Caleb and the crowd (Numbers 13)

‘What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us’ (Tozer).

In this morning’s reading we see Caleb and the crowd.  Caleb and the crowd have experienced the power of the same God and are presented with the same blessings and challenges.  Yet they choose to act in very different ways.  Caleb says, ‘we can take the land.’  The crowd say, ‘no we can’t.’  I think that the differences in their two responses is shaped by what comes into their mind when they think about God.

1.       Caleb and the crowd see the same God in action

At this stage in the Bible’s story God’s people are the wilderness and they are being invited to enter the Promised Land.  These people have witnesses God rescue them from slavery in Egypt through the Passover and the Red Sea.  They have been led by the cloud and the fire going before them.  They have been fed manna and quail.  They have the tabernacle in the centre of their camp reminding them of God’s presence.

They can have no doubt about the reality of God, His desire to rescue them, His presence with them and His ability to save them.  Now God calls them to send twelve spies into the Promised Land.  Why does He do that?  Why doesn’t He just lead them straight in?  I think He wants to show them the blessings and challenges and let them see if they are willing to follow Him.

One commentator points out that while the spies went through the whole land, they focused especially on the area around Hebron.  Why is that important?  Hebron was where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried.  They are being reminded that God had promised this land to their forefathers hundreds of years earlier.  Surely, they can trust God to be faithful to His promises?

It is the same for us.  As the risen Jesus commissioned the disciples to go into all the nations He accompanied His commission with a promise: ‘and I will be with you to the very end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20).

Sophie was finding it hard as a young Christian.  Her father was not impressed with her new faith.  He was suggesting that he was losing her and that she was involved in a cult.  She needed to be remined that God was faithful and that He is with her.  She faced into a hard week, after having a hard week, encouraged that Jesus goes with her.

2.      Caleb and the crowd see the same blessings and challenges

What did the spies find in the Promised Land?

They came back with a cluster of grapes that so bountiful that it took two men with a pole to carry it.  They saw that they land was flowing with milk and honey.  But they also saw that the cities were fortified, the people were strong and they claimed that the land devours its inhabitants.  They seem to be exaggerating the dangers—claiming that they were like grasshoppers before the descendants of Anak and the land devouring people!  Fear exaggerates.  It is called catastrophic thinking.

Just like us they are being presented with blessings and challenges.  The Christian life is so blessed, but it is not always easy!  How wonderful to live with the promise that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  How wonderful to experience eternal life—which Jesus defines as knowing God, and Jesus Christ who He sent.  How special to know that the God of the universe hears are prayers and is with us.  Yet Jesus promises rejection and trials.  Follow Jesus and you will be the special focus of the tempter’s attacks (but God promised that you will not be tempted beyond what you can bear and that He will always provide a way out of the temptation).  Follow Jesus and even those who love you may take offense.  Do you think it is worth trusting Him?

3.      Caleb and the crowd have a very different view of God

Given that they have seen the same signs of God, and that they are presented with the same blessings and challenges, why do Caleb and the crowd make such different choices about how to act?  Why does Caleb (and Joshua) say ‘let’s take the land’ and the crowd say, ‘no way’?  The answer seems to be to do with their different perceptions of the character of God.  The crowd say, ‘Why is the LORD bringing us into the land, to fall by the sword?’ (14:3).  Despite all that God has done for them, they simply do not trust Him!  Look at how God sees it, the Lord said to Moses, ‘how long will this people despise me?’ (14:11).  On the other hand, Caleb (and Joshua), ‘the land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.  If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into the land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and hungry’ (14:7-8).  ‘And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him’ (Hebrews 11:6).

Conclusion

This week, as we seek to follow Jesus, we will be faced with both blessings and challenges.  The question is will we respond in obedience.  The response to that question is largely depended on our view of God.  A Lebanese pastor was talking about the food ministry that he was running during the Israel war on his country.  This is what he said, ‘we see that God will never abandon us.’  That is the vision of God that prompts people to act.

So, hold the crucified and risen Jesus before your eyes.  See that love upon His face as He takes your sin upon His shoulders.  Hear His promise to be with you to the end of the age.  He reveals the heart of our God who is slow to anger and abounding in love, forgiving in iniquity and transgression, yet he will judge those who refuse to turn to him and be delighted in his love.