TWELVE MEN EXPLORE CANAAN (NUM.13)
YAHUSHA said to Moses, “If you want to send some men to suss-out the land of Canaan and explore the land I’m giving Yisharal, then send one leader from each of the twelve tribes.” So Moses did as YAHUSHA instructed him, sending twelve men out (all tribal leaders of Yisharal) from their camp in the wilderness of Paran. These guys:
And Moses changed Joshua (`HUSHA' MEANS DELIVERANCE) the son of Nun’s name to Yahusha (YAHUAH IS DELIVERANCE).
So Moses gave these twelve men their `marching orders’, “Go north through the hill country and see what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are a serious threat, strong or weak, and how many? Are they upright and clean or wretched and evil? Also see what kind of land they live in. Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or hard and rocky? Are there many trees and forests? Bring us back some samples of the crops too.” (as it just happened to be the season for harvesting ripe grapes).
So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. And going north, they arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai (all descendants of Anak) lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan). And when they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes `so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them!’ A METAPHOR EXPRESSING HOW INCREDIBLY FERTILE THE LAND WAS, LIKE SAYING, “MAN! THE GRAPEFRUITS IN AFRICA ARE THE SIZE OF ELEPHANTS!“ OBVIOUSLY, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT STATEMENT LITERALLY, RIGHT?
They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs. That place was later called the valley of Eshcol (which means “cluster”), because of the huge cluster of grapes the Yisharalite spies cut there.
REMEMBER HEBRON WAS WHERE YAHUSHA SPOKE TO ABRAHAM AND TOLD HIM HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD INHERIT THE LAND OF CANAAN AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY PLACE IN CANAAN WHERE ABRAHAM AND THE OTHER PATRIARCHS SETTLED DOWN FOR ANY REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME. IN FACT, BEFORE YERUSHALIM WAS ESTABLISHED AS YISRAEL’S CAPITAL, HEBRON WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE UNNAMED CAPITAL OF THE PROMISED LAND AND A VERY SACRED PLACE FOR THE YISRAELITES.
After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses and Aaron at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, reporting to the whole community what they’d seen and showed them the fruit they’d taken from the land. And this was their report to Moses:
“We entered the land where YOU sent us, and it’s completely bountiful and lush, a land flowing with milk and honey. Look here! Check out this fruit we picked there. However the people living there are fierce, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw some giants there too, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live further up north, the Kittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains and the Canaanites live along the coast of the Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”
There was a wave of mixed emotions from the people hearing this, but Caleb tried to quiet them down as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go immediately and take the land,” he interrupted. “We can definitely overcome them and conquer it no worries!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t win against them! They’re much stronger than us! It’s hopeless!”
So they spread evil rumors about the land, saying to the people of Yisharal, “The land we travelled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw there were huge. We even saw Nephilim giants too, the descendants of Anak. It was terrifying because next to them we felt like tiny grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought too! We can’t do it! This was a waste of time!”
WHEN READING THESE PARTS OF SCRIPTURE DEALING WITH THE TAKEOVER OF CANAAN WE OFTEN HAVE A TENDENCY TO LOOK DOWN ON THE NON-YISHARALITE RACES INHABITING THE REGION AS BEING PRIMITIVE AND UNCIVILISED. BUT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THE KITTITES WERE ACTUALLY A VERY ADVANCED CIVILIZATION WHOSE CENTER WOULD NOW BE MODERN-DAY TURKEY. THE JEBUSITES WERE ACTUALLY THE ORIGINAL BUILDERS OF JERUSALEM, MODERN-DAY ISRAEL’S CAPITAL. AND ABRAHAM’S ORIGINAL TRIBE SPRANG FROM THE AMORITES, WHO WERE CONSIDERED A VERY AGGRESSIVE PEOPLE, ALWAYS SEEKING TO DOMINATE THE REGION AND AS A RESULT DIDN’T GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS. SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WOULDN’T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO USE THE TERM “CANAANITE” TO REFER TO ONE PEOPLE-GROUP PER SAY. FOR THE LAND OF CANAAN WAS ACTUALLY A CONGLOMERATE OF MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE GROUPS WELL ENTRENCHED IN THE PROMISED LAND WHO COULD ALL TRACE THEIR ANCESTRY BACK TO NOAH’S GRANDSON CANAAN. THE SCOUTS’ REPORT OF WHAT THEY SAW WAS NOT EXAGGERATED. THE CITY WAS INDEED INHABITED BY MANY STRONG PEOPLE GROUPS AND THE CITIES WERE INDEED VERY WELL FORTIFIED. THEIR ASSESSMENT WAS OBJECTIVELY ACCURATE AND THE TRUTH OF WHAT WAS BEING REPORTED WAS CAUSING THE COMMUNITY OF YISHARAL TO START SHAKING IN THEIR BOOTS. BY THE WAY, THE WORD “COMMUNITY” HERE IS NOT REFERRING TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF YISHARAL, JUST THE SENIOR ELDERS OF YISHARAL.
