12 Spies~Numbers 13-14

When the Israelites reached the border of the land of Canaan, Moses sent 12 men, one from each of the tribes, to search the land to learn of the resources and people.

"And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes." Numbers 13:17–20

The spies from the 12 tribes found that it was a rich land. "And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it." Numbers 13:23–27

Because of their lack of faith, 10 of these spies were frightened and gave exagerated reports of the strength of the people and cities in the land. Caleb and Joshua agreed, but believed that God would strengthen them. "Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:28–33

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “Ten of the spies were victims of their own doubts and fears. They gave a negative report of the numbers and stature of the Canaanites...They compared themselves as grasshoppers to the giants they had seen in the land...We see some around us who are indifferent concerning the future of this work, who are apathetic, who speak of limitations, who express fears, who spend their time digging out and writing about what they regard to be weaknesses which really are of no consequence. With doubt concerning its past, they have no vision concerning its future” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 71).

The best thing, then, is to go forward as God inspires us. Surely, the forces of evil are great around us, but they are not greater than God. If he requires something difficult of us, he will straighten, help, and support us.

Caleb and Joshua were unafraid of the inhabitants of Canaan. This is how their report differed from the report of the other 10 men. "And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not." Numbers 14:6–9

What are some ways that we can follow the example of Caleb and Joshua when we face difficult situations?

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “There is no place in this work for those who believe only in the gospel of doom and gloom. The gospel is good news. It is a message of triumph. It is a cause to be embraced with enthusiasm...The Lord never said that there would not be troubles. Our people have known afflictions of every sort as those who have opposed this work have come upon them. But faith has shown through all their sorrows. This work has consistently moved forward and has never taken a backward step since its inception...This is an age of pessimism. Ours is a mission of faith. To my brethren and sisters everywhere, I call upon you to reaffirm your faith, to move this work forward across the world. You can make it stronger by the manner in which you live” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 71–72).

Israel listened to the report if the faithless. They rejected all the signs of God’s power that had been daily in their lives. The whined and cried that they wanted to go back to Egypt. Some began to reject Moses and choose a captain to take them back to Egypt "And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." Numbers 14:4 "And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not." Nehemiah 9:17,

When Joshua and Caleb tried to counteract the effect of the negative report, the congregation sought to have them stoned "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel." Numbers 14:10

Moses pleaded for the people, but it was too late the damage was done. Instead of destroying them, the merciful God made them wander for 38 years for this lack of faith and treason. They could take the next 38 years to consider how they could have conquered the inhabitants of the land of promise, built cities, and raised their children in comfort and peace. Instead all above the age of twenty who had fussed and fought against the power of the Lord, except Joshua and Caleb, were to die in the wilderness

"Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die." Numbers 14:22–23, 26–35

Specifically the 10 men that started the problem with their negative report of Canaan were singled out. "And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord." Numbers 14:36–37

Even though they were to go with the Children of Israel back into the wilderness, Caleb and Joshua were blessed for their faithfulness. "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it." Numbers 14:24, 38

When Moses told the Israelites all the words of the Lord, he records that they “mourned greatly” but not the mourning of true repentance. Like foolish children who rebel against parental punishment, the Children of Israel decided they would go up against the Canaanites. "And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned." Numbers 14:39-40

Again they refused to listen to the prophet or the Lord. They were smitten and defeated.

"And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you. But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah" Numbers 14:41-45

What's in this message for me? What have I been inspired to do by the Holy Spirit that I refused to do out of fear or lack of faith? What has our modern day prophet told me that I have not done because I'm too busy or don't like his directives? I should follow all God's commandments. I should listen to and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit and the Lord's prophet on earth in this day. I should not fear man more than God. He will make certain that I accomplish all the work he has in store for me until my mission on earth is fulfilled. There are many blessings waiting to be enjoyed by me, if I will only accept them as God intended.

Many..."years after the twelve men returned from their exploration of the land of promise...Caleb spoke to Joshua: '...my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God (Joshua 14:8)...' From Caleb's example we learn very important lessons, Just as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain his inheritance, so we must remember that, while the Lord has promised us a place in his kingdom, we must ever strive constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to receive the reward." (Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1979, 79)