Now all 12 spies saw the same thing beloved. How can the versions be so vastly different then? Because the ten spies reporting first are not considering God. They are not considering the God they serve. They are seeing everything through their own eyes, not the eyes of God. To illustrate the point, here are their own words:
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." - Numbers 13: 33 (NIV)
We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes! These ten spies considered how great the enemies were. They considered how large they appeared before them. They considered how fortified the cities were. They even considered how small they were in comparison. But what was missing in all of their assessments and calculations was God! Joshua and Caleb however remembered all that God had already done for them. They knew that as long as God was on their side, it didn't matter how large the enemy was on the other side. What they saw did not matter who they served did. Years before David would ever be king of Israel, we was delivering cheese to his brothers who were on the front lines of the Israel army. His brothers were cowering that day. So was the mighty King Saul. In fact, every one of the fighting men of Israel was cowering that day before another son of Anak- Goliath. Standing nine feet tall, it is understandable why so many would fear Goliath. The fighting men of Israel were looking at their situation the same way the ten spies saw the Promised Land. Overpowering, insurmountable, impossible. They too were leaving the God they served out of their analysis. David however saw things through the eyes of God. He understood two things who God is and what He had already done for him:
David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 1Samuel 17: 26, 36-37 (NIV)
David understood that the only thing that matters is God. It does not matter how dire your situation is God is bigger. David also remembered how God had delivered him before. He remembered the lion and the bear where the Israelites seemingly forgot the Red Sea being parted before them! It is always a matter of what perspective we choose to look at our lives from.
The worldly perspective will always make things seem too daunting to overcome. But the Godly perspective, seeing things through His eyes, should change everything. Remembering all He has already done for you, should ease your concerns about whatever you might be facing today. Because just like the lion and bear before, He can deliver you from your giants today as well. But re-read the key verses today carefully. We too have seen the presence of God in our lives and seen His miraculous powers at work in our walk. We too have seen Him lift us out of Egypt. Out of the bondage of the world and the slavery to sin. But He does not expect to be treated with contempt beloved. These verses represent when God had enough of the whining and complaining of the Israelites. This generation lost their Promised Land they forfeited it.
God doesn't want to tell you to turn around from your Promised Land and set out for the wilderness. He wants you to have a Caleb attitude and see things through the eyes of God. Like Caleb, God wants to give you your full share of that Promised Land but your perspective will determine your relationship with Him, your blessings from Him, and your future with Him. Are there fortified cities in your Promised Land that you may need to conquer? Sure - but the same God that delivered you before will deliver you again. Are there giants in the land? Sure but the God who delivered you from slavery and oppression is bigger than the giants you see before you. If you look at things through the lenses of the world you will always find a reason why you can't but if you choose the Caleb perspective, you will always see why God can.
Reverend Anthony Wade February 24, 2011
