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Twelve Spies Survey Canaan
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tempest of rebellious grief: “If the Lord delights in us, then He will
bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk
and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people
of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from
them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
By the promise of God, the land was guaranteed to Israel, but
the false report of the unfaithful spies was accepted. The whole
congregation was deceived. The traitors had done their work. If just
the two men had brought the evil report and the ten had encouraged
them to take the land in the name of the Lord, they still would have
taken the advice of the two over that of the ten, because of their
wicked unbelief.
The cry went up to stone Caleb and Joshua. The insane mob
rushed forward with yells of madness, when suddenly the stones
dropped from their hands, and they shook with fear. God stepped in.
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The glory of His presence, like a flaming light, lit up the tabernacle.
None dared to continue their resistance. The spies who brought the
evil report were terror-stricken, and crouching, they hurried to their
tents.
Moses now rose and entered the tabernacle. The Lord declared
to him, “I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them,
and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
But again Moses pleaded for his people. “I pray, let the power of
my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ‘The Lord is
longsuffering and abundant in mercy.’ ... Pardon the iniquity of this
people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You
have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
The Lord promised to spare Israel from immediate destruction,
but because of their unbelief and lack of bravery He could not use
His power to subdue their enemies, so in His mercy He had them
turn back toward the Red Sea.
In their rebellion the people had exclaimed, “If only we had died
in this wilderness!” Now this prayer would be granted: “Just as you
have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of
you who have complained against me shall fall in this wilderness,
all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number,
from twenty years old and above. ... But your little ones, who you
said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land