1. As the book of Deuteronomy opens, we find the children of Israel on the eastern border of the Promised Land.
2. They were on the verge of entering the Promised Land. They were gathered on the Plains of Moab on the eastern edge of the Jordan valley, northeast of the Dead Sea (1:1). It had taken them 40 years to get there (about 150 miles), but verse 2 says the trip should have taken them eleven days!
3. Here in Deuteronomy, Moses is giving a review. Let us do the same. You will recall it took the Israelites three months to reach Mount Sinai after their deliverance from Egypt. They remained near Mt. Sinai for a whole year (Num.10:11,12).
4. From Mt. Sinai they proceeded to Kadesh-barnea from whence the twelve spies were sent into Canaan. The spies returned after 40 days, and God punished them for their evil report – 40 years, a year for each day (Num.14:32-37).
5. Beloved, here is the thrust of my message today. There was just one thing that kept the children of Israel out of Canaan, and that was their unwillingness to trust God.
6. Unsaved friend: There is just one thing that will keep you out of heaven, and that is your unwillingness to put your trust in God.
7. "Go up and possess it" (Deut.1:21) was the charge given by Moses when the Israelites arrived at Kadesh-barnea after their eleven-day journey from Horeb (Mt. Sinai). This command was given over 50 times in the book of Deuteronomy. The Israelites were told not to be discouraged, but to go forward. But they were discouraged. And they murmured. And they rebelled against God. And God punished them for it.
8. This was the failure at Kadesh-barnea. And this is the failure for many people today. God’s Word tells them to go forward, but they will not go.
9. Between Kadesh-barnea and the Promised Land there was a mountain (Deut.1:19,20). And between every lost soul and heaven there is a mountain. It is a mountain of unbelief and pride.
10. The great evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman said this: "Between every unsaved soul and (eternal) life there stands a mountain which must be crossed. It is the mountain of an unsurrendered will...The saddest thought for the children of Israel must have been that they were so near to Canaan, and after all, had failed to enter in. And the saddest thought for many a man in eternity will be that he was so near to God in the possession of eternal life; one step would have settled it, one word would have saved him; but alas! The step was not taken, the word was not spoken, and he is lost!"
11. "So near the door, and the door stood wide,

Close to the port, but not inside,

Almost resolved to give up sin,

Almost persuaded to enter in,

Almost resolved to count the cost,

Almost a Christian, and yet still lost."

12. Someone has wisely said, "Procrastination is the thief of time, but more so, it is the thief of souls."
13. Perhaps there is some lost soul today that has been wandering around Kadesh-barnea long enough. It’s time to move on (Deut.2:3).

I. FOR SOME PEOPLE, KADESH-BARNEA IS A PLACE OF REBELLION (DEUT.1:26).

1. The Israelites said "No" to God (1:26). Such is the nature of sin. Sin is basically rebellion against God. The first sinner was Satan, and he rebelled against God. Then he deceived Adam and Eve, and it’s been the same ever since – one generation of rebels after another, blinded by sin, in rebellion against God, and under the just wrath of God.
2. Mark this: Rebellion produces murmuring (1:27).
3. The Israelites left Egypt (the world) for the Promised Land. The journey should have taken them eleven days. But because they murmured it took them 40 (signifies judgment) years (Deut.1:2; cf. Num. 14:32-35).
4. Let me make an application. In the Bible, Egypt represents the world. Some church people have enough sense to get out of Egypt (the bars, the parties, the nightclubs, the dead churches, etc.). But they never quite make it to the Promised Land because in their hearts, they are still rebels. Their constant murmuring is evidence that they are not right with God.
5. I have little patience with murmurers. If you are unhappy about something around here, pray about it and if it is serious, come and see me. BUT PLEASE STOP MURMURING (cf. Num.14:1-3).
6. These murmurers wanted to go back to Egypt (Num.14:3). There are some people around here who want to go back to the world. They prefer running around with worldly people and listening to worldly music. They are always murmuring and complaining – "Pastor Barker is too strict!" and "There he goes again, preaching against ladies wearing pants or tight dresses, etc."
7. There is always a new bumper crop of murmurers around here, a bunch of cry-babies (Num.14:1). Do you know why some people are always complaining and whining and murmuring? They are not reading their Bibles (cf. I Cor.3:1-3; Heb.5:11-14).

II. FOR SOME PEOPLE, KADESH-BARNEA IS A PLACE OF UNBELIEF (DEUT.1:32).

1. How could the Israelites doubt God? He had demonstrated both His power and His faithfulness by delivering them from Egypt, by parting the Red Sea, and by feeding them with manna from heaven. Yet they did not believe (1:32; cf. Ps.106:7-26).
2. According to the Bible, there is only one suitable place for unbelievers and that is hell (John 3:36; Rev.21:8).
3. Some people are confused over this word "believe." It is quite simple. Here are two easy definitions: (1) Trust (illustration of chair holding you up). (2) Believing, in the way the Bible uses the term, means to believe enough to respond favorably to God’s Word. Many people claim to believe, but if they are not responding favorably to God’s Word, they really do not believe.

III. FOR SOME PEOPLE, KADESH-BARNEA IS A PLACE OF STRIFE (NUM.20).

1. Beloved, murmuring always leads to strife (Num.20:1-13).
2. In the wilderness, the children of Israel were marked by strife and restlessness. For many people, Kadesh-barnea is a place of restlessness and strife.
3. Oh, there will be some happy moments, but they do not last long. But when you are walking with the Lord, you have lasting peace.
4. When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word,
   What a glory He sheds on our way!
   While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
   And with all who will trust and obey.
   Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
   To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
5. Are you trusting in the Lord? Are you obeying Him? Or is your life marked by strife and discontent?
6. The children of Israel murmured in the wilderness. They found that the way was hard. The way is always hard when you’re not right with God.
7. The Bible says, "The way of transgressors is hard" (Pro.13:15).
8. The Israelites missed the flesh-pots of Egypt. They had no appetite for the manna which God sent down from heaven. There are some gathered here today who have no appetite for spiritual things. You would rather watch TV than read the Bible. You seldom pray. You never pass out Gospel tracts.
9. For many people, Kadesh-barnea is a place of frustration (Num. 20:14-18). They wonder why they have no power with God, no zeal, no appetite for spiritual things, no interest in reading the Bible.
10. The thought of coming back on Sunday night does not appeal to you at all. Like the members who told Bro. McCoy, "Great preaching, etc." "I will be preaching again tonight!" "No, I will not be back tonight."
11. God was trying to teach the Israelites a lesson (Num.20:18). They needed to get right first. Remember, God will remove the Edomites and the Amorites and the Jebusites, but He is waiting first for us to get right.
12. For many people, Kadesh-barnea is a place of strife and fruitlessness. There was plenty of fruit in the Promised Land, but the Israelites lacked courage (Num.13:26-29).

IV. FOR SOME PEOPLE, KADESH-BARNEA IS A PLACE OF VICTORY (NUM.13:30; 14:30-38).

1. The Israelites lacked courage. They were not trusting in God to give them the victory (Num.13:30-33).
2. This brought the judgment of God upon them (Num.14:33-37).
3. "But Joshua…and Caleb…lived still" (Num.14:38; cf. Deut.1:36-39).
4. We need more men like Caleb and Joshua. May God raise up men like that!

CONCLUSION:

1. There are some here today who are like the Israelites lingering at Kadesh-barnea. God says, "Go" but you are procrastinating.