PILGRIM’S PROGRESS #33 The Sons of Unbelief “I saw in my dream that when Christian reached the borders of the Shadow of Death, two men met him. They were Descendants of the Spies who had brought back an evil report of the Good Land, and they were in a hurry to go back.” “Where are you going?” Christian asked. They answered, “Back, back and we urge you to follow us if you prize either life or peace.” “Why, what’s the matter?” “Matter? We were going along the same way you are going and went as far as we dared, almost past the point of no return. If we had gone just a little further, we would have not made it back here to bring the news to you.” “But what have you met with?” “Why, we were almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but just by chance we looked ahead of us and could see the danger before we came to it.” Christian continues to interrogate them and is advised that the Valley is pitch black. They saw “Hobgoblins, Satyrs, and Dragons of the Pit,” and could hear “continual howling and screaming—it sounded like people in indescribable misery who were bound in affliction and chains…It is absolutely dreadful and in complete chaos.” The story of the unfaithful spies is related in Num. 13. God had wonderfully demonstrated His faithfulness and power in delivering Israel after their 400 years of Egyptian bondage. He said He would lead them to the land He had promised as an inheritance to their patriarchal forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They reached the border of the land eleven days after leaving Mt. Sinai where they had entered into a covenant with God. Twelve men were sent to survey the land and they returned with the report that it was truly as God had said: a good land “flowing with milk and honey.” But only two of them believed that God would lead them to victory. Joshua and Caleb remembered all the miracles and wonders God had already worked on their behalf. They had abundant reason to trust that with God on their side, nothing could defeat them. But ten of the spies insisted that it was impossible for them to take the land, for the inhabitants were giants and their cities were impregnable with walls reaching to the heavens. The people heeded the majority report. Fear led to unbelief and unbelief to rebellion. Because of their faithlessness and disobedience Israel remained in the desert for forty years until the older generation died out except for the two faithful spies. That generation died in the wilderness, but fear, unbelief and rebellion did not die with them. Christian met a couple of the descendants of that family as he approached the dreadful valley. They’re still around. They continue to show up in every generation and many are influenced by these naysayers and yield to their exclamations of fear, woe and doubt. Christian is not swayed by these faithless dissenters. He has already learned that difficulties attend the pilgrimage of the faithful. Hazards and opposition do not signify that one is on the wrong path. We must be careful of the voices to which we listen and not be deterred by words of doubt and fear. Ours is a great God with great promises. He is always able and faithful to deliver on His word. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ so I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end… (Heb. 3:7, 12-15) KG
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 17:25:27 +0000