The Spies Sent Forth
•’ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
‘’ Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel; of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
“And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord, sent them from the wilderness of Paran; all those men were heads of the childx’en of Israel.”
The Israelites are still at Rithmah, on the borders of Canaan, in that part which was afterwards allotted to Judah for his inheritance. Let us now more closely consider the events that occurred there, which are of ^reat importance, and to which the Holy Scriptures frequently refer, and hold them up as a warnint example to every future age.
It was then thought proper to send forth twelve spies, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, who were enjoined to search out the land, and then ofive an exact account of its nature, soil, fruitfulness, the state of its towns and villages and their inhabitants, as well as to bring specimens of the fruits of the country. According to Deut. i. 22, this idea proceeded from the people themselves, but according to Numb. xiii. 1, 2, the Lord commanded it to be done. In the thing itself, therefore, both were unanimous. The plan was very rational, and duly considered. Even as there are people, who expect to accomplish every thing by means of reason and reflection — so there are others, who are immediately ready with their censures, when mention is made of employing reason. Both are equally blameable. Why should not every thing be maturely considered, and wherefore may not this be done in a devout and acceptable manner? It was very rational and advisable, that Moses urgently besought Hobab his brother-in-law, although he was an Ethiopian, to travel with them through the desert, with which he was well acquainted, although the pillar of cloud sufficiently pointed out the way. And in like manner, it was acting very wisely to send spies into the land.
It has cost me a little effort to refrain from giving the meaning of the names of the twelve spies, after having given that of the names of the twelve captains of the host. However, I relinquished this the more willingly, since although their names had mostly pleasing significations, yet those who bore them were bad people, as, besides this, they filled high offices, they were so much the more dangerous, the greater was the confidence which was placed in them. Nor must we be concerned, because there are and have been names of eminence amongst the enemies of the truth, and that on the whole, the higher ranks are at the same time the most dissolute. This is certainly a heavy judgment. When professors, teachers, and preachers are opposed to the truth, things look desperate; but this, alas! is nothing uncommon. Two names, however, I must mention, because they make an honourable exception, and are the only ones of all the six hundred thousand which came out of Egypt, who reached Canaan. One of them was called Caleb, or “good heart” and certainly nothing that is evil and only the g-ood heart enters Canaan. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” He was the son of Jephunneh that is “turn away.” He did not agree with, but turned away from the sentiments of the rest, however great was the majority against him, even though they gained the general approbation, held important offices, and had honourable appellations. Caleb’s sentiments were at variance with them, as well’ as his conduct. The second was called Oshea; but Moses gave him the name of Joshua, or more properly Jehoschua. Both names signify the same, implying a saviour. But in the second name, Jehoschua, as is evident from the sound, a part of the name of Jehovah is interwoven, so that it may be rendered Jehovah the Saviour, which is nothing else than the name of Jesus. This is extremely remarkable. It was Joshua, and not Moses, who brought the children of Israel into the land of Canaan. The law was unable to do it, but Jesus accomplished it. Nor do any enter heaven except Joshua and Caleb — Jesus and a good heart.
The spies therefore departed. Their undertaking was no trifling matter. They were obliged to depend entirely upon the divine protection; for had they been discovered, the Canaanites would not have spared them. But he who undertakes any thing by divine commission, may consider himself safe under divine protection; which these men also experienced, and it is almost to be regretted that we know not the particulars of what occurred to them, since doubtless much of a remarkable nature occurred, and divine providence must have frequently interposed in a very visible manner on their behalf. So little haste did they make in their researches, that they remained absent forty days, during which time, much might have been ascertained.
