https://odb.org/2025/04/29/hopeless-or-hopeful
Numbers 13:26–33 (NIV): 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.”
The story of the 12 spies is well-known for the spiritual principle of the devastating consequences of not trusting God despite living in the midst of God’s miracles. The problem with the 10 spies (other than Caleb and Joshua) was they saw the stark reality of the strong armies, fortified cities, and giants (sons of Anak) but instead of trusting God who parted the Red Sea for them to flee from the mighty Egyptian army, they were terrified and feared for their lives!
If you read on, you will see that they demanded to be returned to Egypt, despite the LORD having expanded so much effort to bring them out of slavery and put them on the journey to the Promised Land. That must have deeply shattered God’s heart and was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, and the LORD then decreed that everyone who was 20 years of age when they left Egypt will not enter the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb. Thus, the Israelites ended up in the wilderness for 40 years before they could finally enter Canaan and do what Caleb and Joshua believed they could do 40 years earlier – trusting that the LORD their God will fight the battles for them!
There are many angles one could expound on this event as it has and will always be a good bible story to preach on the pulpit. We could prepare many sermons as many no doubt have shared on it.
What I feel is relevant this morning is that we must be grateful and thankful for God’s love and compassion and grace and mercy for our lives. For how He had brought us through all the trials and hurdles in life so far, we must trust that He will bring us through whatever we are facing today. Never ever long to return to our old life after all that God has done for us to bring us into this journey of faith on the narrow path that leads to eternal life.
Never ever look back to the past. Like Paul, we need to forget what is behind and look forward to the promises, plans, and purposes God has for our lives. Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt! The Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt, and they ended up dead in the wilderness, missing out on the promises God had for them in Canaan. In fact, God waited for every one of them to perish (except Joshua and Caleb) before the rest could enter and conquer the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey, where a bunch of grapes needed two men to carry!
Ronnie's Thoughts 