Warm up and pray in pairs:  Have there been times in your Christian life that you felt like you were wandering in the wilderness?   Did you finally get a break through?

Numbers 14:11-16 Questions

1. What did the Lord say he was going to do to the Israelites because they despised him and refused to trust him? 14;11-12    He said he would strike them with a plague and destroy them and raise up a mightier nation through Moses.   Does that response make him a moral monster?   Discuss
2. Moses’ response to the Lord is found in 14:13-16. What is Moses most concerned about?   God’s glory and reputation.
3. See Numbers 11:1-2 and 12:1-6 to see when Moses interceded before the Lord previously.

Numbers 14:17-19 Questions

1. On what basis was Moses interceding before the Lord? His character.   Note specific words in 14:18-19.   Should our intercession be according to God’s character?   Can you think of any examples.
2. What was the sin of the Israelites? Disobedience and refusing to enter the promised land.
3. Even though the Lord would forgive their sin, were there still consequences? See 14:18b.  When the Lord forgives us, are there sometime still consequences for us and those we love?

Numbers 14:20-24

1. Did Moses’s intercession have an impact on the Lord’s decision not to destroy the Israelites? According to 14:20, it did.   From time to time, we hear statements that prayer is not meant to change God’s mind but to change us.   Discuss in light of Numbers 14.
2. According to 14:22-23 who would not enter the promised land?
3. In Numbers 14:26-35, the Lord provided more details about his judgment against Israel. What ages would die in the wilderness?     All those 20 and older.   Would their children enter?   Yes, but they would wander in the wilderness with their parents 40 years.  What was the fate of the 10 scouts who were in the majority but wrong?   God struck them down.
4. What have we learned in Numbers 14 as to why the Israelites’ listening to the 10 scouts instead of Caleb and Joshua was a big deal, a very big deal? Even though the Lord forgave them, those who saw his mighty works (ages 20 and up) would not be allowed to enter the promised land.   They would wander in the desert 40 years.  Even though their children would enter after their parents died, they would also have to wander with their parents 40 years.

Bonus question:   Hebrews 3-4 refers to Numbers 14:11-24.  Read Hebrews 3:16-4:2, 11 to draw comparisons to both passages.