Words Matter

Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. (Numbers 14:28-32)

The Israelites were doing what normal, flesh-driven, emotional humans do: they talked! However, God heard and held them accountable for every word they said. They were complaining out loud, saying, “why don’t we all just die in the wilderness?!” And basically, God replied, "You asked for it; you got it.” Their words were constantly about negative things, worry, and complaint, so their fate was sealed by the words of their mouths. The wilderness became their final resting place. Doubt and complaints turned their journey into a wilderness graveyard. Does that sound harsh? God had been teaching them and is now teaching us that our words always have consequences. Either negatively or positively, what we say will end up shaping our reality.

On the positive note, two men didn’t die in the wilderness, Caleb and Joshua. Why? They spoke different words. Faith, not doubt, was their language. They would not let a moment of wilderness mess with their promise.

You may not be wandering in a literal wilderness, but you will find yourself in difficult situations and scary scenarios. During those times, your words will navigate you toward the promise or keep you in the problems.

Practical Application

Be mindful of your words. Are you speaking doubt and complaints, or are you declaring faith even in the wild moments of life? Our words always make a difference. Make sure the sum of your words sounds like a song of faith, not a broken record of doubt.

Hebrews 3:17; Numbers 14:23

God’s Past and Present Provision

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. (Jude 1:5)

Jude 1:5 puts us in remembrance of the deliverance of the Israelites from the clutches of Pharaoh. In fact, Jude used the Greek word sozo to say they were saved. Sozo indicates nothing was missing or broken from their lives. See, the Israelites were not only delivered from slavery, but they were also showered with silver and gold, and God ensured that not a single person was feeble among them. Talk about a grand exit from Egypt! However, God’s goodness in one season doesn’t always guarantee we will be in faith in the next if we allow the problems that surround us to dominate our thoughts and our words.

That’s what happened to the people of Israel. When fear echoed in their hearts and mouths, their faith was turned into fear. The same folks who witnessed miracles and walked through parted seas started to doubt, fear, and rebel against the very God who saved them.

Understanding what happened to the children of Israel should be a warning for us. How often do we witness God's hand upon our lives, only to fall into doubt when faced with uncertainty? The Israelites were physically saved but couldn't grasp the fullness of God's promise because doubt clouded their vision. Has doubt hindered you from fully embracing God's promises? Have you been, like the Israelites—saved but unable to move forward because of unbelief? Jude didn’t recount the Israelite’s story to create fear but to awaken faith in the power, provisions, and promises of God. When we stop remembering God’s faithfulness in our previous seasons, we can become full of fear and confusion in our current season.

Practical Application

When you find yourself frustrated and caught up with the problems around you, think about how God has been faithful in the past. Get a notebook and write it down!

Psalm 106:26; Numbers 26:65

Gratitude over Grumbling

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. (Numbers 14:1-4)

What was the most recent trial or difficulty you went through? Were you tempted to grumble and complain about the problem?

Chapter 14 of Numbers begins with the congregation lifting their voices in cries and weeping about their situation in the wilderness. As things got worse, the people stopped complaining about the issue at hand and began to murmur against their leaders, Moses and Aaron. They questioned if their leaders knew what was right and even questioned God's plan. They went so far to say they wanted to return to slavery in Egypt or even to die in the wilderness. Even after they had seen miracles, signs, and wonders, they still lost sight of God’s faithfulness during the difficulty.

This isn’t just the story of the children of Israel; it’s our story too. When problems show up, will you choose gratitude or grumbling? How we respond reflects our faith. Will we choose to grumble and doubt God's plan, or will we choose gratitude, remembering His past faithfulness?

Thanksgiving is a powerful spiritual weapon. It shifts our focus from our problems to God's goodness. It reminds us of His faithfulness in the past and strengthens our trust in His future goodness and provision. Let’s cultivate hearts of gratitude, especially in the face of adversity, knowing that God is with us in every wilderness, guiding us to the promised land of His blessings.

Practical Application

When you are tempted to complain, stop your mouth from speaking with a grumbling heart. Instead, say what you are thankful for.

Numbers 11:1; Deuteronomy 1:45