When God says it's yours, then the next step is to possess.
Possessing requires education, action and faith. Understanding this, Moses sent out 12 to get educated. The assignment was given to 12. Here is that journey....
THE ASSIGNMENT of the 12
Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.”
In 6 words, the assignment was to " Go and spy out the land."
THE REPORT of 10
We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. 28 But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea[a] and along the Jordan Valley.”
Summary: The land is good but the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. There were even giants. It is too much for us.
THE RESPONSE of the PEOPLE
Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. 3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”
Summary: Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle?
THE REPORT of CALEB
30 But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
THE WORDS of JOSHUA and CALEB
Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. 7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
In 2001, my husband and I named our newborn son Joshua Caleb. We named him Joshua Caleb to continually remind us and him that ...
1. We must possess what the Lord lays out before us to take.
2. There will be giants. Possess and conquer anyway.
3. There will be moments where situations and circumstances seem overwhelming and more than we can handle but if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel and don’t be afraid of the people of the land.
Amen.
