And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
The twelve men sent to explore Canaan traveled from its southern border to its northern extremity and returned after forty days to report to Moses, Aaron and the congregation. They brought grapes, figs and pomegranates as proof of its fertility, and all agreed the land itself was rich and good. Ten of them then discouraged Israel by dwelling on its strong inhabitants, fortified cities and giants, and their unbelieving report brought judgment to turn back and wander forty years until the murmurers died. Joshua was one of the two who faithfully urged possession in reliance on God's strength, and his faithfulness on this search with what he had seen of God's works qualified him to lead Israel after Moses died. That return stands as a warning for today, when cowardly complaining, exaggerated discouraging talk, and rejection of faithful counsel are re-enacted, while few like Caleb dare stand firmly for God against rebellion.
The Forty-Day Search
The twelve men sent to explore Canaan returned after forty days of searching the land. In that time they had traveled through the land from its southern border to its northern extremity. They came before Moses, Aaron, and the congregation of Israel to give their report.
They brought back fruit as evidence that the land was fertile and rich, and the people eagerly awaited what they would say. The evidence included grapes, figs, and pomegranates showing the land's abundance. All the spies agreed that the land itself was good.
Report and Judgment
The twelve agreed that the land itself was good, yet ten of them discouraged Israel from trying to possess it by dwelling on its strong inhabitants, its fortified cities, and the descendants of Anak, and by doubting that Israel could overcome them. Their return with that report became the occasion for Israel's unbelief and cowardly rebellion. The resulting judgment condemned Israel to turn back into the wilderness and to wander forty years until the persistent murmurers died, a forty-year delay before entering the promised land.
When the people afterward tried to enter, the favorable time had passed and their enemies were prepared. They were warned that the Lord was not with them, and going up presumptuously they were defeated. Joshua was one of the two spies who faithfully reported the land's richness and attractions and urged Israel to go up and possess it in reliance on God's strength. His having seen God's wonderful works by Moses, his knowledge of the people's disposition in the wilderness wandering, and his faithfulness on this search qualified him to lead Israel into Canaan after the death of Moses.
Warning for Today
The history opened by the return after forty days applies to God's people today. The cowardly complaining and drawing back from action when risks must be encountered, and the unwillingness to heed faithful reports and true counsel seen in the days of Caleb and Joshua, are re-enacted now. Ancient Israel was repeatedly tested and found wanting, with few receiving the faithful warnings given by God, and darkness and unbelief do not decrease as the time of the second advent nears. Truth becomes less palatable to the carnally minded, whose hearts are slow to believe and tardy to repent.
The servants of God who bear the burden of His cause, practicing strict self-denial and suffering privation to help His people, are seldom better appreciated now than then. Long He has borne with His people, forgiving their wanderings and waiting for room in their hearts, but false ideas, jealousy, and distrust crowd Him out. Few enlightened by divine wisdom dare come boldly forward as Caleb did and stand firmly for God and the right. Because those chosen to conduct His work will not turn from integrity to gratify the selfish and unconsecrated, they become the target for hatred and malicious falsehood, while Satan is wide awake and working warily in these last days and God calls for men of spiritual nerve and stamina to resist his artifices.
The return of the unfaithful spies with exaggerated, discouraging reports that set the people almost frantic with disappointment shows viewing things in a highly colored light, with imagination coloring statements, without faith to take hold of the work and without spiritual eyesight to discern spiritual things. It shows telling matters as they appear to natural sight and misleading hearers by confident assertions, so that discouraging talk repeated among God's people harms His cause and blocks the work He has established. The return from searching the land was an outbreak of rebellion marked by a loud, boisterous voice and human prejudice, by men destitute of the divine nature and the Spirit and grace of God, while Caleb and Joshua stand in contrast as the faithful influence that should be exerted to reprove evil, unprincipled actions and turn the whole current of evil. The same manifestation appears in modern Israel when council meetings, board meetings, and auditing committees settle accounts with ministers in injustice, prejudice, criticism, and silence that encourages evil to swell, requiring responsible men to speak and act.
