Numbers Worksheet ~ Numbers, Chapter 14

Review & Intro:  In Chapter 12, 10 of the spies brought back a good report about the land, but a report that made the people afraid of the people and the fortified cities.  Rather than take God at His word and His promises, they chose to believe their fears instead of walking by faith to trust God to take care of them.  Now, in chapter 13, we find them ... miserable, sad, and afraid...and rebelling against spiritual leadership who is encouraging them to walk by faith.  They even want to stone their leaders!  Most of all, they want to return to their old ways and be back in slavery in Egypt.  Amazing isn't it?  Are we the same way sometimes when our fears overtake our faith and we listen to the voice of the enemy rather than trusting the promises of God?

Numbers Chapter 14 - Observation Worksheet

1.  After hearing the bad report from the 10 spies, what did the congregation do? vs. 1

2.  Who did the sons of Israel grumble against? vs. 2

3.  What did the whole congregation say to Moses & Aaron? vs. 2

4.  What did the congregation accuse the Lord of? vs. 3

5.  What did they believe was better than their current situation and what were they determined to do about it? vs. 4

6.  How did Moses and Aaron respond to this? vs. 5

7.  How did Joshua and Caleb (the 2 who had faith among the 12 spies) do when the people said these things to their leaders and toward the Lord? vs. 6

8.  What did Joshua and Caleb say to the congregation to try to encourage them? vs. 7

9.  What would surely happen if the Lord was pleased with them? vs. 8

10.  What kind of land would the Lord give them as promised? vs. 8

11.  They asked them not to rebel against the Lord and not to fear the people of the land.  What did they assure them the Lord would do for them if they would not rebel against Him? vs. 9 - Name 3 reasons why they should not fear -

12.  Instead of listening to them, and obeying the Lord, what did the congregation decide to do to these men of faith? vs. 10

13.  At that moment, what appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel? vs. 10

14.  What did the Lord say to Moses concerning the people's actions toward Him and their lack of faith despite all the signs He had performed in their midst? vs. 11

15.  Because of all the goodness the Lord had shown them, and all that He had promised them, and yet ... they treated Him and His servants in this way ... what was He going to do to them in judgment? vs. 12 - Name 2 things

16.  What did the Lord want to do with Moses? vs. 12

Note:  This could be a temptation that God's children would be named after Moses rather than Abraham, but Moses being the most humble man ever, he only wanted God to be true to His promises and be glorified for His character alone.  Amen.

17.  What did Moses remind the Lord about concerning what He had done in delivering the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt? vs. 13

18.  What did Moses know the Egyptians would tell the inhabitants on the land? vs. 14

19.  Moses reminded the Lord how He had been a personal God to His people; how He dwelt in their midst ... how He was seen in the cloud over His people and in the pillar of fire at night...(vs.14)... He reasonsed with the Lord saying, "If You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say You could not bring the people into the land which You had promised by oath, and so He slaughtered them in the wilderness." (vs.15,16)... Therefore, what did Moses pray to the Lord? vs. 17

20.  Moses quoted the Lord's attributes to Him - that He is slow to anger; abundant in lovingkindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression.  However, who will not escape His judgment? vs. 18

21.  Moses prayed that God would pardon (forgive) the iniquity of the people.  What basis did He ask this on? vs. 19

22.  What did the Lord answer back to Moses' prayer? vs. 20

23.  What did the Lord say the earth would be filled with? vs. 21

24.  How many times had the people who had seen His glory and His signs performed in Egypt and in the wilderness ... put Him (the Lord) to the test by not listening to His voice? vs. 22

25.  Although He forgave them after Moses prayed for them, what would these who had seen His glory and His signs and yet had spurned Him ... "not" get to see of His promise? vs. 23

26.  Who "would" be brought into the land with his descendants and why? vs. 24

Note: The Lord told them that the Amalekites and the Canaanites lived in the valleys, so He wanted them to set out to the wilderness the next day by the way of the Red Sea. (vs.25).  He is giving them direction.

27.  What had the Lord continually heard from the sons of Israel and what did He ask Moses and Aaron? vs. 26,27 -

28.  What would happen to those 20 years old and upward who had seen His glory and works and yet had grumbled against Him? vs. 28,29 -

29.  Who were the only 2 of the older generation that would actually enter into the Promised land? vs. 30

30.  What would happen to those under 20 years of age; their children? vs. 31

31.  Again, what would happen to all of them that had grumbled that were 20 and upward? vs. 32

32.  How long would their sons be shepherds while they wandered in the wilderness suffering for their unfaithfulness to the Lord? vs. 33

33.  Why were they going to be in the wilderness for 40 years and what would it show them? vs. 34

34.  What did the Lord call the congregation who had gathered together against Him and what did He say would surely happen to them in the wilderness? vs. 35

35.  What happened to the 10 men who spied the land and brought back the bad report that made all the congregation grumble against Moses and the Lord? vs. 36,37 -

36.  What happened to the other 2 men, Joshua and Caleb? vs. 38

37.  What did the people do when Moses told them these things? vs. 39

38.  The following morning, they rose early, and went to the ridge of the hill country.  Although they confessed that they had indeed sinned against the Lord, they were going to go up to the place which the Lord had promised. (vs.40)... Moses told them not to transgress the commandment of the Lord when it would not succeed. (vs.41) ... What did Moses say would happen to them if they went up that way and the reason why? vs. 42

39.  Who had the Lord told them were in front of them in the valleys beforehand and what did Moses tell them would happen to them if they went that way? vs. 43

40.  They would not listen to Moses.  They went up heedlessly to the ridge of the hill country.  What 2 things were not with them? vs. 44

41.  What happened to them when they proceeded in their rebellion? vs. 45

 Application:

42.  It seems easy to blame leadership when things go wrong in our lives, whether that be parents, a spouse, an employer, the church, etc.  God works through proper authority channels in our lives, and they are there for protection and guidance, but they are not infallible.  They may make mistakes, but our attitude should not be to place the blame of our own sin of unbelief, anger, etc. upon them.  We are suppose to look to God directly for our help and follow His lead and submit to the authorities as long as they are not going against God's character and ways.  In the case of the situation here, God had told them the land was productive and the people would be defeated.  He asked them to "trust and obey".  What areas are you convicted about today?  Is there an area you have not been submissive to God-given authority in?  Are you blaming someone else for things God needs permission to change in you?  Share if you would like.

43.  I want Caleb's heart.  I want to have that different spirit that looks to God above all else; don't you?  Comment on the following verses:

• Numbers 14:24 -
• Numbers 32:12 -
• Deuteronomy 1:36 -
• Joshua 14:14 -
• Judges 1:20 -
• 2 Chronicles 16:9 -

44.  Summarize this lesson and post a prayer if you would like.