“For by grace ye are saved, through faith: and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not by works, that no one may boast”. Ephesians 2:8
God had kept His promise. The Israelites were on the border of the Promised Land. A gift from God by no works of their own. He had been faithful to the covenant that He had given to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob some 400 years prior. Not only did God keep His promise to His friend Abraham (James 2:23), God had miraculously delivered them from bondage – generations of slavery to the world superpower, Egypt. God stepped in and saved them, not only offering them a hope and a future, but prosperity in a land to be their inheritance.
The gift was there for the taking, and they were on the threshold. It was so close they could taste it, and in fact did taste of the fruit of the land the 12 spies had brought back from their 40-day venture. The land was good, just as God had said. “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit!” Numbers 13:27 All the Israelites had known before these unfolding events of their newfound freedom was a life where others benefited from the fruits of their hard labor. Now God was using righteous judgment on the corrupt heathen nations to set in motion a divine reversal for His people. “He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor”. Psalm 105:44
Centuries earlier, God had told Abraham regarding the land promised to him, “…the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit”. Genesis 15:16 Up to this point, the people of Canaan had a grace period that spanned centuries to repent and turn from their wickedness, sins that exceeded other pagan nations. Seeing they had not turned from their corrupt evil ways, justice was being served through God’s promise to drive out the nations of the land, and deliver it unto Abraham’s descendants instead. “How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdues nations beneath us, and peoples under our feet. 4 He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loves.” Psalm 47:2-4
God had cared for the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness, miraculously protecting them from enemy attacks while providing for their needs in one supernatural manifestation after another. They had heard His voice at Mt. Sinai and had witnessed His might and power. And now, they were on the verge of tasting the sweet promise of a new life in a rich land under the attentive care and provision of a relational God who had taken them as His own special treasure. All this was done to honor His promise made to their forefather due to his faith in Him. “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6
The long-awaited day had arrived. Their journey thus far was not without issues, as the nation of Israel proved itself to be ungrateful and untrusting towards God, complaining at every turn. Not only had they done nothing to earn this incredible gift, they had betrayed God in creating an idol to worship, carrying on in their old ways of life along with old attitudes of unbelief. Deut 9:5-6 says, “It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people.” They were unfaithful to God, yet He remained faithful and was true to His word.
The 12 spies returned from exploring the land to give a report. Men who were leaders, one from each of the tribes of Israel. Yet the majority’s report was rooted in fear of obstacles, as the land was inhabited by giants. While they acknowledged it was a good land, they seemed to forget the mighty God they served, saying, “But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.” Numbers 13:28 Instead of exalting God and glorifying Him, they viewed the giants as larger than God. They focused on the problem, not the solution. Whatever we focus on, think about, or speak of, we lift and glorify. And if we are not careful, we make problems big and God small. Psalm 106:24 states, “The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promise to care for them”.
Instead of being anchored in the memories of the awesome miracles they had seen God perform, the people of Israel were ready to stone the only two spies who courageously stood up in belief of God’s word. It was Joshua and Caleb who focused on the promise and God’s proven character, while the other 10 spies focused on the obstacles. “Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 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. 9 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 14:6-9 Ultimately, the nation of Israel chose to disobey in their unbelief of God’s word, rejecting the Promised Land. Not only that, they rebelled against God, calling for a new leader who would take them back to Egypt and the slavery they had been delivered from, saying yet again that they preferred to die in Egypt or in the wilderness. Numbers 14:1-4
What was the cost of Israel’s disobedience through their attitude of unbelief? While God forgave them and continued to care for them, His just judgment on those who had seen His glory, power, and might in Egypt and throughout their journey to the Promised Land, was carried out. God gave them what they had requested. Something that they had exclaimed at every sign of hardship. Their faithlessness caused a delay in what God had intended for them in receiving the gift of an inheritance. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 Their attitude of unbelief also affected their children as the nation was sentenced to wander the wilderness that they said they preferred to die in, till the faithless rebellious generation passed away. The judgment was for 40 years, one year for each day that they had explored the Promised Land. Though the nation’s unbelief caused a delay in the promise fulfilled and a testing of faith, Joshua and Caleb not only continued to follow God wholeheartedly, they also stood with fortitude on His word to their forefathers, and received the gift.
Looking at Caleb’s life, God said of him, “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” Numbers 14:24 Some versions said that Caleb had a different attitude. Even at 85 years old, he was steadfast in his unwavering faith in God evidenced in his request, reminding Joshua of God’s promises to him, and to be given one of the most challenging parts of the land to conquer inhabited with giants, “And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. Now give me this mountain region which the LORD spoke of that day. You heard that the people of Anak are still there and that they have large, fortified cities. If the LORD is with me, I can force them out, as He promised.” Joshua 14:10-12
As for Joshua, he had been Moses’ attendant since he was a young man and had even accompanied him on Mt Sinai, the mountain of God. Unlike the majority, Joshua was a man of faith. Exodus 33:11 says, “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle”. He sought the presence of the Lord, seeking to abide with Him. Joshua moved up the ranks in leadership and was a fearless warrior based on faith in God. And because of his loyalty to God, he was chosen to take Moses’ place as leader of the nation, who would guide them into the land of promise while relying on God for the victory. Once the promise was received, Joshua continued as a spiritual guide and leader throughout his days and urged the nation to stay committed to God who had proven Himself faithful. “13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities that you did not build, and now you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ 14 Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” Joshua 24:13-15
Our spiritual foundation makes all the difference and is something we can draw from in challenging situations, whether we are facing giants or are waiting patiently through trials. Israel’s stubborn unbelief not only caused setbacks, it also resulted in a generation that lost out on a wonderful promise. Remembering all that God has done for us and taking Him at His word, while leaning on Him for strength, will help us to remain steadfast through life’s wilderness and disappointments. Through their unwavering faith, Joshua and Caleb remained unshaken and loyal to God, and were richly rewarded in their faithfulness to Him with a fulfilled promise that was passed down to their children and generations to follow.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
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