T-82

Yesterday in my study of Numbers 13:30, we had the opportunity to see how a positive attitude affected the way in which a set of circumstances is perceived. We saw that a man who operates on faith can be courageous, faithful, encouraging and optimistic; even when confronted with what appears to be overwhelming adversity.

Today, we continue in the study of Numbers 13:17-33 by covering the last three verses. Our text… Numbers 13:30-33 (NIV)
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
[1]

I have intentionally included v30 again in order to maintain proper contextualization of our concluding verses.

On the heels of Caleb, who spoke optimistically with courage rooted in faith in order to encourage the people of Israel, came ten of the other spies. You may recall that there were in fact twelve spies however, I believe that in this passage Caleb is speaking on behalf of his ‘team’ which included Joshua and himself. Thus in fact we have two ‘encouraging spies’ and ten ‘others’ and it is the words and actions of the ‘others’ that we now examine.

In fact, I see six characteristics of the response of the ‘other’ spies.

First is a pervasive sense of negativism. In as much as Caleb had a positive attitude, the other spies had a negative attitude. Their response to Caleb’s exhortation includes words like “can’t… stronger than we… land devours… great size… we’re as grasshoppers.” These men were clearly intimidated by the people inhabiting the land of Canaan and out of fear for their own safety, saw only obstacles. Though they had seen the fruit of the land and had admitted that the land indeed ‘flows with milk and honey’ these facts were overshadowed by their pervasive sense of negativity. I contend that this poor attitude is a remnant of the fall and a manifestation of the curse.

Second is the manifestation of faithlessness. In as much as Caleb’s positive attitude was rooted in his absolute faith in God, the negative attitude of the nay-sayers is rooted in their lack of faith. It is hard to imagine a people so hard-headed as to witness the release from Egypt and the escapes from death by the power of God and yet to think he would abandon them at the finish line! Yet, that is exactly what their actions indicate. And thousands of years later, we as believers fall into the same trap! How can any informed and faithful Christian have or perpetrate a negative attitude as these men did? The only time we feel intimidated is when we rely on our own power and forget the power of our God!

Third is the commission of sinful behavior (lying). The analysis of the spies that the ‘people are stronger than we are’ was truthful. Though colored by negativity it was nonetheless true. But then they resorted to a fabrication by reporting that ‘the land we explored devours those living in it.’ Scripture tells us nothing of the sort. There is no account of the spies seeing anything that would indicate the land was in any way problematic. To the contrary, they had previously reported that the ‘land flows with milk and honey.’ Where then came this assertion? It was the ‘human’ response to their fear of the people of the land. When they contemplated the thought of attacking these people, fear gripped their hearts. Satan, the prince of lies then preyed upon their faithless spirit and fanned the flames of fear in their heart. The words they then spoke were lies from the pit. From there, it was lie upon lie as they reacted out of fear.

Fourth is the use of manipulation. The spies manipulated the people by ‘spreading among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored.’ They knew that if they stirred up fear among the congregation (intentional representation) they could sway the people to a course of action that was aligned with their own sense of self-preservation. Rather than presenting the facts and allowing the leadership of the people to lead, rather than allowing the people, their own people, to be encouraged by a faithful leader, they resorted to manipulation and in so doing, incited a riot.

Fifth is the employment of hyperbole. In the commission of their sin and to insure the success of their manipulation, they resorted to ‘enflamed rhetoric’ and ‘hyperbole.’ “All the people are of great size… we seemed as grasshopper…” This is a common tool employed by the desperate in order to buttress their position. And again, the believers of today are as likely to resort to hyperbole and rhetoric to advance their own causes as to not. Hyperbole, properly used, has it’s place. But in the hands of someone suffering from a faithless and negative attitude, from the mouth of one who is scared enough to resort to lying and the tactic of manipulation, hyperbole becomes a potent and devastating weapon. And it was as a weapon that these ‘tribal leaders’ used hyperbole.

Sixth is the over-riding sense of presumptuousness. That last verse (V33) reveals a presumptuous spirit among the nay-saying leaders. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes” is not presumptuous, pessimistic yes but not presumptuous. But when they conclude with “and we looked the same to them” the leaders have crossed a line to presume the thoughts of another. Their own bad attitude allowed them to presume the thoughts of another as being known to them. We confront this type of behavior in our own lives. Consider whether you’ve said or heard anything along these lines; “he’ll never change… they won’t approve… she doesn’t care… there’s no way…” All of these and more reveal a presumptuous spirit that removes God from the equation. It causes a person to behave in a predictable manner which often results in the creation of a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy.’ Think of the wife who says of her husband “he’ll never change…” She then alters her behavior in such a way as to isolate and punish her husband who in response entrenches himself even deeper into whatever behavior she decries. If we presume to know the thoughts of another, our behavior will support that position and make it more likely to become true. So it was with the spies, they believed they were ‘as grasshoppers’ so they acted ‘like grasshoppers.’

The people of Israel are God’s Chosen People. He freed them from bondage and led them safely to the edge of the Promised Land. Had they believed in Him and acted in faith, history would be completely different and the world we live in today would be remarkably different. Yet by the pessimistic perspective of the ‘tribal leaders’ they fell into a trap and were snared. I say to you then to learn from this account that a positive attitude rooted in faith is a powerful and potent tool in the world today. Be courageous and do not fear for God is with you. Encourage one another and do not presume to know the heart or mind of another. Be honest in your words and actions and do not manipulate to your own ends. Act as God’s beloved for that is what you are.

Regards,
Carl

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.