Moses--Day 27

Tuesday, October 5

Moses: Called, Challenged, Changed

Day 27—Forward in Faith or Backward in Fear

Then 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. So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites…When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, 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…At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. Exodus 13:1-3, 23, 25

Suggested reading: Numbers 13-14

Up to this point in our study, the Israelites had been encamped at Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb) for approximately two years. During this time, they learned both how to worship God as well as how to live as a distinct people through the holy laws given to Moses. (This is all found in the book of Leviticus).

Now it was time to break camp and move toward the promise land. Each time the cloud above the tabernacle lifted, they knew it was time to move. God guided every step. Eventually the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran (Num. 10:12). It was here that Moses sent out the twelve leaders to explore the land of Canaan.

These leaders saw the promised land and it was indeed plentiful! When they came back from their forty-day excursion they reported this good news to Moses and the people: We went into the land which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit (13:27).

If they had only stopped there with their description! But no, their good news was overpowered by their bad news. They said, “But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large…we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them (13: 28, 33). And so these leaders, except for Joshua and Caleb, swayed the entire nation of Israel to oppose entering the land they had been promised. They grumbled against Moses and Aaron…and said, “Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (14:2-3).

Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb cried out to the people and to God, who was once again exasperated with the children he loved. As a result of their lack of faith, God gave them what they wanted: this entire generation would not enter the promised land.

Sadly, these Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, one year for each day that the leaders explored the land of Canaan.

Thoughts:

I can’t help but ponder the two words “promise land.” God had made a promise to these people that he was going to give them this land! Why the lack of faith after all that the Lord had done for them? Why did they fear these “giant people” when their giant God was in their midst?

On the flip-side, I’m happy to think of Joshua and Caleb, the two beacons of light in this lack-of-faith story. I want to be like them, full of courage and eagerness, wanting to receive God’s blessing.

Let’s not spend our days and months and years wandering and wondering, grumbling and complaining, walking in circles of fear and doubt. It’s time to rise up like Joshua and Caleb. These two young leaders showed us how to make a firm declaration and a bold decision to trust in God and his word.

Sisters, let’s move forward in faith, not backward in fear.

Going deeper and sweeter: Psalm 16:5-8; Isaiah 41:10; Luke 8:25

Dear Lord,

Please, strengthen our faith! Help us to believe in your word enough to obey it. Move us forward so we can receive your divine blessings. Amen.