Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
Numbers 13-15
The journeys of Israel took on a more targeted approach to the promised inheritance. The Lord sought to bolster the confidence of the troops by having them see, observe, and even taste of the attractive land ahead. Moses selected some men to explore the land and bring back a report to the people. Evidently Moses selected the men from every tribe as the Lord commanded.
Moses instructed the spies to go to Canaan and learn the layout of the land. He was particularly concerned with the hilly Negev in southern Canaan. He also told them to observe the people of the land to see how many they were and what kind of resistance they might offer. Were the cities walled or unprotected, and was the land fertile? He told them to bring back some samples of the fruit of the land. The Lord’s instructions served both to motivate and to challenge the tribes. The beauty and richness of the land would motivate them to forge ahead, but the strength and magnitude of the opposition they would face would try their faith. But they would need only to remember the ominous shores of the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian army to fortify their hearts.
Upon their arrival at Kadesh,the spies reported that the land was indeed good, and they offered their samples as proof. Their own eyes confirmed the words of the Lord that the land did flow with milk and honey.However, they also spoke of the resistance they would meet if they attacked the land. The people of the land were powerful, living in large spacious cities. The report must have struck paralyzing fear in the tribes that stood and listened. Terror seized their hearts, and Caleb must have immediately sized up the situation. He replied with a swift conclusion without taking the time to build up his case: They should take possession of the land, he said, for we can certainly do it. Caleb’s response was the response of faith. God’s words stirred up his heart in believing faith, and the empirical evidence he had gained by witnessing the land for himself corroborated this conclusion. We can imagine a heated debate took place because faith and fear can never meet together except in antagonism. Now was not the time for brainstorming and “thinking out of the box.” Now was the time for believing faith and action.
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to be a man of faith like Caleb.
- Lord, please help me to be a man who can motivate people past fear to a life of faith.
- Lord, please help me to see your power and purpose instead of the threats and terror of situations and circumstances of life.
Political
- Representative Kara Hope – District 67 – Mason
- Senator Ken Horn – District 32 – Frankenmuth
- Representative Pamela Hornberger – District 32 – Chesterfield Twp