It may be supposed with what eager expectation, and occasionally with what anxiety their return to the Israelitish camp was looked for, how often they must have been the subject of conversation to the mass of the people, and of the intercession of the pious. At length they returned. How great must have been the joy, how inquisitive the curiosity, how numerous the questions! They saw first the glorious proof of the excellence of the country upon their shoulders, which must have been a highly pleasing sight in such a barren wilderness. In the valley of Eschcol, they had cut down a branch with a cluster of grapes, called Eschcol in Hebrev>^, and which name they gave to the valley, and bore it between two of them upon a staff. Although we cannot exactly infer its weight and size from the manner in which, it was carried, since it was only a proof of their prudence to carry it thus for a considerable distance that it might sustain no injury; yet it is certain that in Asia the grapes grow to a size which might seem incredible tons. In many places the clusters are so large, that a boy of twelve years old can hide himself behind one of them, and the single berries are as large as our apples. Two men might therefore have enough to do to carry such a
o cluster for any length of time. What a sight must this have been for the children of Israel, now on the point of entering such a country!
Besides these grapes, they also bro.ught pomegranates and figs of singular size and beauty. The pomegranate is a fruit as pleasant and refreshing, as it is salutary and beautiful; its rind is adorned with the most pleasing stripes and colours, and when ripe, it makes a rent, through which purple-coloured juicy kernals and berries look forth invitingly, which are easily pressed out of the aperture.
These excellent fruits, however, were not presented to them so much for their participation as for public inspection, in order the more to animate their longing after such a glorious country. They were first fruits, of which the harvest was to follow, and were presented to them as a pledge.
Something similar also occurs in the spiritual life. We have likewise the first fruits of the Spirit. Precious fruits from the heavenly Canaan are sometimes exhibited to our view, and we are refreshed with the powers of the world to come, although, in general, we are obliged to be contented with the daily manna of grace. The devil showed Christ, in a delusive manner, all the kingdoms of this world in a moment, and said, “All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Christ acts in a similar way with his people, by affording them a prospect of the glory of his kingdom, and giving them a foretaste of it, saying unto them, “Ail this and yet more will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me r” to whom the ravished soul replies, “Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee; and though liesh and heart should fail, yet thou art ever the joy of my heart and my portion!” And thus the covenant is sealed between them.
With this matter-of-fact account, the spies combined their vocal testimony, against the truth of which nothing could be objected. They said, “the land is good; and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it, by which you may judge of it yourselves.” They added further, “Nevertheless the people are strong, there are giants among them, and the cities are walled and very great.” This dismayed the people; therefore Caleb addressed them and said, “Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well ’ able to overcome it.”
Such was the appearance of Canaan, and such is also the case with real religion. He that will live long and see good days, let him become a Christian. Unspeakably great, incomparable, and eternal, are the benefits connected with it; whilst without, all is misery, corruption, and ruin. But it is no easy matter to enter the kingdom of God. A great and strong people, amongst whom there are giants, are opposed to thee; there are various nations also, and after having overcome one, another will oppose thee. But let us, notwithstanding, boldly go up and possess the land, for we are well able.
But it was with reference to this last point, that the opinions were divided. The ten other spies described the astonishing difficulties more at large, and brought up an evil report of the land. They described the inhabitants as a very warlike people, who fed upon each other — cannibals therefore, who cut the matter short with a person. But how was it that they escaped
o 2 out of the country? This was either a visible proof of the divine protection, or the people could not be such men-eaters as they described them. They all appeared to them very great, and we were, said they, compared with them, but as grasshoppers. Although this description might have been somewhat exaggerated, yet it was true upon the whole. Moses confirmed it himself, and quoted the proverb, “Who can stand against the sons of Enak!” Enak must have been a giant as well as his sons and descendants, who were called Nephilim; that is, the fallen, as also monsters, of whom mention is likewise made before the flood. Ought not this to remind us of the fall of angels and of men, by which they are become real monsters? Be that as it may, we have every reason to believe that the taking possession of the true Canaan, of which the former was only a type, the pressing into the kingdom of God, is attended with the greatest difficulties, which are by no means easily cleared away, either in the whole or in part. Nor ought we to think it superfluous, to bring these difficulties from time to time before us, in order that we may be thereby induced to take the most appropriate measures to obviate them. Besides the law and the curse, of which we have already had occasion to speak, the sin ‘which has so thoroughly pervaded our natures, and rendered us as incompetent to any thing good, as inclined to all that is evil, continually opposes itself to prevent our fully possessing the “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,” to which we are called. Every one will readily grant that sin must not reign in us; but what is to cast it down from its throne in us, since we are, lamentably enough, not two, but one with it? The strong man armed keepeth his goods in peace; and it is only a stronger than he, who, after many a struggle, at length expels him, and obtains possession of the same, which even then is not safe from his attacks, seeing he frequently returns with other spirits more wicked than himself; which renders it necessary to maintain a continual warfare.