So that was it! Yisharal was in a complete uproar, crying, weeping and wailing all night long. Then their voices rose up in a hateful chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron.
“Ooooohhhh if only we had died in Egypt, or even here in this wretched wilderness! Why is Yahuah taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be captured and carried away as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”
Then they plotted among themselves, “Screw this! It’s time for a new leader, so we can go back to Egypt!”
Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community and Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, saying to the people, “Listen, pipe down, the land we travelled through and explored is an amazing, wonderful place! And if Yahuah is delighted and pleased with us, He’ll bring us safely through and give it all to us. You should see it guys, it’s so rich and flowing with milk and honey. Don’t rebel against Yahuah or be afraid of the people of this land. They’ll be the helpless ones when they get a load of us! So don’t be afraid of them!”
AFTER SEEING THE DISGUSTING, DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOUR OF THE CROWD, MOSES AND AARON HIT THE DECK TO AVOID THE LIGHTENING BOLT THEY ASSUME IS COMING FROM YAHUSHA. THEN JOSHUA & CALEB (MOSTLY SILENT UNTIL NOW) STEP UP AND FLEX THEIR LEADERSHIP MUSCLES...
JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER, YISHARAL HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED & GIVEN THE MARRIAGE COVENANT & INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLEAN AND SUCCESSFUL LIVING, AND ARE NOW ENJOYING BEING IN HIS PRESENCE AND HAVING DAILY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. AND THEY’RE ABOUT TO THROW IT ALL AWAY BY MAKING THEIR EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PROMISES OF YAHUSHA AND THEIR FEARS AND WORRIES ARE OVERTAKING THEM.
BELIEF IS EVERYTHING
This angry mob of Yisharal wasn’t settled by Yahusha and Caleb or this apparent `suicide-mission’ and they went ballistic, threatening them with stones. But just as they were about to throw them, the esteem of YAHUSHA appeared to them all in the Tabernacle. “Pleeeeeasse, How long will these hideous people treat Me with such contempt and scorn? Will they ever believe Me and trust Me, even after all the miraculous signs I’ve done among them? I’m sooo over this. I’m done! I’ll cut them off and destroy them with a plague and I’ll make you into a nation Moses, one greater and mightier than they are!”
But Moses objected. “If you wipe out Your people today, the Egyptians will find out and it’ll go viral. All the nations would’ve heard by now how You delivered Your people from Egypt and the mighty power You displayed. They know that You live among us and appear to us face to face through Your pillar of cloud that hovers by day and the fire by night. So if you wipe out all Your people today with a single blow, the nations will laugh and mock, saying ‘This Yahuah character went to all that trouble delivering His people but gave up and couldn’t even bring them into the land He promised, killing them in the wilderness instead!’ So please my Master, prove that Your power is as great as You’ve claimed. For You said Yourself that You’re patient and kind, forgiving all kinds of disobedience and rebellion, but still punishing the wickedness and evil behaviours of the parents on their children to the third and fourth generations. So please forgive the wickedness of Your people here today in the great kindness of Your favor, just as You have ever since we left Egypt.”
JUST GOING THROUGH THE RITUALS DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY BRING ABOUT FORGIVENESS. PERFORMING THE RITUALS IS ONE STEP BUT BEING FORGIVEN BY YAHUSHA IS WHOLE DIFFERENT THING. MERE MECHANICAL OBSERVANCE OF A SHADOW RITUAL DOES NOT RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FORGIVENESS. SO WHAT DOES? YOUR HEART HAD TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. THERE HAD TO BE AN HONEST AND SINCERE INNER RESOLVE IN THE HEART OF THE PERSON TO STAY AWAY FROM THE EVIL BEHAVIOUR FOR WHICH THEY WERE ASKING FORGIVENESS. IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MUCH SACRIFICES OR HEAPING ASHES OR WAILING AND SCREAMING IS DONE, IF YOUR CONSCIENCE IS NOT CONVICTED AND YOUR HEART IS NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE, IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER. YAHUSHA LOOKS AT THE SURRENDER OF OUR HEARTS.
