민수기 Chapter 13

Translation: ESV

2

"Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them."

Key Message

The mission God has given must be executed in faith rather than fear; the same reality can be seen in entirely different ways through the eyes of faith or fear.

▸God commands the spying out of Canaan.

God commands the spying out of Canaan. Deuteronomy 1:22 shows that this proposal originally came from the people and God permitted it. The spying itself was God's command, but it ultimately becomes a test of faith. The purpose of spying out the good land was not to confirm fears but to experience the certainty of the promise.

16

These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.

Key Message

The name Joshua declares that salvation belongs not to human ability but to the LORD; this name foreshadows the saving work of Jesus Christ.

▸In the list of spies, the name change of Joshua is specifically mentioned.

27

And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

Key Message

God's promise can be confirmed in reality; unbelief is not denying the good facts but making fear appear larger than them.

▸The spies' report begins first with good news.

30

But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."

Key Message

Faith is not failing to see reality but seeing reality in the light of God's promise. Fear and faith reach entirely different conclusions in the face of the same reality.

▸Among twelve spies, only Caleb (later together with Joshua) raises the voice of faith.

33

And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.

Key Message

Unbelief makes us see ourselves as grasshoppers and obstacles as giants, but faith looks at oneself through God's eyes and restores true identity before God.

▸The comparison of themselves to grasshoppers by the ten spies shows how unbelief distorts one's identity.