The Complaining Generation

I spent the Thanksgiving week walking through the book of Numbers and as I came to Numbers 14,  one verse stood out and led me to more research.  Here is the verse, 

Numbers 14:21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filledwith the glory of the Lord, 22none of the men who have seen my glory   and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have putme to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice,23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.

This generation in the wilderness would never respond to God's voice or His will.  They just wanted to complain and go back to Egypt.  Here are the 10 times they tested God. 

1. Exodus 14:11-12 -- Accused God of tricking them, leading them into a trap at the Red Sea. 

2. Exodus 15:23-26 -- Complained at Marah for water. 

3. Exodus 16:1-18 -- Complained about meat and bread before Sinai. 

4. Exodus 16:19-22 -- Leaving manna until morning against God's instructions. 

5. Exodus 17:1-7 -- Complained about water at Rephidim. 

6. Exodus 32 -- Made the golden calf at the base of Sinai. 

7. Numbers 11:1-3 -- Complained at Taberah. 

8. Numbers 11:4-35 -- Murmured for flesh to eat. 

9. Numbers 13:1-25 and Deuteronomy 1:20-25 -- Not believing God by asking that spies be sent into the land, and not taking God at His Word. 

10. Numbers 13:26-14:37 and Deuteronomy 1:26-46) -- Rebelled at Kadesh.

Nothing is more dangerous for the Christ-follower than developing a hard heart against the Words and character of God. It was devastating for the wilderness generation and it led to them to  not being able to enter into the promised land.

This is one of those things that will kill our relationship with God.  The ignoring of God's voice leaves our life wide open to charging God with wrong.

Jesus Last Emphasis

It is always said that what a person says in their last moments carry a lot of weight in regard to who they truly are and what they believe.  In John 17, we read the last piece of extensive teaching of Jesus that is recorded.  We know in the days after his resurrection, that he continued to teach, but that teaching is only briefly recorded for us.  What is recorded for us extensively are the last words just hours before his arrest.  John 17 is the last piece of this, it is a prayer, and in this prayer we can uniquely see what he prayed for most, what He wanted most.

Our prayers reveal the deepest things in our hearts. 




Jesus' prayer here in John 17 reveals His deepest things.

I was once again reminded what is the priority of Jesus for us, 2 things: 1.  His Name  2.  His Word.   Let's look at these core things from John 17.


1.  The Words of Jesus

This prayer contains theology, Trinitarian language, a call to love the name of Jesus and the Father, to see that Jesus and the Father are pre-existent, etc.  The words of Jesus are always significant.  So actually, his final words are words, full of grace and truth and we need every one of them.

Jesus wanted the Word to be deeply entrenched in our lives.  That is why in the verses below, the emphasis is on keeping the Word, receiving the Word, knowing the Word as truth, and that sanctification happens in truth.

John 17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

John 17:6  
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

John 17:8  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 17:14  I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:19  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.



2.  The Name of God

Jesus also emphasizes in His last words the priority of the name of God.  Jesus says that he manifested the Father's name to people and would continue to make it known.  He also stresses that we are kept in His name - the safest place in the world.

John 17:6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

John 17:11  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

John 17:12  While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

John 17:26  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

These last words from Christ give us a clear picture of Christ's priority for us.  So, how are you and I doing in regard to these 2 priorities of Jesus.  We can never allow the Words and the name of God slip from us.  It is my prayer today that we build our life on His great name and powerful Words. 

Jesus on the Holy Spirit

The most extensive teaching on the Holy Spirit is from the teaching of Jesus in John 14, 15, & 16.  Here are a summary of His words.

 

Jesus Teaching on the Holy Spirit

John 14

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

·       Holy Spirit comes to us at the asking of the Father

·       Holy Spirit is a Helper (another)

·       Holy Spirit is with us forever

·       Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth

·       Holy Spirit will not be received by the world

o   The world cannot see Him or know Him

·       Holy Spirit is knowable

·       Holy Spirit dwells with us

·       Holy Spirit dwells in us

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

·       Holy Spirit is the Helper

·       Holy Spirit is sent by the Father

·       Holy Spirit is sent to us in Jesus’ name

·       Holy Spirit is the teacher of all things

·       Holy Spirit brings to remembrance the Words of Jesus

Jesus Teaching on the Holy Spirit

John 15

John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

·       Holy Spirit is a Helper

·       Holy Spirit comes to us

·       Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus

o   In John 14, Jesus says the Father will send the Holy Spirit.  Is this a contradiction? No, Jesus and the Father are one.  There is unity in the Godhead. So…it is both.  The next phrase by Jesus affirms what was said in John 14 and John 15.

·       Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus from the Father.

o   This part affirms that who sends the Spirit is not a contradiction.

·       Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.

·       Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father

o   This affirms the unity of the Godhead in the Trinity.

·       Holy Spirit bears witness about Jesus.

o   This is the ministry of Holy Spirit.

Jesus Teaching on the Holy Spirit

John 16

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

·      Holy Spirit came because Jesus went to the Father.

·      Holy Spirit comes to us.

·      Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus.

·      Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning:

o   Righteousness – because Jesus went to the Father and he would be gone

o   Judgment – because the ruler of this world is judged.

o   Sin – because people do not believe

John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

·      Holy Spirit guides into all the truth.

o   Verse 13 must be connected to verse 12.  Because they were going to have a hard time dealing with all that Jesus was saying.  Holy Spirit would later guide them back into what Jesus had said and help them understand them.

·      Holy Spirit speaks not on His own authority.

·      Holy Spirit hears.

·      Holy Spirit speaks what he hears.

·      Holy Spirit declares the things that are to come.

·      Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus.

·      Holy Spirit takes what belongs to Jesus and declares it to us.