HYMM: “ When we walk with the Lord…”
CENTRAL THOUGHT
Lusting after evil things hinders Christian growth and attracts severe consequences.
TEXT: NUMBERS 11: 1-9; 1 COR 10:1-14; HEB 3:7-12.
INTRODUCTION:
It is a biblical and historical fact that after several years of slavery (bondage) in Egypt, the Lord God Almighty sent Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. With the crossing of the red sea, the children of Israel became free from the Egyptian bondage and began the journey to the land promised by God to their father- Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The journey to the promised land was a long one and full of many experiences. Some of these experiences form the basis of the Sunday School lessons in the next few weeks. The major aim of these series of lessons is to examine some of these experiences of Israel in the wilderness and draw (or appropriate) lessons from them as we live in this world. In this week’s lesson, we will examine how Israel lusted after evil things while moving through the wilderness to the promised Land. Lust usually implies a strong desire or urge to possess or have something at all cost even if possessing or obtaining that thing involves adopting methods that are contrary to God’s will. The journey from Egypt to the promised Land can be likened to the Christian race. After conversion, the Christian begins a journey to the promised land-Heaven. As a believer, he journeys through the world, his life is also full of experiences. The Bible declares that “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Cor 10:11). It is clear therefore that we have a lot to learn from the experience of Israel in the wilderness as we (Believers) live in this present world.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) WHAT DOES “LUSTING AFTER EVIL THINGS” MEAN? NUM 11:4-9; 1 COR 10:6.
To lust after something means to have a strong desire for that thing. It is also implied an intense desire to possess or enjoy something. Lusting after evil things therefore will mean to have a strong or an intense desire for that which is not of God or an attempt to satisfy human needs outside God’s will and divine arrangement. This will include such things as desire for material or sexual pleasure outside God’s divine plan and purpose. By God’s arrangement, sexual pleasure is legitimate in marriage. Any desire, therefore, for sexual intercourse outside marriage amounts to lusting after evil. Also, it is legitimate to eat food to maintain the body. However, any desire to have or eat food which is not yours and which you have no right to, will also amount to an evil desire or lusting after evil.
QUESTION 2) IN WHAT WAYS DID ISRAEL LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS?
While in Egypt, the Israelites were seriously oppressed by the Egyptians. They were treated as slaves in the land. Exodus 1:13-14 states “And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour”. It was simply by God’s intervention that they were allowed to leave Egypt. Thus, one would have expected that having been let off the hook of Egyptian bondage, Israel would never entertain the thought of returning to Egypt. However, this was not the case. Soon after leaving Egypt, they started complaining, grumbling and murmuring even wishing that they had remained in Egypt.
They began to complain about the manna God gave them and started lusting after food of Egypt. In Numbers 11:5-6 the Israelites declared “we remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. But now our souls is dried away; there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes”. Food is legitimate for man to eat but lusting after it for whatever reason is evil.
Apart from this strong desire for the food of Egypt, Israel also lusted after the women of the nations they came in contact with (Numbers 25:1-9). This led them to commit fornication with the people.
QUESTION 3) IN WHAT WAYS DO CHRISTIANS LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS TODAY?
Some Christians today behave in similar manner to the children of Israel. Though many confess faith in Christ, signifying that they are no longer “of the world”, they however still cherish the things and the company of the world. Some keep making statements like “when I was in the world…”. At times such statements are made not with the mind of testifying of God’s deliverance but rather many simply recall in such statements the parties they used to attend, boyfriends/girlfriends they used to keep etc, and wish they could have a taste of such life again. Some have indeed packed up their faith and returned to former boyfriend/girlfriends. Paul in speaking of Demas had this to say “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…” ( 2 Tim 4:10).
Also, many believers nowadays exhibit uncontrollable desires for the things of the world. Such desires manifest in the way they dress, the food and the drinks they take, the company they keep and the societies they join. All these may be evidences of lusting after evil things. For the believer, every legitimate desire must be satisfied within God’s provisions, divine plans and purposes for His children.
