Sunday: Second Chance
Daily Lesson for Sunday 5th of October 2025
Read Joshua 2:1, along with Numbers 13:1-2,25-28,33; and Numbers 14:1-12. Why would Joshua start the mission of conquering the Promised Land by sending out spies?
The place from which the two spies are sent out, Acacia Grove (Joshua 2:1, NKJV), is called Shittim in the Hebrew text, and it reminds us of two negative episodes of Israel’s history.
Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com
The first is another spy story (see Numbers 13:1-33) featuring the same essential elements: the commissioning of the spies, the secret incursion of the spies into enemy territory, the return of the spies, the report of the spies on their findings, and the decision to act based on the report.
The other incident at Shittim represents one of the most defiant, idolatrous violations of the covenant by the Israelites, when, at the instigation of Balaam, they committed a debauchery with the Moabite women and worshiped their gods (Numbers 25:1-3, Numbers 31:16). In this context, the name Shittim creates an extraordinary tension as to the outcome of the whole story. Will it be another failure on the border of the Promised Land? Or will it lead to the long-awaited fulfillment of the ancient promise?
Read John 18:16-18,25-27, and John 21:15-19. What parallels do you discover between the second chance given to Israel as a nation and to Peter as a person?
God is a God of second chances (and more!). The Bible calls the second chance (and more!) “grace.” Grace is simply receiving what we don’t deserve. The teaching of the Bible is replete with the concept of grace (compare with Romans 5:2, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 11:6). God graciously offers everyone the possibility of a fresh start (Titus 2:11-14). Peter himself experienced this grace and urged the church to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). And the news gets even better: we get much more than a second chance, don’t we? (Where would we be if we didn’t?)
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Think about the experience of the Israelites when they were given a second chance to enter Canaan and about the grace extended to Peter after he denied his Lord. What should these incidents teach us about how we should extend grace to those who need it? |
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From a Christian upbringing to a God-cursing slave driver, and then to "saved a wretch like me," John Newton's second-chance story not only penned the song "Amazing Grace" but also led him to become a God-trusting, ordained minister involved in the emancipation of slaves, what he once actively traded in the transatlantic slave trade in the 1740s. Second-chance stories have a powerful magnetism that perfectly illustrates God's mercy and love.
Whether it's a story, second-chance stories fascinates, - they give us hope and draw us closer to God's overarching and overreaching love. Consider Samson's story, where the second chance comes at the end, and he says, and ultimately, The second-chance stories of Saul of Tarsus, Peter, and many others ring louder than their entire lives.
I know I'm speaking to many of you here; I've enjoyed the best of me during my second chance that God gave me, freely. God roots for the return of good into our hearts. His grace is just His habit, and He loves to rescue because His nature is love.
Thank you Stanley, your comment is uplifting for me
Me too.
I am blessed to be in that space of yet another chance of restoration, renewal, revival and reformation.Yes, you spoke to me in your comment. Thank you.
“Second chances” captures the very heart of the gospel. This is the display of the grace of God. From the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given a second chance. Throughout scripture, story after story we find individuals who messed up and were given another chance to make it right with God again. The rebellious prophet Jonah was a beneficially of second chance (Jonah 3:1–2). Adulterous and murderer king David was credited with second chance. Abraham the father of faith was a recipient of second chance. Moses the murderer was a receiver of second chance. Manasseh the wicked king repented, and he received a dose of second chance (2 Chronicles 33:13). The woman who was caught in the act of adultery also received the favour of second chance (John 8:11). Samson the fallen Judge was restored through the opportunity of second chance (Judges 16:28–30). The Prodigal Son (parable) came home through the second chance. The Nation of Israel received a good measure of second chance. I am also very thankful to God for the privilege and blessing of second chance. God is an ever-generous donor of second chances (2 Corinthians 4:7).
The second chances which we enjoy freely should cause us to change course. It is an opportunity to turn away from our foolish and wicked ways and “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near”(Isaiah 55:6,NIV). Once we have been lifted from the bit, let us not fight our way back. This also should repeatedly remind us to extend the same grace to our debtors. Like David the recipient of second chance, let us be a people after God’s own heart.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit”(Psalms 51:10-12,NKJV).
