Theory question 103
Moses and the Exodus(a) Give an account of the report of the spies Moses sent to the land of Canaan. (b) Identify two lessons that can be drawn from this incident.
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(a) Moses sent twelve men, one from each tribe, to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:1-20).
After forty days they returned with a cluster of grapes, pomegranates and figs (Numbers 13:23-25).
They said the land flowed with milk and honey (Numbers 13:27).
But the people were strong, the cities fortified, and they saw the sons of Anak (Numbers 13:28-29).
Caleb quieted the people: "Let us go up at once… we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30).
The other spies said they could not, for "we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers" (Numbers 13:31-33).
The people wept and wanted to return to Egypt; Joshua and Caleb urged them to trust the Lord (Numbers 14:1-9).
The people wanted to stone them; God punished that generation to wander forty years; the ten spies died (Numbers 14:10, 29-37).
(b) Any two: trust God in difficulties; do not follow the crowd; a negative report can discourage many; faith and courage are rewarded; unbelief brings punishment.
Narrate Numbers 13–14, then two lessons.