Many years ago the people of Israel were held captive in the land of Egypt and were made to be slaves, building great structures with bricks of mud and straw. Moses , who was led by God, son of A Hebrew woman, yet raised by the Pharoah's daughter, delivered the Israelites from Egypt and led to them promised land, that flowed with milk and honey.
Moses sent 12 scouts to observe and bring back samples of the land, which proved the land was rich and fertile. The scouts brought back one bunch of grapes that was so big it had to be hung on a pole and carried by 2 men. Wow! Unfortunately there were some very big people there, giants, Nephilim, sons of Anak, which frightened the people and it didn't take much gossip for the whole camp to be stirred up and against the whole idea of going into the "promised land".
How very sad the people didn't trust God. How very sad when we don't trust God. There were 2 that didn't agree with the rest. They knew God could do the impossible. These 2 men were Joshua and Caleb . Praise God for people that are willing to stand for God in the opposition of thousands. Even today there seems to be too few that are willing to go "all the way" with God. Sadly, the people were sent back into the wilderness, by God, for 40 years for their unbelief.
Some of the people changed their minds but it was too late. They went on to the promised land and found great opposition and defeat. They missed their opportunity and God wasn't in what they were doing now. God forgives when we do wrong, but there are consequences for those wrongs and those may not always be changed. Why didn't Joshua and Caleb go with this group? They had faith enough to believe God could defeat their enemies, but they knew obedience is better than sacrifice. They must obey the word of the Lord. They must follow the Good Shepherd. So back they went. Joshua and Caleb were the only adults that ended up seeing the promised land.
Could you imagine being those poor men? They trusted, believed, prayed, cried out, and saw this land , walked upon the soil with their own feet. Yet, even doing everything right , they were sent back to the wilderness with the rest. Why did they deserve to spend most of their lives in the wilderness ? Why couldn't they enjoy the fruit of their labors designed by God for them and rest ? Why did they have to spend forty years with angry, disagreeable ,unbelieving people?
The same Spirit that gave them the faith to believe also gave them the faith to endure. This was their walk , what they were perfectly formed to do. After all , how can the clay tell the potter what they should be made into. It is that same trust in God , that He knows and sees, that gave them strength to endure.
I'm sorry Joshua and Caleb , that they didn't get it . Alot of people just don't get it and because of that there are some in the wilderness that don't deserve to be there. They are there taking care of someone else, waiting for the time to be right when they can go back once again.
When reading this story I was sad for the brothers that had to turn around and head back into the dry and dusty land and wondered what it would have been like if they would've done things their way instead of God's way. Well, we wouldn't have had the book of Joshua that's for sure and he wouldn't have been there to lead the people once again into the promised land. They knew God would keep His word and they would once again walk the promised land . Except this time , after such a long wait, they were "fired up" , as we say, and ready to defeat the enemy and take the land.
If you find yourself somewhere you don't wanna be , hang in there and endure until the end. If this is your walk, God will give you wisdom and strength to persevere. Follow the Good Shepherd wherever He leads you.
