Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-18
n a@unoap SCHOOL 1esson|
MA Bp Reb. ,Dugt a. 5tebenson.

Dull found it hard to realize that he was
even near a desert, much less within one.
1t was sample of the promised land.
but before it entered Israel. apparently
satlshed with the rich and fertile place
1t had found in the desert, called Tor
the sending of spies to survey the land.
Survey.
The commissioning of the twelve pick
ed leaders, none of whom is ever men,
toned again except Caleb and Joshua,
was not in accordance with the divine
program. This fact does not appear in
the record before us for study. but
thirty-eight years later when Moses in
his farewell address was reviewing their
past, he pointed out that it was because
they had demanded the sending OF spies
to make an investigation of the land that
God ordered that they be commissioned.
1t is also evident that Moses approved
of the sending forth of select investiga-
tors to spy out the land probably. be-
iieving that their report of the agricul-
ture and military condition of the places
and people would stir up an enthusiasm
to go in and possess the land that would
sweep aside all opposition, both in his
own people and in Canaan.
God knew the condition of Israel and
land. He did not need the report of the
spies TO inform Him but Israel needed IL
to reveal to them the fact that they
were unprepared for it's possession and
unfit because of their faith to endure
the strenuous demands that the conquest
Of the land would demand.
The representative leaders selected
were probably the most competent to be
found, yet it is clear that they were not
of high standard Joshua we have
SOC haf as no mill fav Saf
and his commander-.n-chief.w while Caleb,
although a member of the tribe of
Judah. probably by marriage or adop-
ton. was foreigner by birth, for he
to be of little worth, which would in
dicate that slavery had a demoralizing
effect upon the children of Israel
The directions for the survey show
clearly that ii was to be made from both
military and agricultural standpoint.
up among the twelve, although how the
survey was made by the twelve COM
misSiOners is not told us, yet the course
and instructions of the survey would in
dictate that 1t was to be very thorough
investigation. We are not told of any
of their adventures during the forty days
tour that took them first into the land
OF their father, Abraham, where Jacob
dwelt, thence into the country of the
Hittites, where the patriarchs once past.
ured their fiocks. Then they visited Heb
ron And, leaving on the right Jebus,
or Jerusalem. they would skirt the sum
nit OF the hills between the Jordan val
ley and the great plain Of the Philistines
on the right and left; and going down
into the valley OF Eschol, they would pass
Bethel and Shiloh and Mount GeriZim
and Mount Ebal. and still further north
they would see Gilboa on the south, and
Mount Tabor on the right, and Carmel
on the left. Thus they would enter that
great fruitful plain of Esdraelon. And
still further they would go north. leaving
Nazareth on the left, and seeing Lake
Gennesaret on the east. They would
keep going north till they came TO the
source of the Jordan: and. looking far
up the north country, they would see the
snowy top of Mount Hermon."
After evidently making a through in
yestigation of the country. its cities. con-
dition and citadels they returned 10 re-
port, bringing with them from 1.-THE land
of clusters samples of the fruit OF the
which would convince the most
that IL was land of promise
There was absolute agreement concerning
the fertility of the land, but the division
Of sentiment concerning the country's