26 "AND they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fenced, and very great; and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. Amalek dwelleth in the land of the south; and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of Jordan. 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. 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. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, which come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
1 "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in the wilderness! And wherefore doth the Lord bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones shall be a prey; were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."
Golden Text.—"Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust." Ps. 40:4.
Special Helps.—"Patriarchs and Prophets," chapter 34, pp. 387-394; article on "How Do You Look upon It?" page 6, this paper.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What is said of the journey of the spies into the land of Canaan? What did they bring back to show to the people? Verse 26. Note 1. (2) What did the spies say of the land and its products? Verse 27. (3) What was the report concerning the people of the land? Verse 28. (4) How were the hostile nations distributed in the land? Verse 29. Note 2. (5) What encouraging report did Caleb give? Verse 30. Note 3. (6) What reply was made by Caleb's companions? Verse 31. (7) How did they contradict their first report concerning the land? What did they then say of all the people? Verse 32. (8) How did the spies compare the giants with the people of Israel? Verse 33. (9) What effect did this report have upon Israel? Ch. 14:1. (10) Against whom did the people murmur? What bitter regret did they express? Verse 2. Note 4. (11) What further lament did they make? What was their query as to the best thing to do? Verse 3. (12) Compare this with their song after passing the red sea. Exodus 15. (13) What proposition did the people finally make? Verse 4 of lesson. Note 5.
NOTES.
1. Israel had encamped at Kadesh, from which point twelve men, a picked man from each tribe, had been sent into Canaan to spy out the land and to bring word again to the people. After a forty days' investigation the spies returned, bringing specimens of the fruits.
2. In every undertaking connected with the work of the Lord there are difficulties. These are God's opportunities for showing us that without Him we can do nothing. And these are our opportunities for gaining great victories in the name of the Lord. They are tests of faith in Him who has all power in heaven and in earth. God does not want us to think we can overcome great obstacles alone, for that is the sure forerunner of defeat.
3. Caleb had seen all that the doubters had seen, the walled cities and the giants, but he saw beyond them the powerful arm of Him who had promised victory and rest to His people. And forty years afterward, when the doubting spies had perished in the wilderness, Caleb was permitted, with his own immediate family and servants, to overcome the dreaded giants and to possess their land about Hebron without other help from Israel. And this because "he had another Spirit with him." Chap. 14: 24. Joshua also, who joined Caleb in the favorable report, was permitted to have a leading part in the final entry and possession of the promised land. Num. 14: 6-9; Joshua 19: 49-51.
4. And the Lord gave them their choice. He let them die in the wilderness. And thousands of professed children of God are making a like choice today. They are, in practical life, choosing Egypt and the world-wilderness rather than to battle for final victory under the banner of "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." And the people of the world are free to make their choice as to whom they will serve. Salvation is freely offered; the invitation is earnestly extended; the love of God has made the necessary sacrifice; "whosoever will" may "take the water of life freely;" but there is no compulsion.
5. The proposition to make another captain was really a compliment to Moses, tho not so intended. Moses had so far proven his loyalty to the cause of freedom, and his faith in the leadership of God, that the rebels knew they could not expect him to lead them back to Egypt. And that is the kind of life every Christian should lead, a life so positive that he will not be deemed available for any sinister purpose. Each one should be able to say, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 14: 30.
