faith (or lack thereof)
Nov 30th, 2007 by Nathanael
An interesting story is told of the nation of Israel in Numbers chapter 13 and 14. “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel’” (13:1). And so Moses sends twelve men, one chief from each tribe, to spy out the land, to see whether the people who dwelt there were strong or weak, to see if there were only a few of them or it there were many, to see if the land was fruitful or barren, to see if they lived in camps or fortified cities. He instructs them, “Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land” (v. 20).
So the spies go into the land and check it out for forty days. They gather food to bring back. One of the clusters of grapes requires two men to carry it. When they come back to report to Moses and Aaron and to the entire congregation of Israel, they are quite pessimistic in their analysis. They acknowledge that the land was very fruitful, that it “flows with milk and honey” (v. 27). But then they proceed to describe the inhabitants of the land as these unbeatable giants. Caleb interrupts their report and tries to rally the troops by saying, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it” (v. 30). To which the nay-saying spies respond, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are” (v. 31). And the people of Israel believe those spies’ reports, rather than Caleb’s.
In chapter 14, the people rebel and complain against Moses and Aaron and against the LORD. They start to form an alliance against Moses. And Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb try to convince the murmuring people that the LORD was going to give them the land, and that its inhabitants would not be able to stand against them.
The LORD’s anger is kindled by this rebellion of His chosen people. He is prepared to eliminate them. The LORD says to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they” (14:11-12). Moses intercedes on behalf of the people of Israel. He tells the LORD that the Egyptians will hear of it and will blaspheme the LORD. They will say of Him, “It is because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land that He swore to give to them that He has killed them in the wilderness” (v.16).
The LORD pardons the nation of Israel for their rebellion. But He pronounces judgment against them because of it. He tells them they will wander in the wilderness for forty more years, and that the generation of those who rebelled will not see the promised land. Only those who were under twenty years old would be able to enter. The LORD also made an exception for Joshua and for Caleb, the two spies who reported in faith that the LORD would give them the land.
Then an interesting thing happens. The people try to take the land in their own strength. And Moses pleads with them, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed? Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies” (v.41-42). But the people disobey and tried to take the land. “The Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah” (v.45).
There is an interesting parallel in this story to my own life of faith (or lack thereof). In this story, the LORD’s chosen people shied back when He clearly said He would give them the land. They reacted to what they saw with their eyes, even though the LORD told them He was going to give them the land. So often, I respond by what I can see with my eyes, and my faith is weak. Out of fear, I do not step out into the unknown.
And then, when the LORD clearly told them that, due to their unbelief, He was not going to give them the land, they tried to take in their own strength. In my life, how often have I tried to make something happen because that was what I wanted, not caring that the LORD was not with me in the endeavor.
What is necessary is an ear and an eye of faith. My spiritual senses must be tuned into the Spirit, listening to His gentle whisper, seeing the otherwise unseen. O to know the heart of my God!
