With Arrogance We Despise, We Insult God

From: May 10 – 16, 2011

TOPIC:”With Arrogance We Despise, We Insult God” Numbers 14:1-9 & Numbers 15:30, 31 There are people who seem to follow God but show disbelief, which brings many bad decisions. All of that happens because they’re living a life far from the God’s thoughts. Beloved, there is something that can make you great or small in God, that is to believe or not in His Word. Israel, the chosen people, were called to believe the Word of God and they didn’t believe, even when they saw with their own eyes that every word God gave them was fulfilled. In Numbers 15:30-31 we read about those who do things with arrogance. A person that moves with arrogance is one who despises, insults God. How arrogant can some people be when they do not respect the Word which God has given them! He gives us His Word to teach us, to guide us and deliver us from evil, so that we will not stumble and fall. And men are capable of despising God with their arrogance because of their disobedience. When we fail to hear God and respond to His words what we give Him is an insult, we offend Him, and we hurt Him. How many do not hear Him though it seems as they did! In the days of the law those who did not hear or obey the words of the Lord were cut off from their people or separated from the congregation, because it is a sin not to hear God. It is iniquity; it is unjust not to hear the Lord when He speaks to us. Caleb and Joshua indeed heard God. Not only they heard Him but they obeyed Him. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes as a sign of humiliation, in that way they stood between the people and God seeking to save Israel from ruin (Numbers 14: 6). That town could not hear Moses or Aaron, the cry of 600,000 men on foot was so strong. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. Vs. 5 There was great sorrow in the lives of these men. How could they make those people react? Who can deal with so much pride? Impossible! For them it seemed easier to go back to Egypt, the land where God had left them mourning the death of the firstborn. They too had stripped the Egyptians of the gold, silver, clothes and jewelry on the day of their departure. (Exodus 12:35, 36). They preferred to return by the Red Sea where Pharaoh's entire army had drowned. What a rebellious mentality! To go back where there was a lack of livestock and food, where the cities of Egypt were destroyed by the hail and the great plagues. Besides, how would they be received? We can see how rebellion blinds men’s judgment. Beware! Israel can be seen as a silly town full of pride that humiliates the name of God. For them it seemed safer to head back to Egypt than to believe that God could lead them victoriously to Canaan. Jehovah had already destroyed the Egyptians to favor the people, He had divided the Red Sea, gave them manna, bread from Heaven. God was leading them and taking care of them with His mighty hand across the desert. But now, they could not trust the power of God to overcome a few giants of that land. Arrogance blinds. They doubted the power of God. To have at some point a low concept of God can ruin a person or an entire nation. Not even Moses and Aaron could silence the shouting in prayer. They were stunned by the behavior of those people who had left behind all the Lord’s favors. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes. They were amazed when they saw the people act as wild beasts against the power of God! The pride of men and their arrogance makes them feel powerful to speak whatever they want to speak. Only that they speak for their own death. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, as a symbol of a broken heart when they saw how the people had despised Jehovah; they were shattered before a nation who did not believe God. They were watching the sin of incredulity of the people. These two righteous men, Joshua and Caleb, feared the wrath of God that would soon explode against Israel. These two gentlemen were faithful believers in God's promises; there was indignation in them knowing that from the beginning it was God who led them step by step all the way.

Oh God! Such incredulity towards Thee! You give each one a birth and a death, You also give us each day with You and You take care of us! There is no reason to doubt! Beloved, when you're constant with God you will see His miracles and His power each day. And you will believe more and more. But if instead you become arrogant, proud, magnificent, you betray the one who has called you. The Israelites had no reason to fear the town of giants in Canaan although they were bigger than them. The Almighty God was with them! Poor people, they walked away from the creative God and His power! There was no sustainable reason to not conquer the land that was promised to them. What leads us to doubt? Sometimes, it is people who have failed and want to see us fail also, like the other spies who were with Joshua and Caleb tried to do. Then, when doubt is planted we put God in shame. And beloved, God will not be left in shame; we will be the ones who will be left in shame, never God. Joshua said: "(Those giants) ...we will swallow them up!" Such was his faith, so he believed. But, the arrogant who doubt see everything in a negative way as if there were giants against them. Those spies spoke of the height and strength of the giants, but what was revealed was their wickedness, and from that point of view they spoke, as if God had forsaken them. They spoke what was inside of them, evilness. Those men revealed that the danger they claimed because of the giants was due only to their discontent and rebellion against God. Arrogance turns men away from the most prudent and logical reasoning. The words of Joshua and Caleb made them burn more and more with anger and hatred. They wanted to kill them; this is how those who rise against God act. But, God was going to manifest to watch over Joshua and Caleb. The Glory of God became manifested for the well-being of Joshua and Caleb and manifested for the misfortune of those who were proud and arrogant. Terror and confusion came over them. Let us be faithful in the faith as Joshua and Caleb were. God will always be attentive to our needs and our favor. There is no reason to fear. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 Amen.