A MAN OF FAITH IN THE MIDST OF DOUBT

Numbers 13:25-33 / Keywords 13:30

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

Report on the Exploration

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

1. After exploring Canaan for forty days, the spies returned to the Israelite camp and reported to everyone what they saw. They said the land flowed with milk and honey, the same words the LORD used to describe Canaan (Ex 3:17). But they also said that the people were powerful and everywhere in the land. Their cities were fortified and very large. They felt like grasshoppers when comparing themselves to the Canaanites. To them, taking the land seemed impossible. Any military campaign seemed foolish.

 

2. As leaders from every tribe (13:2), their words were very influential–for better or for worse. While most of the spies emphasized the obstacles, Caleb silenced the people and said they should go up and take possession of the land. This was not bravado. He simply believed God would give them the land just as he promised. He expressed his faith and told the people to act on faith in God.

 

3. All the spies saw the same things. Many responded with unbelief. Caleb responded with faith in God’s power and promise. We sometimes hear things that can make us doubt God. But as you face challenges, express your faith in God and help others to also trust in God.

 

Prayer Father, please forgive my unbelief. When the situation is unfavorable, help me to put my faith in you and to encourage others to do the same.

One Word Have faith in God