Numbers 13:25-33
[25] And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
[26] 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.
[27] 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.
[28] 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.
[29] 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.
[30] 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.
[31] 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.
[32] 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.
[33] 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.
In reading and studying this, you can consider how much that had happened before they were ever brought into the wilderness: All of the plagues that were brought upon Pharaoh to change his heart in order to let the people go, the eloquent escape route that God made through with the pillar of cloud and fire, parting the Red Sea for walking on dry ground, etc. In consideration of this, you would have thought that this would have been enough to keep a person’s focus in trusting God! However, as we read on the next test that they endured proved to show their doubts.
Numbers 14:6-11
[6] And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
[7] 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.
[8] 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.
[9] 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.
[10] 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.
[11] And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
Numbers 14:22-35
[22] 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;
[23] Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
[24] 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.
[25] (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
[26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
[27] 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.
[28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
[29] 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,
[30] 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.
[31] 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.
[32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
[33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
[34] 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.
[35] 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.
Caleb stood as one that whole-heartedly believed and trusted in the Lord. The thing is, he went as a spy and saw the same things the other spies saw that gave the bad report. The difference in his perspective and report was his faith and belief in God. If there was ever a time for the children of God to stand up and demonstrate their belief and trust in God, it is now! I don’t want to spend all my days wondering in the wilderness living in doubt.
Matthew 28:16-20
[16] Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
[17] And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
In conclusion, you might be the 1 in 1,000 that stands up and says that “we can do it” or “I know God will be with us” and get completely rejected. However, if you put your trust in God and follow that will you will get to see your promised land! Don’t live your life as a doubter but as an optimist built by faith! Consider who you are trusting in! If it is God, you have nothing to worry about whatsoever. Be encouraged to know that with every step you take for God will prove great things for you in your life and those around you. Most importantly, continually rekindle the desire to stay strong in your faith to be an example for those that are with you all the time. People need it today far more than we can realize!