Examination or Consideration?
|
 |
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
Published: Wednesday, 24 February 10 - 09:41 AM (GMT -06:00)
|
|
In Numbers chapter thirteen we find the very familiar story of the twelve spies. The Israelites reached the boarder of the Promised Land. They had God’s instructions. Before entering the land they decided to send twelve men to spy out the land. Now remember that no one doubted that God had said go take the land. No one doubted that this was the particular land He said to take. No one doubted that He meant for them to enter now. So the question I pose is, was it wrong to send the twelve spies? I believe the answer depends on the intent. God often speaks to us, either through His written word or by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We know when He speaks to us. We know what He has said. We know how it applies to our life. Yet, we too send out our twelve spies to look into God’s instructions. Our twelve spies may be in our mind; complex thoughts and scenarios we vividly imagine. I believe that if our intent is to examine the will of God in order to wisely proceed, it is acceptable. If the twelve spies were sent in to examine how they would proceed in obeying God’s will then that would have been acceptable and wise. But, if our intent is to consider whether we will obey God, then that is wrong. The twelve spies were not completely open to God’s plan before they entered the land. They were open to any and all reasons for possible failure and applied their own human reasoning into the equation of obedience. We do the very same thing all the time. There is wisdom in examining the will of God for our life, but not in considering the will of God for our life. God has already considered it.
Have your say on this article:
<-- Back