The twelve men sent to explore Canaan traveled from its southern border to its northern extremity and returned after forty days to report to Moses, Aaron and the congregation. They brought grapes, figs and pomegranates as proof of its fertility, and all agreed the land itself was rich and good. Ten of them then discouraged Israel by dwelling on its strong inhabitants, fortified cities and giants, and their unbelieving report brought judgment to turn back and wander forty years until the murmurers died. Joshua was one of the two who faithfully urged possession in reliance on God's strength, and his faithfulness on this search with what he had seen of God's works qualified him to lead Israel after Moses died. That return stands as a warning for today, when cowardly complaining, exaggerated discouraging talk, and rejection of faithful counsel are re-enacted, while few like Caleb dare stand firmly for God against rebellion.
The Forty-Day Search
The twelve men sent to explore Canaan returned after forty days of searching the land. In that time they had traveled through the land from its southern border to its northern extremity. They came before Moses, Aaron, and the congregation of Israel to give their report.
They brought back fruit as evidence that the land was fertile and rich, and the people eagerly awaited what they would say. The evidence included grapes, figs, and pomegranates showing the land's abundance. All the spies agreed that the land itself was good.
Report and Judgment
The twelve agreed that the land itself was good, yet ten of them discouraged Israel from trying to possess it by dwelling on its strong inhabitants, its fortified cities, and the descendants of Anak, and by doubting that Israel could overcome them. Their return with that report became the occasion for Israel's unbelief and cowardly rebellion. The resulting judgment condemned Israel to turn back into the wilderness and to wander forty years until the persistent murmurers died, a forty-year delay before entering the promised land.
When the people afterward tried to enter, the favorable time had passed and their enemies were prepared. They were warned that the Lord was not with them, and going up presumptuously they were defeated. Joshua was one of the two spies who faithfully reported the land's richness and attractions and urged Israel to go up and possess it in reliance on God's strength. His having seen God's wonderful works by Moses, his knowledge of the people's disposition in the wilderness wandering, and his faithfulness on this search qualified him to lead Israel into Canaan after the death of Moses.
Warning for Today
The history opened by the return after forty days applies to God's people today. The cowardly complaining and drawing back from action when risks must be encountered, and the unwillingness to heed faithful reports and true counsel seen in the days of Caleb and Joshua, are re-enacted now. Ancient Israel was repeatedly tested and found wanting, with few receiving the faithful warnings given by God, and darkness and unbelief do not decrease as the time of the second advent nears. Truth becomes less palatable to the carnally minded, whose hearts are slow to believe and tardy to repent.
The servants of God who bear the burden of His cause, practicing strict self-denial and suffering privation to help His people, are seldom better appreciated now than then. Long He has borne with His people, forgiving their wanderings and waiting for room in their hearts, but false ideas, jealousy, and distrust crowd Him out. Few enlightened by divine wisdom dare come boldly forward as Caleb did and stand firmly for God and the right. Because those chosen to conduct His work will not turn from integrity to gratify the selfish and unconsecrated, they become the target for hatred and malicious falsehood, while Satan is wide awake and working warily in these last days and God calls for men of spiritual nerve and stamina to resist his artifices.
The return of the unfaithful spies with exaggerated, discouraging reports that set the people almost frantic with disappointment shows viewing things in a highly colored light, with imagination coloring statements, without faith to take hold of the work and without spiritual eyesight to discern spiritual things. It shows telling matters as they appear to natural sight and misleading hearers by confident assertions, so that discouraging talk repeated among God's people harms His cause and blocks the work He has established. The return from searching the land was an outbreak of rebellion marked by a loud, boisterous voice and human prejudice, by men destitute of the divine nature and the Spirit and grace of God, while Caleb and Joshua stand in contrast as the faithful influence that should be exerted to reprove evil, unprincipled actions and turn the whole current of evil. The same manifestation appears in modern Israel when council meetings, board meetings, and auditing committees settle accounts with ministers in injustice, prejudice, criticism, and silence that encourages evil to swell, requiring responsible men to speak and act.