that you don’t do what they did.

And some of them fell because of that. And verse 7, need to be idolaters as some of them were and they fell because of that. And verse 8, neither let us commit for an occasion as some of them did. See these people, they were doing a little bit of everything. because of that. You may not fall because of what somebody else did over here, but you might fall because of what somebody did over here. People are easily influenced. Somebody quits well, I quit too.

They serve the Lord of all I will too. And some people are only as strong as the last person they were with, and they’re easily tossed to and fro by everyone to doctrine. But God says He wants you to become steadfast. He wants you to be strong in the Lord. To know what you believe and why you believe it. So that you’re not swept to and all the stuff. He wants you to have sound words, sound doctrines, or you can have a sound mind and not toss to and fro.

So he says and goes through here, he says in verse 9, neither let us tempt Christ as some of them did and were destroyed of serpents. Verse 10, neither murmur ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed. And all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition. So though all the Word of God is not written to us, all the Word of God is written for us. So these Old Testament stories where he says in the 19 Psalm, the testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise, the simple.

There’s stories in God’s Word that illustrate great principles, great truths, that we’re supposed to know and understand, you know, there’s consequences to disobedience. There’s great blessings if I obey God, but no one can make you do it. That’s a personal thing between you and God. No one can make you really trust the Lord.” And so he says here in verse 11, Now all these things happen under them for examples that they are written for our ammunition upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he stand to take he lest he fall, and then he talks about we’re all tempted. There’s no temptation taking you, such as this common demand, but God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted above that which you’re able, but well, every temptation make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. So you don’t have to fall. You don’t have to go astray. You can keep on believing what God says and trusting the Lord.

It’s a choice that you make. You can be as strong as you choose to be. And so these scriptures are given now. Very quick look there in the of Romans in chapter 15. Romans in chapter 15, it makes this statement in verse 4 of chapter 15, for whatsoever things were written a four time. We’re written for our learning, that we through patient and comfort of the scriptures might have hope or cause to believe, cause to trust. We should have a reason, a good foundation.

It’s like having a cloud of witnesses. Have you ever heard that phrase before? Somebody who’s gone before us and we’ve learned some lessons and they don’t have to learn again. So we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can believe what God’s Word says. So this is written for that reason. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews. Hebrews in chapter 3, the Lord tells us that He wants to bring us to maturity and also to realize running your race.

You don’t really know where the end of the race is. You don’t know when and where’s that finish line. Now maturing in the Lord is something that is between you and God and nobody else can mature you. Nobody can make you spiritually strong, not a soul. We can teach you things but nobody can make you apply it and you know that. So he makes a statement here in verse seven and now he’s going to refer back to that story in the Old Testament because here we have some believers who are becoming weak in the faith.

The tendency to go back and to Judaism, back to the temple, back to the worshiping, and he tried to lay it down how much better Christ is. And there’s a better tabernacle than the one that they had that’s one sitting up there in heaven. That’s a real one. There’s a better high priest, there’s a better sacrifice, and there’s greater consequences that can make us perfect what the other can’t do it. And all these things that we know about the temple and tabernacle and sacrifice only.

That’s in throughout the book. But the main purpose is because people are getting weak in the faith. They’re not trusting what God says. And instead of growing them, it becomes stronger. They have a tendency to want to get away from the truth, the foundation of the Lord, and chase after things that are not right, that are not true. So he says here in verse seven, wherefore, as the Holy Spirit said, today, if you will hear his voice, God’s word.

harden not your hearts as in the day of provocation. That means in the time when they were in the land of the wilderness, the children of Israel, and they provoked God during that period of time, that time when we’re reading just a moment ago in the book of Numbers in chapter 14. So we know the story, and because of their rebellion to God, there’s people who never got to go into the promised land because of their unbelief. There’s children of God that will never get into that state of maturity where they grow up in the Lord when you begin to question and doubt the word of God.

Because he, growing in the Lord, has to be based upon believing what he says, trusting him, learning how to walk with God. So he does want us to finish our race, the course that he has set before us. And that’s found in the book of Hebrews in chapter 12. But get what he says here in verse 8. Harden not your heart. Now he’s not talking to lost people. This is a book to those who believe on Christ. And that’s why he says, don’t neglect this great salvation.

