February 14, 2026 - Numbers 13-16

With chapter 13, the story brings us to the sending of the spies into Canaan.  At the command of the Lord, “Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, ‘Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes” (13:17-20).  That is, “Go check it out!  See if it’s worth fighting for.”  Of course, the Lord already knew the answer, and he also knew that he would make good on his promise to give the land to Israel.  The spies (except Joshua and Caleb, of course) were afraid of the people of the land and did not trust the Lord.  We know how the story finishes.  Of the twelves spies, only the faithful, trusting Joshua and Caleb got to go into the Promised Land.  Joshua and Caleb trusted God, they knew the land was theirs, they knew that, one day, they would look back and say, “See what the Lord has done!”  Oh, to trust God always and to walk in the confidence of his faithfulness!  Now, that’s living! And, oh, one day to sing:

No wishful glances now I cast

Tow’rd Canaan’s happy shore,

For I have reached that land of rest,

To wander never more.

I’m over in the Promised Land,

And marching on with Joshua’s band;

My life is hid with Christ in God,

I’m sanctified, O praise the Lord!   --Arthur F. Ingler (1900)