EXPLORING CANAAN (2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Spies sent into Canaan
(Text: Numbers 13:1-33)
1. What is the text all about?
a) The Promised Land, also called the land of Canaan, was indeed magnificent, as the 12 spies discovered. The Bible then calls it the land flowing with milk and honey. Although the land was relatively small - 150 miles long and 60 miles wide - its lush hillsides were covered with fig, date, and nut trees. It was the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
b) The "descendants of Anak" were a race of abnormally large people. The family of Goliath may have been descended from these people (see 2 Samuel 21:16-22).
@1. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men. (2 Samuel 21:16-22 NIV)
c) The fortified cities the spies talked about were surrounded by high walls as much as 20 feet thick and 25 feet tall. Guards were often stationed on top, where there was a commanding view of the countryside. Some of the inhabitants, said the spies, were formidable men - from seven to nine feet tall - so that the Israelites felt like grasshoppers next to them (see Numbers 13:33). The fortified cities and the giants struck fear into the hearts of most of the spies.
@1. 33 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)
d) Imagine standing before a crowd and loudly voicing an unpopular opinion! Caleb was will to take the unpopular stand to do as God had commanded. To be effective when you go against the crowd, you must:
@1. have the facts (Caleb had seen the land himself);
@2. have the right attitude (Caleb trusted God's promise to give Israel the land);
@3. state clearly what you believe (Caleb said, "We are well able to overcome it").
e) The Israelites didn't trust God - they believed victory was impossible. In their self-doubt, their decision made sense. But they failed to realize that God doesn't always operate from a human perspective. A promise from God is a sure thing, no matter how unlikely it seems, God's Word isn't subject to majority opinion. His truth is set apart from feelings, situations, or opinions. Caleb stood for the truth he knew about God, apart from what he saw. He knew God's promises could be depended on. God had said very plainly that he would help the people conquer the Promised Land. But the other spies forgot what they knew about God and made their decision on the basis of what they knew of themselves. Are you willing to stand against the pressure of popular opinion to do what God's Word says?
f) The negative opinion of 10 men caused a great rebellion among the people. Because it is human nature to accept opinion as fact, we must be especially careful when voicing our negative opinions. What we say may heavily influence the actions of those who trust us to give sound advice.
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we know God intimately and be careful not to accept opinion as fact so that we would do exactly what God's Word says.
The End ...
0. Introduction a) Spies sent into Canaan
(Text: Numbers 13:1-33)
1. What is the text all about?
a) The Promised Land, also called the land of Canaan, was indeed magnificent, as the 12 spies discovered. The Bible then calls it the land flowing with milk and honey. Although the land was relatively small - 150 miles long and 60 miles wide - its lush hillsides were covered with fig, date, and nut trees. It was the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
b) The "descendants of Anak" were a race of abnormally large people. The family of Goliath may have been descended from these people (see 2 Samuel 21:16-22).
@1. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men. (2 Samuel 21:16-22 NIV)
c) The fortified cities the spies talked about were surrounded by high walls as much as 20 feet thick and 25 feet tall. Guards were often stationed on top, where there was a commanding view of the countryside. Some of the inhabitants, said the spies, were formidable men - from seven to nine feet tall - so that the Israelites felt like grasshoppers next to them (see Numbers 13:33). The fortified cities and the giants struck fear into the hearts of most of the spies.
@1. 33 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)
d) Imagine standing before a crowd and loudly voicing an unpopular opinion! Caleb was will to take the unpopular stand to do as God had commanded. To be effective when you go against the crowd, you must:
@1. have the facts (Caleb had seen the land himself);
@2. have the right attitude (Caleb trusted God's promise to give Israel the land);
@3. state clearly what you believe (Caleb said, "We are well able to overcome it").
e) The Israelites didn't trust God - they believed victory was impossible. In their self-doubt, their decision made sense. But they failed to realize that God doesn't always operate from a human perspective. A promise from God is a sure thing, no matter how unlikely it seems, God's Word isn't subject to majority opinion. His truth is set apart from feelings, situations, or opinions. Caleb stood for the truth he knew about God, apart from what he saw. He knew God's promises could be depended on. God had said very plainly that he would help the people conquer the Promised Land. But the other spies forgot what they knew about God and made their decision on the basis of what they knew of themselves. Are you willing to stand against the pressure of popular opinion to do what God's Word says?
f) The negative opinion of 10 men caused a great rebellion among the people. Because it is human nature to accept opinion as fact, we must be especially careful when voicing our negative opinions. What we say may heavily influence the actions of those who trust us to give sound advice.
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we know God intimately and be careful not to accept opinion as fact so that we would do exactly what God's Word says.
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