In the book of Numbers we read the story about Moses sending 12 spies into the promised land. If I were to ask you to name the 10 that came back with a bad report, could you? Likely not without looking it up. But, the odds are better that you could name the 2 that did: Caleb and Joshua.
Why is that? They were all named in the Bible. Quite simply, society never remembers those that don’t think big.
There are countless truths that can be extracted from Numbers 13 and 14 and I am going to take a couple posts over the next few days to look at some of those.
First, let’s jump right into the 2nd verse of Chapter 13 where God is speaking to Moses:
2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” (Emphasis added)
This is simple. The spies were entering with the foreknowledge that they will be getting this land. God declared and spoke it – and since God cannot lie, it is truth.
We too are walking with the same foreknowledge today! God has already declared victory for you!
Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us! (Romans 8:37 NKJV)
And that is not even the tip of the iceberg on promises from Him! If you want more, just go back in my posts – there are plenty that we talk about.
We fast forward in Numbers 13 and the spies returned after 40 days in the land of Canaan:
27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. (Emphasis added)
The spies all agree and verbally declare that the land is good and abundant. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there:
28Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
The slippery slope of self doubt and fear begins. And then, enter one of my Biblical Hero’s, Caleb to weigh in on the whole situation:
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Caleb did not suggest putting together an attack plan or developing a strategy for a military campaign – he simply said, now is the time! When God puts something before us, I am convinced that the time to act is now – do not delay! We will always have a million reasons why something should wait until tomorrow – but just as Caleb declared – we must take the promised land that God is giving us now!
This is just the start of it all – look for the follow up on Saturday as we explore the remaining promises we can find in this story!
Question: Can you share a time when you acted in the courageous manner that Caleb did and saw God come through in an amazing way?
