turned and went up into the mountain,
and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and
searched it out (Deuteronomy 1:22–24).
Moses expected those spies to return with a
strategy on how to possess the land, but that is
not what happened. Instead, 10 of the 12 spies
returned with a negative report.
Moses went on to say, And they took of the
fruit of the land in their hands, and brought
it down unto us, and brought us word again,
and said, It is a good land which the LORD
our God doth give us. Notwithstanding ye
would not go up, but rebelled against the
commandment of the LORD your God:
And ye murmured in your tents, and said,
Because the LORD hated us, he hath
brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to
deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to
destroy us (Deuteronomy 1:25–27).
When you murmur and complain about a
plan of God, you become a rebel and not a
team player. God hears everything you say,
even when it is in the privacy of your own
home.
Because of the negative report from 10 of
the spies, Moses had a battle on his hands to
get the people to focus on God’s promises.
The people were more concerned about what
the spies had said rather than what God had
said; and they replied to Moses, Whither shall
we go up? our brethren have discouraged
our heart, saying, The people is greater
and taller than we; the cities are great and
walled up to heaven; and moreover we
we are a positive influence to God’s team and
that we stay in harmony with God’s divine
will. A negative attitude can cause great harm
in the work of the Lord; so it is important
to fast, pray and look to the Lord for divine
direction before speaking any opinions.
God wants everyone on His team to be positive
team players and work together in the
unity of the Spirit. That is the only way we
will be able to defeat the devil. We may not
fully understand God’s plan or know how we
are going to accomplish it; but if we keep our
eyes on Jesus, we will win every time.
God’s Plan Requires Obedience
When God brought the entire Israelite nation
out of Egyptian bondage, His plan was for the
people to possess the land He had promised to
Abraham hundreds of years earlier. That plan
was already in place, and all the Israelite people
had to do was follow it. It seemed pretty
simple, but some of the Israelites didn’t trust
God’s plan; and they discouraged others with
their negative attitudes.
Moses did what God had commanded him
to do, but he couldn’t force the people to
obey. Each person had free will to cooperate
or resist God’s plan; so Moses told the people,
Ye are come unto the mountain of the
Amorites, which the LORD our God doth
give unto us. Behold, the LORD thy God
hath set the land before thee: go up and
possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers
hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be
discouraged (Deuteronomy 1:20,21). Moses
reminded the people of God’s promises and
urged them not to give in to fear and discouragement.
The Twelve Spies
Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land. And
ye came near unto me Moses every one of
you, and said, We will send men before us,
and they shall search us out the land, and
bring us word again by what way we must
go up, and into what cities we shall come.
And the saying pleased me well: and I took
twelve men of you, one of a tribe: And they
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