13:17-20 Moses decided what information was needed before the people could enter the Promised Land, and he took careful steps to get that information. When you are making decisions or assuming new responsibilities, remember these two important steps. Ask yourself what you need to know about the opportunity, and then obtain that knowledge. Common sense is a valuable aid in accomplishing God’s purposes. See Proverbs 12:15 and 15:22.
13:25-29 God told the Israelites that the Promised Land was rich and fertile. Not only that, he promised that this bountiful land would be theirs. When the spies reported back to Moses, they gave plenty of good reasons for entering the land, but they couldn’t stop focusing on their fear. Talk of giants (children of Anak) and walled cities made it easy to forget about God’s promise to help. When facing a tough decision, don’t let the negatives cause you to lose sight of the positives. Weigh both sides carefully. Don’t let potential difficulties blind you to God’s power to help and his promise to guide.
13:26 Although Kadesh was only an oasis in the wilderness, it was a crossroads in Israel’s history. When the spies returned to Kadesh from scouting the new land, the people had to decide either to enter the land or to retreat. They chose to retreat and were condemned to wander 40 years in the wilderness. It was also at Kadesh that Moses disobeyed God (20:7-12). For this, he, too, was denied entrance into the Promised Land. Aaron and Miriam died there, for they could not enter the new land either. Kadesh was near Canaan’s southern borders, but because of the Israelites’ lack of faith, they needed more than a lifetime to go from Kadesh to the Promised Land.
13:27 The Promised Land, also called the land of Canaan, was indeed bountiful, as the 12 spies discovered. The Bible often calls it the land flowing with milk and honey. Although the land was relatively small—150 miles long and 60 miles wide—its lush hillsides were covered with fig, date, and nut trees. It was the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
13:28 The “children of Anak” were a race of abnormally large people. The family of Goliath may have been descended from these people (see 2 Samuel 21:16-22).
13:28, 29 The fortified cities the spies talked about were surrounded by high walls as much as 20 feet thick and 25 feet tall. Guards were often stationed on top, where there was a commanding view of the countryside. Some of the inhabitants, said the spies, were formidable men—from seven to nine feet tall—so that the Israelites felt like grasshoppers next to them (13:33). The walled cities and the giants struck fear into the hearts of most of the spies.
13:30-32 Imagine standing before a crowd and loudly voicing an unpopular opinion! Caleb was willing to take the unpopular stand to do as God had commanded. To be effective when you go against the crowd, you must (1) have the facts (Caleb had seen the land himself); (2) have the right attitude (Caleb trusted God’s promise to give Israel the land); (3) state clearly what you believe (Caleb said, “We are well able to overcome it”).
13:31, 32 The Israelites didn’t trust God—they believed victory was impossible. In their self-doubt, their decision made sense. But they failed to realize that God doesn’t operate from a human perspective. A promise from God is a sure thing, no matter how unlikely it seems. God’s Word isn’t subject to majority opinion. His truth is set apart from feelings, situations, or opinions. Caleb stood for the truth he knew about God, apart from what he saw. He knew that God’s promises could be depended on. God had said very plainly that he would help the people conquer the Promised Land. But the other spies forgot what they knew about God and made their decision on the basis of what they knew of themselves. Are you willing to stand against the pressure of popular opinion to do what God’s Word says?
13:33–14:4 The negative opinion of 10 men caused a great rebellion among the people. Because it is human nature to accept opinion as fact, we must be especially careful when voicing our negative opinions. What we say may heavily influence the actions of those who trust us to give sound advice.