Numbers 13:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” . . .
21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” . . .
Numbers 14:1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. . . .
22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.
26 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
I. The Ten
Canaan's cluster
Eschol's vine
From ev'ry tribe
Men sent to spy
To ten wise
Fanciful flight
Looking at the seen
Cities fortified
Hearts gone awry
Grumbling and sighs:
"O! Would to God
that we had died!"
"Back to Egypt!"
The faithless cry
Murmured in their tents
Put God to the test
Forgot His wondrous works
Their hearts were not steadfast
Lived and sowed to the flesh
Reaped forty years' wilderness
"They shall not enter My rest
due to disobedience."
II. The Two
Canaan's cluster
Eschol's vine
From ev'ry tribe
Men sent to spy
To two babes
Purest delight
Believing remnant
The different spirit
With pilgrim's eyes
Pressed on for the prize
The upward call
In Jesus Christ
By faith looked to the unseen
Against hope, in hope believed
Embraced His sure promises
Saw God who is invisible
Affections raised
Perfected praise
In mouths of sucklings
Holy tribute rings –
Loud Hosannas
To the Son of David
Tasting and seeing
Gladdening wellspring
Supping with Christ
The King of kings!
Today if God's voice you do hear
Follow Him fully with godly fear
By the off'ring of Jesus Christ
Come boldly to the throne of grace
In full assurance, to your God draw near
Enter the Holiest, enjoy Him there!
Matthew 21:14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
they were indignant, and they said to him,
16 “Do you hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared,
“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding
and revealed them to little children;
26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Mark 10:15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”
Related:
- The Father's Inheritance (Eleven days' journey ~ A lamentation & an exhortation)
- Written for our example
- Phebe Bartlet – a child put in our midst ~ "Do you love Me?"
- Lenten Reflections: Palm Sunday ~ celebration or indignation?
- postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck? (considering the glorious possibilities)
- John 3:36a Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life (letter 64 on assurance & joy)
- "give me also springs of water" - Will you be an Achsah? (letter 66 on assurance & fighting for joy)
- You whine and complain (Letter 70 on assurance & fighting for joy)
- Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman?
- In hope against hope believe, Blessed are all who believe
- Advent # 5 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might draw near to God | Even a Vapor
- five years ago ~ for your joy (AND an inheritance | Richard Sibbes & the Sealing of the Spirit)
Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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