Kadesh Barnea
Introduction to Joshua
Numbers 13-14
Kadesh Barnea – a Pivotal Point

Beginning with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)
Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your
country, And from your relatives And from your
father's house, To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless
you, And make your name great; And so you shall be
a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who
curses you I will curse. And in you all the families
of the earth will be blessed."
Kadesh Barnea – a Pivotal Point





Beginning with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)
600+ Years Pass…
Enslaved in Egypt…
God Raises Moses…
Finally Ready to Enter “The Land”
Eratz (the Land)
Vast, Ancient History
 Sumerian Culture
 Vital Crossroads
 Strategic Military Area
 Continues in the
Modern Era…
God’s Claim:
“the Promised Land”
Eratz (the Land)
The Cornerstone of God’s Activity
in Human History
 To “Bless the Nations…”
 The Focus of Biblical Prophecy
 Theater of WWIII
 The Pinion of
Salvation History
Eratz (the Land)
The View Behind Them
Eratz (the Land)
When
theytheir
came
to the
valley
of “We
Eshcol,
they the
cut
This
was
report
to
Moses:
entered
“Send out men to explore the land of Canaan,
down
a branch
with
aexplore,
single cluster
ofindeed
grapesaso
land
you
sent
us
to
and
it
is
the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one
large
that itcountry—a
took two ofland
them
to carry
it on
a and
pole
bountiful
flowing
with
milk
leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.”
between
them!isThey
alsoofbrought
back samples
honey.
Here
the
kind
fruit
it
produces.
Numbers 13:2
ofNumbers
the pomegranates
and figs. Numbers 13:23
13:27
“BUT…”
But the people living there are powerful, and
their towns are large and fortified. We even
saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!
Numbers 13:28
We even saw giants there, the descendants of
Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and
that’s what they thought, too!” Numbers 13:33
The Minority Report
But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood
before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the
land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
Numbers 13:30
Theology vs. Reality
But the other men who had explored the land
with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against
them! They are stronger than we are!”
Numbers 13:31
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
1.
Starts with Unbelief
“We can’t go up against them! They are stronger
than we are!” Numbers 13:31
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
1.
2.
Starts with Unbelief
A Distorted View of God
So
they
badusreport
the
“Why
is spread
the Lordthis
taking
to thisabout
country
land
Israelites:
only among
to have the
us die
in battle?“The
Our land
wiveswe
and
traveled
explored
will
our little through
ones will and
be carried
off as
plunder!
devour
anyone
who for
goes
live there.
Wouldn’t
it be better
us to
to return
to
All
the people
we saw
Egypt?”
Numbers
14:3were huge!”
Numbers 13:32
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
1.
2.
3.
Starts with Unbelief
A Distorted View of God
Distorted View of Self
We even saw giants there, the descendants
of Anak. Next to them we felt like
grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought,
too!” Numbers 13:33
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starts with Unbelief
A Distorted View of God
Distorted View of Self
Loss of Power
We even saw giants there, the descendants
of Anak. Next to them we felt like
grasshoppers, and that’s what they
thought, too!”
Numbers 13:33
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starts with Unbelief
A Distorted View of God
Distorted View of Self
Loss of Power
Distorted View of Leaders
5.
Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest
against Moses and Aaron…Then they plotted
among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and
go back to Egypt!”
Numbers 14:2,4
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
Starts
with
Unbelief
“If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the
wilderness!” they complained.
2. A Distorted View of God
“Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have
3. Distorted View of Self
us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be
carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to
4. Loss of Power
return to Egypt?” Numbers 14:2-3
5. Distorted View of Leaders
6. Distorted View of the Past
1.
From Unbelief to Rebellion
(or, “Studies in the Heart of Rebellion”)
Starts with Unbelief
2. A Distorted View of God
3. Distorted View of Self
4. Loss of Power
But the whole community began to talk about
5.stoning
Distorted
View
of Leaders
Joshua
and Caleb…
Numbers 14:10
6. Distorted View of the Past
7. Chaos & Anarchy
1.
God’s Response to Unbelief

God is an Imposing Figure
But the whole community began to talk about stoning
Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the
Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.
Numbers 14:10
God’s Response to Unbelief


God is an Imposing Figure
He Cannot Work With Rebellion
And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these
people treat me with contempt? Will they never
believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I
have done among them?” Numbers 14:11-12
God’s Response to Unbelief
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

God is an Imposing Figure
He Cannot Work With Rebellion
He Lets Them GO
Theythe
willLord
never
even
seepardon
the land
I swore
to give
Then
said,
“I will
them
as you
havetheir
ancestors.
None
of those
meas
with
“‘You
saidBut
your
betreated
carried
off
ascontempt
requested.
as children
surely
aswho
Iwould
live,have
and
as
surely
the
earth is
will with
everthe
seeLord’s
it. I will
filled
glory,
notthem
one of
these into
people
ever
plunder.
Well,
bring
safely
thewill
land,
But my
servant
Caleb
hasalla seen
different
attitude
than
the others
enter
that
land.
They
have
my
glorious
presence
and
and they will enjoy what you have despised.
have.
He has signs
remained
loyal to both
me, so
I will bring
into the
the
miraculous
I performed
in Egypt
and him
in the
But
ashefor
you, you
will
drop dead
inpossess
this wilderness.
land
explored.
His
descendants
will
theirbyfull share
wilderness, but again and again they have tested me
Numbers
14:31-32
of
that
land.
refusing to listen to my voice….
Numbers 14:20-24
God’s Response to Unbelief
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

God is an Imposing Figure
He Cannot Work With Rebellion
He Lets Them GO
God Only Wants a Progress of Faith
The Momentum of the Heart
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make
sure that your own hearts are not evil and
unbelieving, turning you away from the living
We Can HELP Each Other!
God. Hebrews 3:12
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still
called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13
You CAN Chose Your Way OUT:
Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t
harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” Heb.3:15
Alertness: “Today when you hear…”
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Lack of Gratitude: “even after all the
miraculous signs I have done…”
Drowning in Excuses… “But…but…”
The Art of Reviling “…THEY did it!”
Confusion “…the deceitfulness of sin…”
“Today if you hear his voice, do not harden
your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7
A Better Option
God’s promise of entering his rest still
stands…For this good news—that God has
prepared this rest—has been announced to us
just as it was to them…
Hebrews 4:1-2
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and
For
the
one
who
has
entered
His
rest
has
himself
also
humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR
rested from his works, as God did from His.
SOULS.
Hebrews
4:10is easy and My burden is light.”
“For
My yoke
Matthew 11:28-30