What we can learn from 10 spies that didn't believe God

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Remember the story of the 12 spies Moses sent out? Most of us know the story, even Wikipedia (below). We usually focus our attention on the two men that DID have faith, but there is also something to learn from the 10 spies that didn't show faith.

God had promised Abraham that there would be a Promised Land for the nations to come out of his son, Isaac. The land of Canaan which the spies were to explore was the same Promised Land. When ten of the twelve spies showed little faith in the doom and gloom report they gave about the land, they were slandering what they believed God had promised them. They did not believe that God could help them, and the people as a whole were persuaded that it was not possible to take the land. As a result, the entire nation was made to wander in the desert for 40 years, until almost the entire generation of men had died. Joshua and Caleb were the two spies who brought back a good report and believed that God would help them succeed. They were the only men from their generation permitted to go into the Promised Land after the time of wandering.

These then were their names:

1. from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur;
2. from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 
3. from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh;
4. from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph;
5. from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 
6. from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 
7. from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 
8. from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 
9. from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 
10. from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 
11. from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 
12. from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land; but Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua. (Numbers 13:6-16 NASB)


Except for Joshua and Caleb, we don't hear these names again. They are not familiar names to us. Why? Because they did not have faith.

Let's look at what happened:

1. The LORD told them that He was giving them the land. (Numbers 13:2)
2. The LORD commanded them not to fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 1:21)
3. Ten of the spies saw the land and the giants and became dismayed and feared. After seeing with their physical eyes, they did not believe God and said, "We are not able!" (Numbers 13:31)

What did 10 of the spies lose?

• These 10 men could have possibly been included later in the canon of Scripture for their great faith. They lost that potential witness to their generation and others. The names of these men are virtually unknown to us.

• They did not get to partake of God's promise because of their lack of faith

• Their rebellion (Deuteronomy 1:26) affected others. None of the adults in that generation got to partake of God's promise because the testimony of the 10 influenced the Israelites to lose faith.

We too have much to lose when we don't have faith to believe what God has told us in His written word. We too, like Joshua and Caleb, have much to gain when we do believe God and exercise faith. When we do that, we believe God not only because of what He said, but because of who he is. (Isaiah 43:10)

Jesus, increase our faith. May we believe your word and live it. Amen.