The Spies

Introduction: The Israelites stayed at the mountain for one year receiving instruction concerning the Tabernacle and living holy, then God guided them until they came near the promised land. The LORD said to Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the

Israelites. So Moses said to them, "Go up through the land. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some fruit of the land." So they went up and explored the land. In one valley, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that two of them carried on a pole between them. At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land and came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community in the desert. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of the giant Anak there. Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land,

for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled

against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as captives. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua and

Caleb who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 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. Only do not rebel against the LORD. " But the whole assembly talked about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down and I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." But Moses said to the LORD, " If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, `16The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'17"Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, for the LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now." The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them as you asked. Nevertheless, not one of the men who saw my

glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert will enter the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. As for their children whom they said would be taken as captives, I will bring their children to enjoy the land they have rejected. But first for forty years--one year for each of the forty days they explored the land their children will suffer in the desert because of their parent’s sins. Only Caleb and Joshua will enter the land.