12 Spies in Canaan

 

Moses and all of the Israelites had finally reached the Promised Land.  God told Moses to send in 12 spies to go in and see what the land they were going into was like.  So, Moses chose one man from each tribe to go in and look.

 

 

They went in and saw the land had giants in the cities.  How could they beat giants?

 

 

They saw the cities were guarded by many soldiers, with thick walls.  How could they destroy those walls?

 

The grapes in that land were HUGE!  It took two men to carry the bunch of grapes they brought back.

 

 

The spies got back and ten of them were ready to march right back to Egypt.  But Caleb and Joshua said, “We can take this land, if we trust God.”

 

But the other ten spies went to the rest of the Israelites and kept telling them how big the giants were and how thick the walls were.  Their eyes were not on God, their eyes were on the obstacles in their way.

 

They kept telling Moses they wouldn’t go, and finally God had had enough.  “These foolish people will not enter the Promised Land.  They will wander in the desert until they die.”  Moses delivered the bad news and all of the people immediately said they’d do what God told them to.  “It’s too late,” Moses said.

 

 

But they didn’t listen.  They headed out to fight because they didn’t want to wander the desert again, and they lost.  They lost very badly.  Then they realized God was not with them.

 

 

So, the Israelites set out very sad and chagrined.  They wandered the desert for forty years.  They returned to the Promise Land their children all grown up and ready to go in and take it.