The Story

The children of Israel must now leave Mount Sinai where they had been nearly a year, for the cloud that led them moved forward. (Num. 10:11-13) Their way was through rough and sandy valleys toward the eastern arm of the Red Sea and to Kadesh at the southern border of the land of Canaan. Here they waited while twelve spies, one man from each tribe, went up through the land to bring them back word about the land and its fruits, and about the people living in it. Two of these spies you will want to remember: Caleb of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, whom we already know, of the tribe of Ephraim. As we move slowly up the map going with the spies, we come to many places where we have been with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. Here is Beersheba; and here is Hebron, where both Abraham and Jacob lived. The valley of Eshcol was near Hebron, where the spies cut the big bunch of grapes, so big that two men carried it on a staff. Still going on, they may have passed Bethel and Shechem, and went far to the north to the springs of the Jordan and near to the great mountains Hermon and Lebanon. Then they came back to the people at Kadesh after forty days to show them the fruits of the land and to tell what they had seen. They said it was a rich land with fine fruits, and they showed the fruits that they had brought, but they said that the people of the land were strong, living in walled cities, and some of them giants.

The children of Israel moved on from Mount Sinai just a year after leaving Egypt, as you know by their again keeping the Passover. (Num. 9:1-5) Have your little map ready to go with them in their journey. At first they were passing through the country of the Midianites, who were friendly and helped them. Note one thing that happened near Hazeroth, the second gift of quails, which was followed by a plague. (Num. 11:31-35) Follow the line of march up to Kadesh at the southern border of the land of Canaan. From here they sent spies up into the land. Why twelve spies? Remember Caleb and Joshua (His name at first was Oshea or Hoshea, meaning "help," and was changed to Jehoshua or Joshua, meaning "Jehovah is my help" or "my Savior," Num. 13:16.). The spies went up through the land from south to north to the region of Hermon and Lebanon. What places which they saw have we known before in the story of Abraham and Jacob? You will remember Hebron. Our lesson shows that it was an old city and that the valleys about it bore fine fruit. (Zoan was Pharaoh's city, where Moses did his signs. Ps. 78:12) How long were the spies on their journey? What report did they bring back about the fruitfulness of the land? What fruits did they bring to show? What did they say about the people of the land and about their cities? We learned of giants in the time of Abraham. (Gen. 14:5) And do you remember a giant in the time of David? "A land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof" probably refers to the war-like character of the inhabitants, destroying each other by fighting.

1. Take the map on which we drew the line showing the journey from Egypt to Sinai, and continue the line to show how the people went from Sinai to Kadesh.

2. What were the twelve men called who were sent from Kadesh into the land? Tell me the names of two.

3. Show me on the map how the spies went, and some places which they saw where Abraham and Jacob had lived.

4. What did the spies report about the land and about the people in it? What was the effect of their words upon the children of Israel?

Spiritual Study

We know that this journey of the children of Israel represents the journey to heaven and the heavenly life. We remember the short way from Egypt to Canaan, the way of the Philistines, which the people were not allowed to take. The way of the Philistines is merely knowing about heaven, knowing what is true and good. If merely knowing made us heavenly it would indeed be a short journey. (A. 8093)

What is the spiritual thought in spying out the land of Canaan? It is learning about the heavenly life and seeing how good it is. This is a very different thing from making the heavenly life our own. An intellectual state is suggested by approaching from the south and in the time of grapes. The chief trophy which the spies brought to show them was a great cluster of grapes. We can know about Christian life and many things about heaven, but before they can be ours there are strong enemies to be overcome and work to be done. (A. 1458, 8595) To Moses the Lord said, "I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither." (Deut. 34:4) But to Joshua: "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses." (Josh. 1:3) To see is a matter of understanding; to possess is a matter of life.

It was the time of the first ripe grapes and the great bunch of grapes was the chief trophy which the spies brought from the land, and grapes represent spiritual intelligence. Another long stage of the journey remains, from understanding to loving and doing, which is really taking possession of Canaan.

At the same time that we see the beauty and goodness of heavenly life we perceive how many and how great difficulties stand in the way of attaining it. These are represented by the giants and their strong cities. We are tempted to say as the spies did, "Yes, a heavenly life is beautiful, but I can never overcome the wicked things that stand in the way; it is no use for me to try."

But this is wrong. We should not be discouraged if we remember that the Lord will help us and that He can overcome every enemy. The name Joshua means "whose help is Jehovah." Remember this and take courage. We are taught that these giants in the land of Canaan represent, in particular, evil spirits whom the Lord contended with even when He was a child and overcame them, and He did this in order that He might help us to overcome in our temptations, and to enter our Holy Land, our heavenly home. (A. 581, 1673)

Notice the statement about Hebron and Zoan, in Num. 13:22. Which come first, heavenly states of childlike innocence, or the gaining of worldly knowledge? Does the seven years tell something about the holiness and the abundance of the early states? (A. 1482, 1616)

to next Lesson