Will you follow the majority or believe the promises?

In Numbers 13 & 14 we read a story of twelve spies who were sent out to report on the land of Canaan—the land that God had promise the ancient Israelites. They experienced first hand the miraculous deliverance of God from Egypt, but how quickly they had forgotten.

Of the twelve, the majority had only negative things to say. Dripping with fear, anxiety, and a lack of trust, they convinced many of the children of Israel to rebel against Moses and the leaders.

They had abandoned the promise of God in favor of what their eyes could see.

Only two people had a good report that trusted the words of the Lord: Joshua and Caleb.

Only two people believed in the promise of God.

Only two people stood against the shouting, disgruntled mob.

Only two people kept the vision of the future.

“If Adonai is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land and will give it to us—a land flowing with milk and honey. Only don’t rebel against Adonai, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land.

They will be food for us. The protection over them is gone. Adonai is with us!" "Do not fear them.”

But the whole assembly talked about violently stoning them.

Then the glory of Adonai appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all Bnei-Yisrael.

"Adonai said to Moses, “How long will these people treat Me contemptibly? How long will they neglect to trust in Me—in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?”
—Numbers 14:8–11

As we go through life, we will have many opportunities to fear. What will happen with the craziness in the world? Will my family be safe? Will I be able to provide? Will I have a job? And if we're not careful, we can lose sight of our God who has been faithful.

We can begin to believe the lie of the Adversary that God won't come through for us. That He isn't with us. That the land of promise and eternal kingdom is just a mirage—a pipe dream for the intellectually lazy.

But we have a always have a choice: Will we trust or will we rebel?
There is no other option.

Will we be swayed by the vocal majority of the crowd or will we trust the words of our deliverer and king of the universe? When the Lord appears and His glory fills the entire earth, will you be found siding with the ten or the two?

As we go through this week, may we be a people of trusting faithfulness—not consumed by the report of the world.

May we have eyes to see what God is doing.

May we have ears to hear his promises.

And may we enter his Kingdom knowing that His words will never come back empty.