Read: Numbers 13:1-14:12
Devotion: After four hundred years of slavery, Israel is on the cusp of entering the land of Promise. They have met God at Mt. Sinai and received his Law. God has provided them manna, quail, and water, his presence dwells among them in the Tabernacle, and his glory has led them to the wilderness of Paran on the Southern border of the land of Canaan. The promise God made to Israel concerning the land seemed to be near its fulfillment.
As they are encamped on the border of Canaan, the Lord commands Moses to send out twelve spies, one from each tribe, to scout out the land. The spies go out, traversing the span of the land for forty days and returning to the people with a small portion of the bounty that the land contains (v. 26).
As God had promised them, the land indeed was flowing with milk and honey (Exod 3:8; v. 27). It was a land of abundant blessing. God’s had been nothing but faithful to his Word. God’s displayed his power to provide for and protect his people against the strongest forces during their wilderness wanderings. And yet, despite these things, we know how the spies’ report went.
Ten out of the twelve spies say that the land is bountiful, but they add that there are peoples and nations living there that Israel would have no hope in defeating (vv. 28-29; v. 31). Despite Caleb and Joshua’s confidence that Israel can and will overcome the inhabitants of the land, the people listen to the ten spies’ negative report and begin to grumble and rebel (14:1-4).
Joshua, Caleb, and the rest of the ten spies all saw the same thing in the land. They give identical reports concerning the abundance of the land as well as the strength of the people in the land. And yet Caleb and Joshua come to a drastically different conclusion than the rest of the spies concerning Israel’s chance of success in conquering the land.
Actually, I misspoke. For both sides there is no “chance” involved. For Joshua and Caleb, Israel’s victory is assured. For the ten and the rest of Israel who they convinced, Israel’s destruction is assured if they were to enter the land. What caused these different reactions? What caused the different interpretations of the same data? The difference came from who they were putting their confidence in. Put simply, it was a matter of faith.
For the ten spies who gave a negative report, and then for Israel as a whole, they only looked at their enemies and themselves. They compared the enemy nations’ strength to their own and found their own strength lacking. “They are Nephilim, we are grasshoppers; we don’t stand a chance!”
In contrast, Joshua and Caleb weren’t comparing their opponents’ strength to their own. They were comparing it to God’s, and in comparison to God, the Nephilim didn’t stand a chance (14:8-9). Because their faith was rightly in God alone, Joshua and Caleb had no doubt in their minds that God would cause them to conquer the land.
Their faith was proven true forty years later when God caused them to conquer the land under Joshua’s leadership.
Where are we putting our confidence? We haven’t been given a charge to conquer the Promised Land like Israel had; nevertheless, like Israel, God has told us that he is with us (Matt. 28:20; Heb 13:6). He has also given us instructions on how we are to live in this world, which we are to follow by faith.
In that way, then, Israel’s failure to view their circumstance through the eyes of faith while they sat on the border to the land is similar to when we shrink back from doing good, speaking the truth, or making a tough decision out of fear. In those instances, like Israel, we’re not viewing our circumstance rightly. We’re forgetting who is with us and how strong and faithful he is. May we have the perspective of Joshua and Caleb and live lives reflective of an unwavering confidence in Christ.
Ponder and Pray: Consider the times when you have neglected to do what is right due to fear. How does faith in God’s promises help you to persevere in obedience? Finish your time by asking God to help you walk in courageous faith.
