When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, Sermons
I. THE EXCLUDED. 1. That whole unbelieving generation, with two excerptions (ver. 35). Note: (1) Their unbelief and disobedience did not frustrate God's purpose of the occupation of the land. Canaan was occupied after all. So heaven will be peopled, the world conquered, and God's work done, though we in our folly and sin rebel and stand aloof (Matthew 3:9). "It remaineth that some must enter in" (Hebrews 4:6). (2) Their unbelief and disobedience effectually excluded themselves. God swore it in his wrath, and the sentence admitted of no reversal. A foreshadowing of the final exclusion from heaven of those who persistently disobey (Matthew 7:21-24; Luke 13:24-29; Hebrews 4:11; Revelation 22:11-16). 2. The holy Moses (ver. 37; cf. on Deuteronomy 3:26; Deuteronomy 4:21; Deuteronomy 34:4). The exclusion of Moses will be more fully considered afterwards, but we learn from it here that God's apparent severity is often greatest to his own people (Amos 3:2), and that the share which others have had in leading us into sin does not abate our own responsibility in the commission of it. This greater apparent severity (1) repels the charge of favoritism; (2) gives a peculiarly impressive demonstration of the evil of sin; (3) reminds us that sin in God's people is more dishonoring to him than it is in others; (4) warns the wicked. For if judgment begin at the righteous, "what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17, 18). II. THE ADMITTED. These were to be: 1. The faithful two - Caleb and Joshua (vers. 36, 38). The former is signalized as having "wholly followed the Lord," and Joshua was a man of like faith and staunchness in a time of general defection. Such persons God will singularly preserve and honor. Their place in heaven will be a high one. "We must, in a course of obedience to God's will and of service to his honor, follow him universally, without dividing; uprightly, without dissembling; cheerfully, without disputing; and constantly, without declining; and this is following the Lord fully" (Matthew Henry, on Numbers 14:24). 2. The younger generation (ver. 39). Instead of the fathers, God would take the children. What a rebuke! - (1) of their groundless bars. "Your little ones, which ye said should be a prey." (2) Of their unmanly cowardice. Their little children, types of all that was humanly feeble, would do the work they were afraid to attempt. (3) Of their inconsiderate Selfishness. They were not ashamed to hand down to these children their own abandoned life-tasks, with all the work and peril, if also with all the reward and honor, attending their accomplishment. Was not this to make themselves objects of contempt to their own offspring? "Let no man take thy crown," least of all thine own child, - J.O.
To show you by what way ye should go. I. AS THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE WAS A BLESSING TO THE JEWS, SO IS THE BIBLE A BLESSING TO ALL AGES.1. Consider the characteristics of the Bible as set forth by those of the pillar. That pillar had its own history.(1) It was Divine in its origin. It was not a common cloud, nor yet an exhalation from the marshy ground. It was evidently, from the history, a supernatural phenomenon. Does not the Word of God give light, and show the path of duty when all is dark around? Is not its glorious guidance given in the perplexities of this wilderness? All the raging storms of this life diminish not its lustre.(2) The Bible, like the pillar, is exactly fitted for the object for which it is designed. "It is a light to my path and a lamp to my feet," said the Psalmist. "Oh, how I love Thy law; it is my meditation all the day." "How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"(3) The pillar had two sides, and so has the Bible. The pillar was the same to all in itself, but it looked light and gave light to the Lord's hosts, and it looked dark and cast a deep shadow as seen by their opponents. Such, too, is the Bible. To the child of God it is all good, all cheering; to the ungodly it is all dark and terrible. It speaks of God's power. The power of God is the hope of the Christian, for it is power to help; but the power of God is the terror of the ungodly, for it is power to punish. 