Faith

Moses sent twelve spies into the land that God had promised to the children of Israel. He had instructed these men to observe the people, the land, and the cities. The spies returned after forty days. In their hands, they carried clusters of grapes, pomegranates, and figs. The people were encouraged!

Joshua and Caleb were excited about the land. They were ready to go in! The other spies, however, were dismayed by the size of the people and the fortification of the cities. They were afraid.

In studying this account, it would almost seem as if Joshua and Caleb saw a different land than the other spies. Yet, they saw the same people: giants of Anak, Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, and Canaanites. The twelve all observed the same fortifications. They all partook of the abundant bounty.

There was no difference in what they saw but in how they saw. The difference was in their perspective. Joshua and Caleb saw the land that God wasgiving to them. With such a perspective, the cities and the people were incidental. The other spies, however, saw a land to conquer, so the fruit of the land was incidental.

Caleb’s sight came from his spirit. His spirit fully followed the Lord, and because of that, he knew the power of God. He believed the wonders he saw God do. He feared the wrath of God that he saw demonstrated against the rebels.

God makes us promises every day. Sometimes we receive a glimpse of what He has in store for the future. How do we observe what is promised? Do we measure the promise by the promise of God or by the obstacles to that promise?

Caleb knew that God’s promises are absolute certainties. The obstacles are God’s to deal with. Oh, that believers would learn well from the attitude of Caleb. “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'” (Numbers 14:8).