Jan 4 - Giants in our Future

Jan 4

Giants in our Future 

Nu 14:2 …and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

Here are ten men you should know about.  They had a great start, and a bad ending.   

    Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, Geuel.

    You probably have seen these names in the Book of Numbers but they were not worth remembering.  They were ten of the twelve spies Moses sent to spy out the land. The other two were Joshua and Caleb.  No one names their children after the ten spies, but the names Joshua and Caleb are still in use and somewhat common today.

    Who were these ten men? What kind of men were they?  We know they were each from a tribe of Israel. We know Moses selected them for a reconnaissance mission into enemy territory.  I doubt they were the “village idiot”. They must have been well known in their tribes and to Moses. They would have had qualities that suited them for the mission. 

    They also had witnessed the mighty hand of God during the plagues in Egypt. Next they were trapped by the most powerful army on earth on the shore of the Red Sea. They had heard Moses tell them “(Ex 14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…” and had watched as the entire Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea.  When they were thirsty God gave them water, when hungry He gave them Manna.  These ten men had witnessed miracle after miracle. What privileged people. God’s chosen. What a glorious future awaited them. What better start could any people have. 

     The next miracle on the horizon was to go into the promised land where God would fight for them. God would have done for them here what he did years later at Jericho. There they did what God told them, even if it sounded a little weird. They walked around the city a few times, blew a horn and the walls fell flat. 

      But that isn't what happened here. The spies returned and ten said “Nope..No can do!” Joshua and Caleb were urging them to charge into the promised land immediately and watch God fight for them. It must have been like a big town hall meeting because all the people heard the ten spies tell them “You want some giant to step on you like a grasshopper. No thanks. You are not going to win this one!” 

      So how did these ten spies forget all the miracles they had witnessed? Their present day fear and lack of trusting God overpowered their faith. Just the thought of fighting with giants scared them silly. How did they wind up? God gave them what they asked for. They said we would rather die in the wilderness. So God said OK if that is what you want then you shall die in the wilderness. And they did.

      What giants will you face this coming year. What new opportunities or challenges lay in your future. God has blessed you in the past. Can you trust Him to do it in your future?

When challenges and difficulties (blessings in disguise) arrive this year I suggest you follow Joshua and Caleb’s advice and trust God.  Don’t be like those ten guys and tell God “Naw, forget it. I think I would rather die in the wilderness than trust you!”