2. Consider the general influence of the Bible on the world as illustrated by the influence of the cloud upon those who went with it. The cloud benefited many who never knew or felt its value. In the camp of Israel there were many who were very thoughtless, as there are many in every age, yet did they enjoy the light and beat and guidance. They owed much of their comfort to that mystic cloud, but never felt or even thought of their obligation. Just so is it in reference to the Bible. Its influence is found in many a home where it is not acknowledged. II. SOME OF THOSE WHO WERE BLESSED BY THE LIGHT AND COMFORTS OF THE MYSTIC CLOUD WERE BARRED AT LAST FROM CANAAN, AS SOME WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY BIBLE TRUTH WILL NEVER FIND THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN. When that man on yon northern hills was surrounded by thick mist — when in that mist he lost his way and was overtaken by the chill, dark night, and lost his footing on the narrow ledge along which the path led him, and fell headlong into the deep abyss and was killed — the sight was very sad. But I can point you to a sadder scene than that. It is to see a man walk over some terrible precipice when the sun of heaven is shining to show his danger, and his eyes are open to it. But the saddest sight of all is to see, lost for ever, men and women who have been instructed in the Bible. Many who know the way to heaven come short of it through unbelief. III. THOSE WHO WERE FAITHFUL TO GOD WERE LED BY THE MYSTIC CLOUD TO CANAAN; SO SHALL ALL BELIEVERS BE LED BY THE WORD OF GOD TO HEAVEN. Out of all the people who left Egyptian bondage only two entered the land of promise, Caleb and Joshua. The benefits of the fiery cloud were lost upon the rest. The cloud led them ever Jordan, and left them safe in possession of the land. Thus it ever is. Those who are faithful to God find His Word their guide and comfort to the end. Its promises turn their darkness into day, and calm all storms of inward fear. (E. Lewis, B. A.) People Amorites, Anakites, Caleb, Canaanites, Eshcol, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Jephunneh, Joshua, Laban, Moses, Nun, Og, Seir, SihonPlaces Arabah, Ashtaroth, Bashan, Dizahab, Edrei, Egypt, Euphrates River, Hazeroth, Heshbon, Horeb, Hormah, Jordan River, Kadesh-barnea, Laban, Lebanon, Moab, Mount Seir, Negeb, Paran, Seir, Suph, Tophel, Valley of EshcolTopics Angered, Angry, Heareth, Hearing, Oath, Saying, Solemnly, Sware, Sweareth, Swore, Voice, WrothOutline 1. Moses' speech in the end of the fortieth year6. briefly rehearsing the history of God's sending them from Horeb 14. of giving them officers 19. of sending the spies to search the land 34. of his anger for their incredulity 41. and disobedience Dictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 1:19-40 5431 oaths, divine Library Foretastes of the Heavenly LifeEarly in the year 1857. NOTE: This edition of this sermon is taken from an earlier published edition of Spurgeon's 1857 message. The sermon that appears in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 45, was edited and abbreviated somewhat. For edition we have restored the fuller text of the earlier published edition, while retaining a few of the editorial refinements of the Met Tab edition. "And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 45: 1899 Preventive against Backsliding. Afraid of Giants Philo of Alexandria, the Rabbis, and the Gospels - the Final Development of Hellenism in Its Relation to Rabbinism and the Gospel According to St. John. A Plain Description of the Essence and Attributes of God, Out of the Holy Scripture, So Far as Every Christian must Competently Know, and Necessarily Believe, that Will be Saves. The Mountainous Country of Judea. Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done. Barren Fig-Tree. Temple Cleansed. In the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles. Moses and his Writings Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology. The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. ) Deuteronomy Links Deuteronomy 1:34 NIVDeuteronomy 1:34 NLT Deuteronomy 1:34 ESV Deuteronomy 1:34 NASB Deuteronomy 1:34 KJV Deuteronomy 1:34 Bible Apps Deuteronomy 1:34 Parallel Deuteronomy 1:34 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 1:34 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 1:34 French Bible Deuteronomy 1:34 German Bible Deuteronomy 1:34 Commentaries Bible Hub |