What Christians Can Learn From Joshua and Caleb's Confidence in Seizing the Promised Land

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Being a Christian means you can be stuck in a pickle. Today's lesson will be from Numbers 13-14 which talks about the twelve spies to the Land of Canaan. I think any Christian leader going into much trouble today may find this as both a source of vexation and encouragement at the same time. It's a source of vexation because there are so many people like the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness. It's a source of encouragement because it's a reminder that God is still in charge.

The story of Numbers 13 talks about the spying. We see one member of each of the tribes that were given a political inheritance were there. We can see their names are as follows:
Numbers 13:4-13
And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

There's the command that Moses gave. There's the command to spy on the land. I think Moses having grown in the political courts of Egypt would have mastered a thing or two about military conquest. I think his time in the wilderness before returning to Egypt at 80 years old also taught him more. He was definitely not going to attack unprepared.
Numbers 13:17-20 
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: and see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they bethat they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; and what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.

Moses gave the command and told them to be of good courage. Unfortunately for this old man, he wasn't going to get much support. The land indeed was unlike anything we'd see today thanks to the climate change our world suffers from. Back then, Jericho was truly a land of milk and honey. There was really proof it as a land of fruit and honey. The grapes must have not grown on vines but on trees. Joshua and Caleb were ready to seize the land but what about the rest? What's discouraging to two is that two out of twelve spies believed they could. The rest started to murmur. This alone should be very discouraging for the Christian on fire for God!
Numbers 13:27-33 
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

This should be very frustrating to think about. Didn't they just witness the marvels of God in Egypt and in the Red Sea? If God delivered them from Pharaoh then surely he could deliver Canaan to them! Both Joshua and Caleb were excited to go into battle anytime. They had the full confidence in God but what about the others? The others were showing the great sin of doubt. They were trusting in their human resources and they exaggerated their claims that they were like grasshoppers to the sons of Anak. I think these men may have been six to eight feet but they definitely weren't like the giants in fairy tales. I think Canaan's high nutritional value had allowed the men of Canaan to grow into the size similar to that modern day basketball players. They weren't the sons of fallen angels and mortals otherwise this would be pagan mythology. They were normal human beings with unusually tall statures. If I were Joshua or Caleb I might have already died of a heart attack listening to all those complaints but God was faithful to preserve them.

What happens next is not a pretty picture. Numbers 14 starts with a really ugly picture. First, the people wanted to return to Egypt.
Numbers 14:1-5
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

They wanted to go back to Egypt and what for? It really makes me want to tear my hair off every time I read of the Jews wanting to return to Egypt. This is where they can't make up their minds. When they were in Egypt they were slaves of a tyrant. They wanted deliverance from Egypt but now they're free they want to go back to Egypt. Egypt is a type of the world. These Jews would rather be slaves in Egypt. God provided them the perfect food but they were too engrossed with Egypt. In Numbers 11 we have these people who are tired of manna. After the fiery serpent plague still many of them don't learn their lesson. I'm amazed at how God's patience with sinful humanity persists all the while I'm too ready to give up on it. Moses and Aaron would later forfeit their ticket to the promised land because they couldn't hold their temper anymore (Numbers 20:7-13). It's understandable considering that the Israelites under them were a rebellious bunch.

Joshua and Caleb must have pulled their hair off literally. But they were trusting God instead of man. They wanted to give encouragement but what did the people of Israel do?
Numbers 14:6-10 
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

That alone should be another constant source of frustration. Just think Joshua and Caleb were already giving words of encouragement but a bunch of crybabies wanted to stone them. I mentioned it earlier that the miracles of God should have proven that He is God. Here's the problem: God can unleash all the miracles He wants but the stubborn man refuses to believe. Do you remember the Pharaoh in Exodus 7 to 12? He saw all the wonders of God but he always refused to soften his heart. He was still hard as ever. God allowed Pharaoh's heart to harden. Pharaoh hardened his heart at his own free will and God allowed it. They saw all the wonders yet why couldn't they trust God will help them get the land that He promised them? Joshua and Caleb had full confidence yet the rest were really a bunch of whiners who were a constant source of frustration.

God wanted to destroy them yet Moses interceded for the people yet again. Moses was definitely a picture of Jesus pleading with the Father for lost sinners. God would let those people twenty and older who murmured against Him die in the wilderness. I believe this is fitting punishment considering that these people were going against God's promises. They didn't want to claim it then it's no longer theirs. This resulted to the great wandering. So those who were 20 died at 60 at the end of the wilderness. The wandering proved that God Himself means what He says. I don't know what feelings Joshua and Caleb had when God sentenced everyone to wandering and that they had to wait for 40 years. When Joshua became the new leader he was 80 years old since he was 40 years old during this time. But this is proof that you need to stand with God no matter what and blessings will come to those who wait no matter how long it takes.

To close, it would be nice to bring this thought. Why did Joshua and Caleb have their faith and perseverance? It was by the grace of God. It's God's grace that strengthens people. They had their faith in the LORD that they could win against the enemy. They placed their trust in God while the others didn't. It's all about God's grace and power. Ephesians 2:8-10 says that God equips us to good works. Philippians 2:13 says it's God that works in the believer. Titus 2:11-14 says it's God's grace that teaches righteous living. The only way to have the spirit of Joshua and Caleb is by the grace of God.

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