Many times God’s promises have conditions of faith, obedience, and waiting. On the way to the land of promise, the Israelites struggled with them all, and we have similar struggles.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” Numbers 13:1-2
So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. The place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. Numbers 13:21-25
Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. Numbers 13:27-28
God had promised Abraham that He would bless Abraham’s descendants, and part of that blessing was for them to enter the Land He had promised them. However, they reached the Promised Land, but they could not take possession of it right away because they struggled to believe and obey God.
The Lord instructed Moses to send a representative from each tribe to bring a report of the land that they were going to go into. Moses gave them specific instructions as to what they should look for when they go out to spy out the land.
Interestingly, the spies remained in the Canaan region for forty days and found an abundance of food, which they lacked during their time in the desert. When they came back from Canaan, they confirmed that the land was plentiful and brought a cluster of grapes carried by two people on a poll. You would think this would be a time of celebration of what they were about to receive since God had promised it to them, but for the majority of the spies that was not the case.
We enjoy hearing and reading God’s promises in His word, and we like spending time around other Christians worshipping and praising God for what He has done in our lives. However, sometimes God’s promises seem too far-reaching for His children. They may stay in the vicinity of the promises but, somehow, not able to take possession of them.
People’s current circumstances can be colored by past experiences. The disappointments of the past have a way of dimming the hope for change. Many want to see God’s promises fulfilled in their lives, but they don’t know how to overcome their feelings of uncertainty. They end up protecting themselves from not getting disappointed again. The Israelites came so close to the promise, but they questioned their ability to overtake Canaan and reach the land of promise.
Are you afraid to believe God’s promises? Do you feel that you don’t have what it takes to move forward in what the Lord has shown you? You are not alone. Many people experience those feelings of uncertainty when it comes to moving forward with what the Lord has spoken. The good news is that the Lord is faithful, and He doesn’t give up on His promises.
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
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