Numbers 13:26
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 shewed them the fruit of the land.
The verse records the return of the twelve spies, the chosen leaders of the tribes, after forty days of searching Canaan, to Moses and Aaron and all Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran with their word and the fruit of the land. They displayed its abundant produce as proof of its fertility and goodness, an enormous cluster of grapes borne by two men on a staff with figs and pomegranates, and all agreed it was a good and fruitful land flowing with milk and honey. After that agreement most of the spies gave an exaggerated and discouraging report of its peoples, walled cities and dangers that made possessing it seem impossible, while Joshua and Caleb gave a faithful account of its richness and urged the people to go up in the strength of God. That discouragement drove the congregation to unbelief and rebellion in refusing to enter, bringing the judgment of forty years of wandering until the favorable time had passed, a history re-enacted today when God's people draw back from risk, despise faithful counsel, and let confident talk about appearances mislead them to the harm of God's cause.
Return to Kadesh
The twelve spies, chosen leaders of the tribes, came back after forty days of searching Canaan to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, bringing back word to them and to the whole assembly and showing them the fruit of the land. They reported what they had seen on their exploration and laid the evidence before the people.
They displayed the abundant produce as proof of the fertility and goodness of the land. The display included an enormous cluster of grapes so large that two men carried it on a staff, together with figs and pomegranates. All agreed that the land was good, beautiful and fruitful, a land flowing with milk and honey.
The sending of men to search Canaan came from the people themselves, and God permitted it.
Reports and Rebellion
The return brought first an acknowledgment that the land was good, beautiful, fruitful, and flowing with milk and honey, with its fruit displayed as evidence of its fertility. After that acknowledgment, most of the spies gave a discouraging report that dwelt on dangers and obstacles to taking it. That report of the majority was exaggerated and highly colored, emphasizing its people and fortified cities and making it seem impossible for Israel to possess the land.
Two of the twelve, Joshua and Caleb, gave a faithful account of the richness and attractiveness of the land. They reported its fertility truly and encouraged the people to go up and possess it in the strength of God. Their counsel was to advance in God's strength rather than draw back from the difficulties.
The sending of the spies had come from the people themselves, and God permitted it, but their choice became connected with disaster. The exaggerated, discouraging report set the people almost frantic with disappointment. That discouragement led to disobedience, unbelief, and rebellion in refusing to enter the promised land. The rebellion brought the judgment of forty years of wandering and delay before Israel could advance, and when the people afterward tried to enter on their own, the favorable time had passed and they were defeated.
Joshua's part in that faithful return and report helped fit him to lead Israel into the promised land after the death of Moses. To that stand was added his long service as Moses' chief assistant through most of the wilderness wandering. He had seen God's wonderful works through Moses and had come to know the disposition of the people, and together these qualified him for leadership.
Warning for Today
The return of the spies to Moses and Aaron and all Israel carries an application to God's people today, for the same cowardly complaining and drawing back from action when risks must be encountered is re-enacted now. The same unwillingness to heed faithful reports and true counsel as in the days of Caleb and Joshua is re-enacted now. The burden-bearing servants who carry the cause with strict self-denial and privation to help His people are seldom better appreciated now than then. Ancient Israel was repeatedly tested and found wanting, and few received the faithful warnings given them of God.
Darkness and unbelief do not decrease as the time of Christ's second advent nears, truth becomes less palatable to the carnally minded, and hearts are slow to believe and tardy to repent. Long has the Lord borne with His people, forgiven their wanderings, and waited for them to give Him room in their hearts, but false ideas, jealousy, and distrust have crowded Him out. Few professedly of Israel whose minds have been enlightened dare come boldly forward as Caleb did and stand firmly for God and the right. Because those chosen to conduct His work will not be turned from integrity to gratify the selfish and unconsecrated, they become the target for hatred and malicious falsehood. 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.
Confident, highly colored talk about things as they appear misleads hearers. When such discouragement about entering the promised inheritance is reiterated, setting hearers almost frantic with disappointment, it does harm to the cause of God.