Evening star., 1919-03-01
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THE REPORT OF THE SPIES
Numbers. 1871: 14.3S-
Golden Text--This is the vic
tory that hath overcome the
world, even our faith.-I John,
5.4.
BY REV. HUGH t. STEVENSON.

BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
Kadesh-barnea, on the very borders
of the promised land, was reached by
the hosts of Israel after they had COM
pleted journey of 400 miles. Dur
ing the fifteen months that had
lapsed since they left Egypt their
hardest trials had been on the last
part of the journey through the
desert, which caused Moses to refer
to 1T as that great and terrible
wilderness" They were charmed
with the attractiveness of this won
derful ''oasis of yerdure and beauty.
unlocked for and hardly conceivable
IN such region" 1t was a. rich and
fertile place, that was a sample Of
the promised land, which they could
have easily conquered at that time,
had they the faith to have followed
Moses without insisting upon an in
vestgation into the resources of
Canaan, the character of the peopfe
and the possibility of their conquer
ing the land.
When the people declined to heed
the advice of Moses to take posses
sion of the country, which God had
given unto them. and refused to make
strong and steadfast advance un-
der the guidance of Jehovah in a
spirit of confidence, courage and CO.
operation, they revealed their faint
heartedness. God, who had given
Moses instruction concerning the es-
tablishment of the first democratic
government, approved the peoples
request for the sending into the ter
- n NJ 80
ito spy out the land" The men Sc
lected were representative men of the
tribes, While they may have been
the most competent that could have
been chosen. yet it is evident that
they were not of high moral stand
ard. They revealed the demoralizing
effect slavery had upon. the children
of Israel. All that is known of ten
is their names, while one of the other
two, Caleb, was a Kenezite, who had
become a member OF the tribe of
Judah, either by marriage or adop-
ton. Joshua had proven his ability
as the military aid of Moses and the
comm er-in-chief Of the tribes in
the battles of the wilderness. He
was a man of destiny, as the change
in his name from Hoshea (salvationJ
to Jehoshua Che by whom Jehovah
saves) indicates.
They went out in accordance with the
Moses to secure all the information
needed to plan a campaign of conquest.
They were to travel in a northern direc
ton by the shortest route, which is the
best way, going up to the south, or
Negeb, part of the promised land, over
the backbone or hill country of Judea
until they reached the section OF the
northern part. where the Jordan has its
source, in full view of the Lebanon
mountains. 1t is evident that the twelve
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though no-account is given of their forty
Gays tour, during which they made
thorough investigation of the country's
topography, noting especially the num-
erous stone walled hamlets, which made
it dificult of conquest, because the land
was inhabited by many different tribes.
all of whom were trained warriors. The
Invites, Jebusites, Girgashites. Perriz
zites. Ammonites and many other tribes
who shared the territory were engaged
in a constant intertribaf warfare, so that
''the land eateth up the inhabitantS by
its tribal battles for the possession of
the land, which all saw was one q great
fertility and prosperity.
The twelve agreed as to the facts con-
cerning the land, but differed as to the
the same. The fruit that they brought
back proved their statements as to its
economic resources and agricultural
possibilities. The difference in the re-
ports of the investigation was due to the
personalities of the twelve mem who
difficulties in the way of subjugating
the tribes. Ten saw the difficulties. but
they failed to consider Gods promises.
presence and power Two saw Jeho-
vah's program and counted upon the
part the nation must play to perform
the task assigned them. They had
counted the cost to possess the land OF
opportunity. The presence Of difficult
ties was not a barrier to their faith be-
cause the pressure of constant danger
served to intensity the feeling of de-
pendence upon divine power. Victory
was certain if the people would
trust God, seek for His glory, and
In His name try to conquer the cita-
de1s and fortified places.
The cowardice of. the ten and fear
of inability on part of the nation to
conquer was due to their lack of
faith. Sin had developed in the He
brewS by the power of habits appe-
tite and practices, due to centuries OF
doubht. They were no different from
tie people who demanded that the
spies beA sent to investigate the land
They were tainted by their infidelity
that doubted God, which caused them
to misrepresent the facts concerning
the land. Canaan was ready for them,
but Israel was not ready to possess 1t
because of their unbelief.
The heart of the nation was not ripe
for it's inheritance. They shut them
selves out for nearly forty years by
refusing to trust Gods love and lead
ership Doubt dimmed their spiritual
vision so that they magnifed the
dangers and difficulties. Unbelief soon
loses sight of God and magnifles self,
They soon lost their head, commenced
to grumbIe and started revolution
that the courageous leaders could not
stop. In their terror and despair the
unbelieying mob repudiated their
covenant with Jehovah, making all
His miraculous works of deliverance
from Egypt the occasion of reproach
and abuse while they proposed to de-
pose Moses and select new leader
who would conduct them back to
Egypt. 1t was the bitterest hour in
the experience of Moses, when he
heard the people publicly propose to
repudiate him after he had by his
prayers and self-denial saved them
from being destroyed. Israel failed to
take advantage of her opportunity
because through lack of faith the ma
ton would not cooperate with God
and His servants.
When Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Ca
Ibis efforts to persuade the nation to
endeavorl through faith to go up and
possess the land resulted in their
lives being threatened, Jehovah drew
near and by the greatness of His di-
vine manifestation brought an end to
the revolution.