The Pentateuch Numbers

Scouting Out Canaan

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Day 80 of 730
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INTRO

We’ve made it through 80 days!

TEACHING

Numbers 12:1–3: Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses regarding who he married. This is the only time mentioned in the Bible that Miriam fell. They asked why God only spoke through Moses. They questioned Moses’ leadership and God heard! Moses was the humblest man on earth.

Numbers 12:4–14: God called Moses, Aaron, and Miriam out to the tent of the meeting. Miriam suddenly had leprosy. Moses pleaded to God on behalf of Miriam. Miriam was confined outside of camp for seven days.

Numbers 13:1–15: God instructed Moses to send one man from each tribe to scout Canaan. Twelve scouts were sent. Deuteronomy 1:21 records the scouts were not to be afraid or discouraged. Moses chose the scouts—the able bodied, athletic men, the Navy Seals:

  1. Shammua, Tribe of Reuben
  2. Shaphat, Tribe of Simeon
  3. Caleb, Tribe of Judah
  4. Igal, Tribe of Issachar
  5. Hoshea, Tribe of Ephraim
  6. Palti, Tribe of Benjamin
  7. Gaddiel, Tribe of Zebulun
  8. Gaddi, Tribe of Manasseh
  9. Ammiel, Tribe of Dan
  10. Sethur, Tribe of Asher
  11. Nahbi, Tribe of Naphtali
  12. Geuel, Tribe of Gad

Numbers 13:16–20: Moses renamed Hoshea, “Joshua.” Hoshea means “desire for salvation.” Joshua means “the Lord saves, He is salvation.” Joshua and Jesus become two forms of the same name. Nelson’s commentarysays Moses changed Hoshea’s name to Joshua to symbolize the act of ritual adoption.1

Moses told the scouts where to go. They were to check out the land and the people, describing what they were like. Few or many? Strong or weak? Is the land good or bad? Cities? Encampments or fortifications? Trees, no trees? Fruit, no fruit? They were to be courageous and bring back some fruit.

Numbers 13:21–22: They scouted the Wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entry of Hamath, 87 miles total. Through Negev to Hebron (the place to be!), which was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. Abraham built an altar there (Genesis 13:18). Abraham and Isaac were buried there (Genesis 49:31). David’s capital was there (2 Samuel 2:11). Caleb’s inheritance was there (Joshua 14:13).

Numbers 13:23–25: At the Valley of Eshcol, the spies cut down a single cluster of grapes and put it on a pole. This picture is actually the Israeli Ministry of Tourism’s logo. Two men carried the grapes on a pole. They also collected pomegranates and figs. Eshcol was named because of the grapes cut there. The scouts returned after 40 days.

Numbers 13:26–27: Reporting Back: A Fruit Report: They showed them the fruit to prove that indeed, it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Many times, this had been talked about:

Exodus 3:8: Fruit and enemies

Exodus 3:17: Out of affliction to land of milk and honey

Exodus 13:5: I am going to give it to you

Exodus 33:3: Go to the land of milk and honey

Enemies were mentioned each time. God always prepares us for what is ahead.

Numbers 13:28–29: A Fear Report: The cities were large and fortified and the people were strong. The descendants of Anak were there! They were big, tall warriors. Also, the Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, and, oh yeah, the Canaanites were there.

Numbers 13:30–33: Caleb stood and quieted the people. He said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it.” Caleb was saying he believed this could happen and the land could be theirs. The ten spies did not believe this because the men of Canaan appeared stronger. They had no faith.

They gave a negative report—a fear report. They repeated that the men were huge. The Anak were descendants of Nephilim. The Nephilim were there! Again, their report was, “We seemed like grasshoppers.”

CLOSING

If God promises us something, He’s going to allow it to come to fruition! When you look at your scouting, which way do you report? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” We have a promise and power, love, and a sound mind from God. Does it matter who is against us? This is how we combat fear.

Kadesh-barnea was the place known for the scouting report. It was base camp for the spies before getting ready to go into the land. Kadesh was also the place of Korah’s rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16). Miriam is buried here (Numbers 20:1). Moses dishonored God by striking the rock (Numbers 20:8–12). It seems like a place of rebellion and resistance, and yet God promised fruit over and over again.

Wiersbe says, “A faith that cannot be tested, cannot be trusted.”2God tests our faith to help us make sure its genuine, and that it helps us grow (1 Peter 1:1-9). A tested faith makes us become more like Him. God tells us to cross the sea, to take the land, because it’s ours, but it requires radical faith!

Romans 4:21: “Because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”

Hebrews 11:6: “Now without faith it is impossible to please God.”

At this point, we know that at least ten of the men said, “No way, it can’t be done.” But Caleb stood up and declared the Israelites could take the land. The scouting report had nothing to do with the scouting, but it had everything to do with whether or not the Israelites had faith that God would keep His promise.

  1. Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds., The Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1997) p. 252.

  2. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Genesis–Deuteronomy (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2001), p. 333.

Questions

  1. In Numbers 12:1–2, Aaron and Miriam spoke against their brother Moses. (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15) What comparison did the Lord make between Moses and other prophets in Numbers 12:6–8?
  2. The Lord said in Numbers 12:7 that Moses was faithful in all God’s household. This was later quoted in Hebrews 3:2. In Hebrews 3:1–6, what two people were being compared? What were their relationships to God? (Hebrews 3:5–6)
  3. Moses was a type of Christ, pointing to one greater than him. (Numbers 12:7; Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 7:37) The people did not listen to Moses very well, often complaining and speaking against him. According to Deuteronomy 18:15, were they instructed to listen to the promised prophet? Read Acts 3:22–23. What will happen to those who will not listen or heed the word of the coming prophet, which is Christ?
  4. In Numbers 13:2, a leader of each tribe was sent as spies into the Promised Land to bring back a report. The majority gave a bad report (Numbers 13:32), and its effect on the people was fear (Numbers 14:1–3). Why do you think they chose to believe they were like grasshoppers rather than what God had promised? (Genesis 17:8; 35:12; Exodus 6:8; Numbers 13:2) What does this tell you about the responsibility on leaders to filter what they see and hear through God’s promises and His Word? (2 Corinthians 1:20; 5:7) Can you think of a time when you have listened to a “bad report”? How did that work out for you?
  5. Caleb, son of Jephunneh, stood up against the bad reports given by the other spies, speaking faith and victory. Have you ever stood against the majority for what you believe, relying on God’s promises rather than reacting to fear of man?
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Numbers 12-13 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Numbers 13:30-31

“Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, ‘We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!’ But the men who had gone up with him responded, ‘We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!’”

God commanded Moses to send twelve men to scout out the land of Canaan. After forty days, they returned to the Israelites with two differ- ent reports. The majority of the scouts came back fearful, intimidated, and with negative attitudes about going into the land. But Caleb spoke up, full of faith, believing they could certainly conquer the land.

Whenever the Lord leads you into new situations, you can choose to respond with a negative or positive attitude. You can choose to fear or have faith. You can choose to believe you are defeated before it even begins, or you can choose to believe you are a conqueror in all situations. With God by your side and the power of the Holy Spirit within you, you have all you need for seemingly impossible situations. Remember, with God, all things are possible. God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love, and sound judgment. Walk in these promises today as the Lord leads you to new adventures!

“Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!’”

— Numbers 13:30–31

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Luke 1:37 — “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
  • Romans 8:37 — “No, n all these things we are more than victorious
    through Him who loved us.”
  • 2 Timothy 1:7 — “For God has not given us a spirit[a] of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”