King James Version

The Book of Numbers

Chapter 13

Commentary

Numbers 13

      There was another great disturbance in the camp. It seems to me like every sense Moses went up into the mountain to receive of the Lord our great Law, the time that the People cast an image of molten gold, when they got up early to play, that these People have reveled, reviled, and complained and moaned and belly ached over nearly the simplest things. They murmured all the way out of their bondage, even on the way to the Land of Plenty. Every little thing was to them a cause for complaint…even the blessings directly did they rebuke!

   Now the 12 spies have returned from their mission with tidings. Some were not of a good report. In fact, ALL but 2 reported that the land cannot be claimed for thus and thus reason. Notice that all of the things that God did promise the Land to be were so. Notice that the spies each brought back samples of great benefit from the land. These things that they returned with were that one and same as that which God had promised even unto their forefather’s centuries before. These are the very things that the People did complain about.

   The hearts of the battalions of the 12 spies were diseased in their minds and gripped by fear. After all that the Lord had done before them for the entire world to know that He is Lord and God of all; He did it all for me. He did it all for you. Just as He did for this people, He will do for us today. How quickly we forget what has been done while facing something that has not yet been done. This fear has trust issues. This fear has doubt all over it. This fear is evident that the hearts of the People are far from God.

Num 13:30

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.

(KJV)

Because Caleb did need to "still the People" it is clear that the report from ten of these twelve spies thus far is not faring well with the People. Caleb needed to calm the crowd. Think on this for only a moment.

Num 12:16

16        And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

(KJV)

In only the length of time it took to travel from Hazeroth to the wilderness of Paran, the People's hearts regressed back to their common rebellious behaviors. Caleb now offers the benefit of immediate action. He believes that as God is their Great Deliverer and Provider, He will also be the God of Great Reward. He now offers the legendary Promise Land!

Num 13:33

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.

(KJV)

Ten of the twelve spies, each with a full troop, had outright contradicted the evidence of the Great Land that they hold in their hands, and on their shoulders, and throughout their cargo wagons. These ten, in the hype of the tumult, became blind of the facts and were haunted immediately by doubt and rebellion.

In verse 32 the ill report included a report of "is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof." These pessimistic spies are saying that the land is dangerous, even perilous. These guys well know what perilous truly is by now. They ought to also know what it means to be given the impossible, and by impossible means.

It does seem to me that this strong doubt was kindled from the spark of fear that must have been born in the hearts of those who did focus on the obstacles more than on the goal. In this case, the People ought to have simple asked God, “shall we go up to possess the land, or not?” The Lord would then have directed the course of the People, no matter what the report of the ten negative spies may entail.

They needed only to cross a "parting of the Red Sea" amidst all of the other supernatural phenomena. They needed only receive. Maybe someday these, the Great People, will be in alignment with Gods will just long enough to enter into thereon the Land of Promise. I pray that they may more strongly and sincerely devote to God when they are settled into the Land of which they trudged for generations to reach onto and dwell.

I pray that we, to, can come to a place in our life where we will not exercise discontentment for all that God has at hand for us. I pray that we may settle and devote to worship of Him. I pray in Jesus' Name, amen.

Introduction

 Numbers 12     Journey Through the Bible     Numbers 14