Intro: Life divided into three planes: Natural man, Carnal man, Spiritual man.
History: God promised land to Abraham.
I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CANAAN.
A. Fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.
1. 500 years later Abraham's descendants brought to the gateway to the land.
a. God brought them out of Egypt (plagues).
b. God brought them through Red Sea.
c. God brought them through wilderness of Shur.
B. Many of hymns and songs spiritualize Canaan as heaven and Jordan as death.
1. Songs.
a. "Swing low - I looked over Jordan."
b. "I won't have to cross Jordan alone."
2. Our present life in the heavenlies.
a. No sin in heaven.
b. No baffles in heaven.
c. No defeat in heaven.
C. What Canaan did represent.
1. Liberty for oppression. "Sin shall not have dominion over you."
2. Rest for wandering.
3. Possession for promise.
4. Variety for monotony. "My cup runneth over, love that passeth knowledge, joy unspeakable, and full of glory, peace that passeth human understanding."
II. THE LEGITIMATE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE.
A. Journey from Red Sea to Kadesh.
1. We are led through some bitter experiences - Marah that God might show His sweetness.
2. Restful, beautiful experiences - Elim.
3. We learn to trust God for provisions.
III. THE KADESH BARNEA CRISIS.
A. They sent out spies, came back - confusing reports.
Timorous ten - we are not able.
Trustful two - we are well able.
Ten - cities walled & very great.
Two - their defense is departed from them.
Ten - the men are giants.
Two - neither fear ye the people.
Ten - saw through magnifying glass of unbelief.
Two - saw through magnifying glass of faith.
The majority impeached God's promise and word.
(God was not big enough?) They didn't relate to God.
IV. THE ILLEGITIMATE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE.
A. Rebellious experience.
B. Marked by:
1. Restlessness (no restful Christians in wilderness).
2. Discontent (no contented Christians in wilderness).
3. Fruitfulness - The battles they fought only for permission to pass through land. Battle of rebellion, not conquest. Carnal Christian has plenty of fights.
4. Negative experience - They were no longer doing the things of Egypt. Some accentuate the negative. So interested in things they don't do, they do nothing.
5. Vacillation - up and down.
Conclusion: Perhaps you are today at Kadesh Barnea.
