Israel missed Gods best when 12 spies returned, and the majority said it was too difficult to take the promised land. Any task can feel giant when you look to the size of the task and not to God. When you look at the giant impossible task compared to your own abilities you feel like a grasshopper.
I saw giants when I began my theological studies. I went to the bookstore to purchase the huge thick theology books. I picked up each class syllabus. All the heavy books to read, 25 tests, 12 research papers, 60 weekly quizzes. All of this in the next 16 weeks. I can’t do it. Those theology books seemed like giants. I felt like a grasshopper.
But the first week of seminary I was reminded of an important truth. God called me to seminary. I heard His voice. It would be foolish to harden my heart now and miss God’s best. Never forget God is in the equation. With God and hearing the voice of God the impossible becomes possible. With man it is impossible, with God it is possible.
The Israelites forgot God’s power. They heard God’s voice, but they hardened their hearts. All of this took place after the Exodus. It happened after the Israelites crossed the parting of the Red Sea and the crossing on dry ground.
For the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea their destination was Mt Sinai. The Law was given at Mt Sinai. This is where Israel received the 10 commandments from God. Mt Sinai is where God made a covenant with Israel that they would be his own people. The tabernacle was completed at Mt Sinai. Here the priesthood was established.
When the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day moves Israel moves. Numbers picks up on the wilderness journey in chapters 13-14. It is still less than two years from the time of the Exodus.
Now Israel finds themselves at a place called Kadesh Barnea. They are just South of the promised land. The long-awaited promise God made to Abraham is just ahead.
The LORD said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” (Numbers 13:1-2)
Moses was told to go and explore the land. They were to choose 12 men from 12 tribes to spy out the land. The purpose was not about should they go or should they not go. It was about what route they should take in the conquest.
“Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let us send men ahead of us, so that they may spy out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up, and the cities which we should enter.’ (Deuteronomy 1:22)
God was going to give them the land based on the promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So a representative leader from each of the 12 tribes was chosen to go and spy out the land.
Here some of the objectives set out as we find in Numbers 13:17-20:
See what the land is like.
Find out whether the people who live there are strong or weak.
Are the people few or many?
What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad?
What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified?
How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor?
Are there trees in it or not?
Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.
When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. (Numbers 13:23)
They bring back the report that the land flows with milk and honey. The land is good! The soil is fertile! The spies brought back the evidence of just how fertile the land was. It was a cluster of grapes that was carried by two men on a pole between them.
They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. (Numbers 13:26-27)
All twelve spies agreed that the land was fertile. All the spies were also in agreement that the people in the land were powerful.
But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. (Numbers 13:28)
The disagreement among the spies should be take the land or not take the land. They all agreed the land was fertile and the people were powerful.
The disagreement is famous, and we know it as the majority report and the minority report. The majority had a bad report. They said “we will be overpowered” by them. The minority brought a good report. We can certainly do it. It was two men who became famous for their faith in God. Joshua and Caleb believed with God they would take the land.
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 13:30)
People tend to be discouraging. We can’t do it, they say. Discouragement breeds a lack of faith. Discouragement makes all our problems seem bigger. We are like grasshoppers before them. The negativism chocked them and stole away their faith.
There is irony that the descendants of Abraham were not going to go possess the land because Amalekites were there. In Genesis 14 Abraham battled the Amalekites with the men of his household and won. It was the time Abraham rescued his nephew Lot. After the faith of Abraham to defeat the Amalekites the priest of Salem, Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
Now Israel spent the whole night weeping because the Amalekites were in the land. They were crying and feeling sorry for themselves when God was going to give them the land.
We must thank God for leaders who believe the power of God is beyond all we ask or think. Praise the Lord for every believer you know who has a strong faith in the midst of negative people.
If we compare our difficulties to our human strength like the majority do, of course we will be overwhelmed. Yes, then we will feel like a grasshopper before giants in the land. However when we compare our difficulties to God’s mighty power, like a minority of people do, then we will be victorious. We will be more than conquerors.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. He gave us the great commission.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
How can we do it? There are so many giants in the land.
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
The majority are right. There are giants out there. It will be impossible to take the land. But Joshua and Caleb were right too. With God all things are possible. We need to listen to the men and women of faith, like Joshua and Caleb were. With faith we take possession of the land.
There will always be people who spread discouragement. They were the majority then and are the majority now. There is a difference among those who have faith in God. This is not foolish optimism. This is trusting almighty God.
Here is the response of the people who listen to those who sow seeds of discouragement.
That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! (Numbers 14:1)
There would be one year of wilderness wandering for each day the spies were gone exploring the land. This was an opportunity lost. The Israelites missed God’s best because they did not trust God. He promised them they would possess the land.
For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ (Numbers 14:34)
Except for Joshua and Caleb, the people on the edge of the promise land spent the rest of their lives wondering in the wilderness. They accomplished nothing because of their lack of faith. It is fear and lack of faith that keep us from God’s best.
Will you wander aimlessly or move victoriously and receive God’s best. There are two responses, fear or faith. This is a turning point that determines your future. Will it be victory or meaningless wandering.
Maybe now you hear God’s voice. That means you are at a fork in the road. There is really only one road to take. It is the road of faith and trusting God for the impossible. The road of faith is a narrow difficult way.
If God is speaking to you and you refuse to obey it might mean years of frustration. Missing God’s best. Responding in faith means spiritual victory. It means possessing what God desires you to have.
Joshua and Caleb believed God wholeheartedly. If you have heard God’s voice move forward in faith. Don’t let anyone destroy you through negativism and lack of faith. Believe God wholeheartedly. Joshua and Caleb did and experienced God’s best.
