A Good Idea - Not a God Idea

In Numbers 1 Moses is telling the story of how the people of Israel disobeyed God at the border of Canaan, the promise land. In verse 22-46 he talks about the spies going into the land and how when they returned the discouraged the people and resulted in their refusal to enter.

Did Moses make the wrong decision when he sent the 12 spies to spy out Canaan? I would say that he did. God never told him to send spies through out the land. It was the peoples desire and he gave consent to it. There is always a danger when we do something because the people desire it, and not get a word from the Lord.

Was it a bad idea? In human thinking it was a good idea., even a reasonable idea, but not God's idea. We often come up with good ideas, but not God ideas. How often do we have to check the situation over and try to figure things out for ourselves instead of moving in faith? I definitely like to do this. Yet, the danger lies when we let reason rule over obedience. Often when we look at a situation through our eyes and understanding, we lose perspective and faith. Doubt will bring rebellion because we don't think God knows what he is doing. Our way is the right way. Doubt enters because we take our eyes off Jesus and look at the circumstances around us and our inabilities.

The result of looking to circumstances and not to God, you will lose heart and doubt enters. You forget what great things God has done for you and through you in the past. The result is disobedience. Disobedience causes us to lose the blessings and they are often given to another. Disobedience breaks our good relationship with the Lord.

Can we do good to blot out our error and make up for our sin? No, when one sins he can't make it up like a test or go back in time and change it. What is done is done. You can only seek forgiveness and receive God's grace. You can seek to not ever do it again.