A very important dispute now arose between Joshua and Caleb on the one side, and the ten spies on the other, in the presence of the whole people. The former affirmed, that the people were well able to go up and possess the land — the latter, that it was impossible. The first two by no means denied what was said by the rest, of the giants and the strong cities; for they were not inclined to deceive the people in any respect, by giving them false conceptions of the difficulties to be encountered. But they wished to show them the real state of the case, and in what manner that which seemed impracticable might be accomplished, and that which was improbable rendered real. But the worthy men found it a difficult undertaking. They could not demonstrate and prove their view of the matter upon rational grounds, but were obliged to have recourse to faith. They found, however, no credence, since the people were destitute of that faith which takes invisible things into account, and were guided solely by reason, which does not go beyond that which is visible and natural.
No wonder, therefore, that no one sided with them, but all with their opponents. The whole congregation lifted up their voice and wept, and this lasted the whole night through. Their distress then rose to its height, on the very borders of Canaan, and they never thought themselves so far from it as now, when they were so near it. The case was similar here, though much more painful, to what they had experienced at Marah, where, though they found water to quench their thirst, yet, when about to drink of it, they found it intolerably bitter. Canaan now lay immediately before them, but there seemed no possibility of arriving at it. How lamentable I No star broke through the thick darkness of the night. It fared with them as with all the wicked who dream only of enjoyment, until the horrors of perdition overtake them, towards which they are carelessly and securely marching. At day break, the darkness which enveloped them manifested itself in a more obvious manner. They murmured against Moses and the Lord liim.self. They wished for death, and complained that the Lord was leading them into a land where they would fall by the sword, and their wives and children become a prey. They therefore decided upon choosing a captain, who might conduct them back into Egypt.
Only four individuals opposed themselves to the storm. — Moses and Aaron cast themselves in silence upon their faces before all the assembly of the congregation, thereby manifesting their profound grief, as well as for the purpose of praying to God. At length Moses spoke, and preached to them the necessity of exercising faith. “Be not dismayed,” said he, “neither be ye afraid of them. The Lord our God will go before you and will fight for you. The Lord will bear ye up, as a man beareth his son.” But his exhortation to trust in the living God was ii vain, and rebounded back from the rock of their unbelief.
Joshua and Caleb were also deeply concerned, and rent their clothes from excess of grief. They also exhorted the people to believe, by which they would assuredly triumph over every difficulty; and in order the better to attain their laudable object, they employed the most powerful mode of expression. “They shall be as bread to us; the Lord is departed from them.” For wjien the hour of extremity arrives, when the soul is obliged to pass through deep waters, and the billows go over her head — it is time to unfold the most powerful incitements which the gospel offers to faith. And for this purpose the word of God affords the richest materials.
But, in the present instance, all was in vain. The encouraging address of the two men produced an entirely opposite effect. The people’s unbelief broke out into enmity and wrath, and they called out on all sides, that they should be stoned. O the horrible depravity of the human heart! But truth has always met with similar treatment. Where it is not received, the individual takes up arms against it, and rejects it with bitterness. When truth appeared on earth in person, it found no lodging, and because it still did not depart, they nailed it to a cross. When they were unable to expel it, they banished its messengers, and tormented its confessors with every species of torture. Thus was it received in the camp of the Israelites, and thus is it still received. The number of its adversaries is considerable. “They speak loftily,” says Asaph, ‘’they set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.” The multitude side with them. “But we are not of them that draw back, but of them that believe and are saved.” If we abide in him, and his words abide in us, we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. All that are bbrn of God overcome the world, and this is the victory that overcoraeth the world, even our faith. May the Lord powerfully produce this faith in us! Amen.