Has God given you a second chance? That second chance may be given 70 x’s 7, and more before you totally surrender totally to Him. Christ said it is imposable to turn back once you have stepped away. That would leave many out that have had a change of heart. He meant it is harder and harder to turn back to Him as the years go by, unless you surrender to his calling, then by His strength, a miracle takes place in your life and you become an over-comer, Revelation 12:11, yielding to His will your will. You essentially become willing to be made willing. Don’t forget Christ looks at you and says another creation of mine, a potential for redemption. Surrender your will today if you have not already done so. It is your choice. I have surrendered mind, body, and spirit to Him. The Holy Spirit testifies of that. Romans 8:16.
“The victory is not won without much earnest prayer, without the humbling of self at every step. Our will is not to be forced into co-operation with divine agencies, but it must be voluntarily submitted. Were it possible to force upon you with a hundredfold greater intensity the influence of the Spirit of God, it would not make you a Christian, a fit subject for heaven. The stronghold of Satan would not be broken. The will must be placed on the side of God’s will. You are not able, of yourself, to bring your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God; but if you are “willing to be made willing,” God will accomplish the work for you, even “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Then you will “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12, 13.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing pages 141.3-142.1
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Let’s face it, we all have seasons in our lives we can look back on with pain, shame, or regret. But reflecting on the pain of our past will rob us of the potential of our future… because we serve a God of Second Chances. Peter denied Christ yet fifty days later preached a sermon where over 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2). Thomas doubted, yet Jesus revealed Himself and turned his doubt into a lifelong mission. Paul went from murderer to miracle-working evangelist, David from adulterer to “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Rahab, once a prostitute, found her name in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). Again and again, Scripture shows us that our past mistakes do not disqualify us from God’s purpose, they prepare us to see His mercy.
The Israelites learned this firsthand under Joshua’s leadership. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness because of their unbelief (Numbers 14:22–23), God gave them a second chance to enter the Promised Land. He told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Even when they stumbled again at Ai because of sin (Joshua 7:1–5), God restored them when they repented, granting victory and renewal (Joshua 8:1–2). Their story — like Peter’s, Paul’s, David’s, and ours — reminds us that no failure is final when God is in the story. We serve a God of Second Chances.
Where did Mr. Maurice go?
Hope all is well in the family and he is just out enjoying birds!
Hi Robert
Maurice onced spoke about a procedure that was coming up...I am not too sure if it is that time
I was wondering the same thing. It looks like he is on a trip. He has posted a lot of bird photos on his Facebook account. Missing his insight here, shows him we appreciate what he has to say (and the wildlife photos too).
I’ll be back tomorrow all being well. I’m in Gulgong, a town where they have not updated the Main Street since World War 2. And there are birds - except most of them have been hiding from me. Thank you folk for your concern. 😄
God’s Grace manifests in loving forgiveness. Receiving God’s Grace and giving grace to others, forgiving them, have a common source – God’s Love. If we cannot or do not want to forgive, we might want to ask ourselves if we have actually received God’s loving Grace within our heart for ourselves. God's Love - expressed as Grace and Forgiveness - is at the heart of both.
Our day’s experiences are filled with ‘second chances’. We can always improve on what we initially think or feel before and especially after we have expressed them through actions. Considering God’s Grace working on behalf of saints and sinners alike, our willingness to forgive others and to accept their request for forgiveness would come 'naturally' to the born-again believer. Eph.4:32; Rom.5:20.
If I need second chances from God and He gives them to me, why wouldn't I do the same for my brother?
JC. I have to assume that the 1st part of your question is the answer to your question. Oh yes its your testimony too.
I would like to share with you a few sentences from The Mount of blessing that helped me understand Gods grace to Rahab. Are you with me?
His subjects are the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted for righteousness sake. The kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:3,5,10. Though not yet fully accomplished, the work is begun in them which will make them “meet(fitting)to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” Colossians 1:12.
Thoughts From Mount of Blessing, page 8.1
I do believe Paul was talking about the light of knowing Christ personally. Simular to how Moses shone after communicating with God.
There is one important distinction between Israel and Peter. The Israelites who made the wrong choice in Numbers 13 actually didn't get a second chance to go into the promised land. They had to wander 40 years and only their children were able to go in. I suppose we could say some of the children might have had the same attitude as their parents, but being under 20 they wouldn't have had a lot of say. Many of the people in Joshua weren't even alive when the first set of spies went out. As a nation, of course, Israel did get a second chance.
Why no grace to the rebels of Numbers 13 & 14? The account plus references to it in the New Testament tell us their hearts were hard. It's not that God couldn't have given them grace, but they were not interested in repenting.
Peter's situation is quite different - what he did was terrible, but he repented almost immediately. His heart was sensitive to God. And he received the grace he needed.