The ten spies sped past the good news about the fruit and the land, but they landed hard on those giants. They were – ugh, GIANTS. They couldn’t see anything else – not the land’s bounty, the fruit they brought back, not the fact that God was currently providing manna and quails, the pillar of fire at night and cloud pillar during the day as a GPS for all. They didn’t recall how God had provided water out of a rock or how they walked on the dry sea floor between the walled waters of the Red Sea. All they could see were the giants.
That’s something when you consider all God had done and was doing for them as they spoke those words. Nothing else mattered to them other than the fact that there were giants in the land and that they felt like grasshoppers in comparison. They brushed aside all the encouragement God allowed them to experience during their 40-day trek.
The 10 spies and the captive audience of Israelites refused to receive Joshua and Caleb’s confident, faith-filled words because of those giants. How sad. God had already shown His hand so much, yet that one thing, the giants, stopped them dead in their tracks. They’d been through so much and had come so far from the days of rejoicing over being delivered from Egypt. They ended up dying in the wilderness because they refused to embrace what God could strengthen them to do.
God had positioned Israel to get the land. Yes, they’d have to confront giants, but God had already told them this was their promise. Don’t allow the enemy to talk you out of what God has promised you! So what if you have to deal with some giants.
Look at all the other things you had to deal with, and God was with you. You mean to tell me He won’t be with you now? If God has giants in your path, He also has a remedy, but you have to face them, not run from them!
Lord, help us to remember all You’ve done and are presently doing when we come across giants in the place You said is ours.
30 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.31 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.32 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.33 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. Numbers 13:30-33
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. Numbers 14:22-24 26And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. Numbers 14:26-38
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)