Don’t set it aside. It’s more wonderful than anything you’ve ever known. There’s nothing better than this. So he says, harden not your heart as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, they tried him. God was able to provide fire, a cloud, manner from heaven, and gave them everything they need. They had no reason to question and doubt God, because what God did He did for all of them and they saw that.

They saw it. And in spite of that, He makes a statement there in verse 10, have not known my ways. They don’t know how God works. The only way you’re going to be strong in the Lord is learning how God works. What He approves, what He doesn’t. Why He chases, why blesses so that it’ll help you and I to make wise decisions for our life. So he says there in verse 10, wherefore I was grieved with that generation. Is there any verse that says grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you’re sealed until the day of redemption?

Isn’t that a verse in the Bible somewhere? And is it possible for a child of God to grieve God today just like they grieved God back then. So instead of us having to learn what the consequences might be, why don’t we just learn, you can’t win. If you can’t win, why do it? Did you realize you’ll come out so much better just trusting God? Just believing God. And don’t try to do anything, get anything in a wicked way. Don’t try these get rich quick schemes where you have to do anything to sasana.

If it’s sasana, it’s not right. You don’t do it. No. You have no idea. Since I have been here, Colorado was ferocious because we had a huge school and, you know, ranch was growing and the church was huge. And all these things and people come up to the junky, do you realize that if you got in the best line now or if you got into Amway or Shackley, just think of all the people you could get to sign up underneath you.

You could become a rich man quick. Temptations. You know, I didn’t have to think about it twice. No. I decided years ago I’m going to serve God in whatever God wants to give me. Let him do that. But I’m not into that. I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to look at every person as there’s a dollar bill and play up to people because I want to sign them up for me so I can make money off of them.

I had to turn that stuff down a long time ago. I’m talking about 30, 35, 40 years ago. I could have been on the ground floor in a number of things. And I see things that I had the opportunity back then. And now there’s a lot of people making good money on it. And I could have got it on the ground floor way back then. But money is not my goal. That’s not what I was after then. It’s not what I’m after.

There’s something better. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to get sidetracked. I would rather just lay up treasure in heaven when I get to heaven, whatever I have there, that’s what I want. I want whatever I can get because of what I’ve done for the Lord. So yes, there’s things that you have to go through, but look what he says here. In verse 10, wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said they do always and see that we’re air in their heart.

This is where it begins. When you begin to air in your own heart and you harden yourself against the Word of God, against the will of God, will of God. You’re no longer teachable and pliable in his hands. And it says, they have not known my ways. See in verse 9, they saw my work before the years. But still never learn how God works. Did you know you could go to church before the years and still never learn how God works and still not get it?

And you think that just because I go sit, soak and sour, everything works out great. And yet you may have missed the will of God because He didn’t do what he said do. There’s a thing called F-A-I-T-H. Faith, for saking all, I trust Him. And you’re not to set it around and just worry. You know, it’s been interesting how that even as a board, sometimes we see all the bills that comes in, all the things has to be paid payroll.

That’s always interesting. In Colorado, we had to have, and this was 30 years ago, 35, about $35,000 a month, you know, just to pay some of the payroll. we had 42 full-time employees. Bob Brooks was one of them. Mary was one of them. And I mean, we had a lot of people that was working in the ministry and money came in. Money went out. And you’d think, Lord, how are you going to get me out of this? And some people would think, yank you’ll find a way.

Well, a day came when yankie couldn’t find a way. And I couldn’t make it happen. I couldn’t make it work. I trusted the Lord, but the only thing I can think of is God may have another plan in mind, a higher purpose than I could ever see. I had spent years laying block, hanging lights, sheetrock, building a building, and then you have to walk away from it. You can think, God, do you have anything else for me? And And sometimes you can’t make some things happen.

But maturing in the Lord is Lord, I don’t see how. I don’t know what. And it really doesn’t matter. I’m going to just walk with you. If all I have is just you and me, that’s enough. You’ve heard that song called Christ is all I need. You don’t believe that until He takes everything away. And then you’ll know he’s all you need. Because you’d be surprised how some of you’ll squirm when you lose your job, and you lose your health, and you lose all that money, and you lose the security, and you lose that.

Now how do you respond to it? Ha ha ha ha ha. Never break down. Well I don’t know how God is gonna do it, but I’m gonna trust him. Just keep trusting Lord. Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well if you’ve never contacted us before, We want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones.

This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics. And we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy. There’s no obligation. No donation necessary simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of the Gospel-Driven Man. The mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address, and God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us.

The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.