By Ife J. Ibitayo
For Part 1 on “Hope or Hopelessness”, click here. For Part 2, “Between an Army and a Watery Grave”, click here. Part 3, “Bitter Sweet”, click here. Part 4, “Worth the Wait”, click here.
At last, after years of sulking through the burning desert, eating heavenly trail mix (a.k.a. “manna”) and whining about their problems, the Israelites finally reached the Promised Land. It was a glorious land flowing with milk and honey, vineyards and orchards, and precious metals and fine wine (Deuteronomy 8:7-9). But it was also inhabited.
The Israelites sent out twelve spies to investigate the Promised Land, and it was worse than they had feared: the people of the land were powerful, and the cities well-fortified.
The Ten Spies’ Response
Seeing the great challenge that lay before them, ten of the twelve spies spun the story out of proportion. They lied to the people, “‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers’” (Numbers 13:22-23a NLT)! Now why would they do that?
When we are tasked with a difficult undertaking such as going to college, kicking a bad habit, or winning a woman’s heart, convincing ourselves failure is inevitable can be far easier than chasing after success.
The People’s Response
When the Israelites were told this tall tale, they flipped out. “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword’” (Numbers 14:2-3a)?
Some of us share this same tendency. We trust God when times are good but doubt Him when times get tough. We suspect He is like the sun: Present with clear skies but vanishing with the rain.
The Two Spies’ Response
The report of those ten spies drove the Israelites to hysteria. They were ready to turn tail and run all the way back to Egypt (Numbers 14:3-4)! But there was a brave remnant that did not share their terror. Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve spies, rose up and said, “‘If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them’” (Numbers 14:8-9 NIV).
Joshua and Caleb understood something about God the others did not: God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The same God that sustained their forefathers, blasted open Pharaoh’s palace doors, and protected them in the blazing desert would topple giants before them. He would bring them into the Promised Land because He promised He would. God always keeps His promises (Hebrews 6:17-18).
God’s Response
Hearing the Israelites’ muttering, God asked Moses, “‘How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them’” (Numbers 14:11 NLT)?
It shouldn’t take long for us to remember the amazing miracles God has done in our own lives: the illnesses He’s healed, the blessings He’s given, the hearts He’s changed, including our own. We mustn’t give in to lies about the challenges that lay before us or doubts about the God who walks along side us. If we take Him at His word, we will enter the Promised Land.
“He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)