QUESTION 4) WHY DID ISRAEL LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS?
When the children of Israel left Egypt. “ a mixed multitude went up also with them..” (Ex 12:38). These people later had tremendous influence on the children of Israel. They were the first to lust after evil things and soon the children of Israel began to copy their ways (Num 11:4).
Also, Israel did not seek God’s counsel in moments of trial. Instead of going to God and asking for His counsel and direction, they often times murmured and grumbled, taking the laws into their hands.
Today, the influence of mixed multitude is still great. In denominations, churches, fellowships etc, there are many who do not know Christ. They attend Sunday schools, bible studies etc and at times, their ungodly views and utterances sway the believer. There are also some believers who still enjoy the company of the world. Some keep unbelievers as their best friends. They approach such unbelievers for counsel even on very serious issues of life such as choice of life partner, jobs, marital problems etc. The views of such persons often make the Christian to err. The Bible says “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor 15:33)” and “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4).
The believer must resolve to live for God and do His will. He must not yield to ungodly pressures and suggestions from ungodly persons. In moments of trials, the believer should seek counsel from God and ask for His grace to follow such counsel.
QUESTION 5) WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF LUSTING AFTER EVIL THINGS: NUM 11:31-35; 14:20-25; JN 15:6; JAMES 1:15-16
In the wilderness, the consequences for lusting after evil things were usually very great. The Israelites suffered plagues which most times resulted in death. (Num 11:1-4; 31-35).
When the believer lusts after evil things today, he faces severe consequences. First, he loses his God-given peace. Living becomes a personal struggle instead of by faith in God. When he persists in his error, he removes himself from God’s covering and becomes exposed to the wiles of the devil. Under such a situation, plagues of sickness, disease etc. may befall him. When he refuses to repent and return to God and dies in his sin, eternal separation from God becomes the eventful consequence.
The Bible says “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). Instead of remaining in your sin, turn to God today in genuine repentance. Ask him for forgiveness, cleansing and grace to live for Him.
QUESTION 6) WHAT SHOULD BE THE BELIEVER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS FORMER LIFE? PRO 4:14; EPH 5:11; COL 3:5-11
A believer is one who has experienced new birth, that is, he is born again. At some point in his life, he made a U-turn from his old way of sinful living and embraced the new life of righteousness in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ lives in such a person. Gal 2:20 states “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”. The believer therefore must understand that his old man has been crucified with Christ and that he must put on the new man “which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him” (Col 3:10). We must resist every thought to return to our old way of life. We must “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather we must reprove them” (Eph 5:11).
When we are faced with situations or thoughts that want to take us away from the path of faith and return us to our old life, we must learn to go to God in prayer and appropriate the victory provided by Christ. We should constantly feed our hearts with God’s word. His word remains a lamp to our feet and a light to our path and when we hide His word in our hearts we will not sin against Him (Ps 119:11; 105). The believer is expected to hate his old way of life and resolve not to return to it. Prov 4:14-15 says “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away”.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
The Israelites did not make progress in their journey to the promised land because from time to time they lusted after evil things and desired a return to Egypt. This brought severe consequences upon them. They suffered from plagues, and many died as a result of such plagues. Believers today are expected to learn lessons from whatever happened to them. We must wholeheartedly serve the Lord, and we must never desire or entertain a return to our old life. We are expected to walk in newness of life serving the Lord fervently. We are expected to be prayerful, study His word, depend on Him, seek His counsel as we live for Him each day, by His grace.
MEMORY VERSE:
1 COR 10:6
“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
MON: Israel lusted after evil things. Num 11:4-6
Tue: God was not pleased with many of them. 1 Cor 10:5.
Wed: Israel suffered severe consequences.
Thu: Learn a lesson from Israel. 1 Cor 10:6-11
Fri: Mortify the deeds of the flesh. Col 3:5-11
Sat: Have a fellowship with the works of darkness.
Prov 4:14-15; Eph 5:11