“Fine, I’ll forgive them as you’ve asked. But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with My esteem, not one of these people will ever enter My promised land. They’ve all seen My esteem and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they’ve tested Me, refusing to listen to My voice. So they will never ever see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with such disgusting contempt will ever see it! But my servant Caleb is a different story, for he’s got a different attitude than the others, trusting and following Me passionately. So I’ll bring him into the land that he explored and his children will inherit it. Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valley, tomorrow turn around and head back out into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea (Sea of Reeds).
MOSES HAD THE POWER TO SWAY YAHUSHA. HIS CHOSEN INTERCESSORS AND/OR MEDIATORS THROUGH THEIR PRAYERS (COMMUNICATION) ON BEHALF OF OTHERS CAN CURB DIVINE RETRIBUTION. THIS MEANS THAT WHILE WE OURSELVES MAY NOT HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE ANYONE’S MINDS OR BRING ANOTHER’S HEART TO REPENTANCE, ALL THINGS IN OUR LIVES ARE NOT NECESSARILY SET. WE AREN’T PUPPETS WHOSE STRINGS ARE BEING PULLED LEFT AND RIGHT BY OUR CREATOR. IN A TRUE RELATIONSHIP, THERE MUST BE GIVE AND TAKE AND MEANINGFUL INTIMATE COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE OPEN-PORTAL DOORWAY WITHIN US, OTHERWISE, THERE AIN’T NO RELATIONSHIP. YES WE CAN INFLUENCE YAHUSHA (MIND-BOGGLING JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS) AND OUR INTERCESSORY PRAYERS (JUST FANCY TALK FOR COMMUNICATION) ON BEHALF OF OTHERS DO COUNT. THIS GREAT PRINCIPLE OF INTERCESSORY MEDIATION WAS HOW YAHUSHA BEHAVED ALL THE WAY UP TO HIS DEATH.
And once again YAHUSHA said to Moses and Aaron, “Why am I putting up with this wicked dead-head community and their infesting complaints about Me? Yes, I‘ve heard the incessant bitching and whining they hurl against Me, so go and put this up`em: ‘As long as I live and remain the Creator of this whole universe, by Joe I‘ll do to you everything that you said would happen in your pissy misery. You can all just go and drop-dead in this giant sand-bucket! You think you can spit and hiss against Me? Pigs’arse! Go and get well and truly stuffed the lot of ya’s!! All of you older than twenty (registered in the census last month) will cark it out here like a cactus. This was supposed to be a wonderful time of celebration and homecoming but you’ve all gone and crashed that party with your wet blanket of doom and gloom. You guys are as much fun as a bucket full of dead-babies!! Nup, I’ve made up My mind, You bastards aren’t go’in anywhere near that land. Only Caleb (son of Yefuneh) and Yahusha (son of Nun) will make it.
You said your children would be captured and carried away as plunder! Well, guess what? I’m gunna bring them safe and sound into My land, and they’ll be sipp’in the milk and honey that all you delicate little flowers were too stubborn and stiff-necked to ever see. No, you will all will drop dead in your unbelief and rejection and all your kids will wander around like chooks without heads for forty years, suffering for your evil whorey behaviour, until the last of you lies dead in this wilderness.
Now I’ve got a great idea. Since your men explored the land for forty days, you will all wander in the wilderness for forty years, a year for a day, suffering all the consequences of your lawlessness. Then you’ll truly know what it’s like to have Me as an enemy against you. I Yahuah have spoken! And I will do all of this to every member of the community who has grumbled and mocked Me. They will all be destroyed and will die right here in this wilderness!”
The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land (who instigated the rebellion against YAHUSHA with their evil rumors) were struck dead with a plague by YAHUSHA only Yahusha and Caleb were left from the ten explorers. And when Moses reported YAHUSHA’S words to all the Yisharalites, the people were filled with overwhelming grief, and rising up early the next morning, a crowd of them went to the top of the hills.
“Let’s go, we know we’ve been disobedient, but we’re ready to enter the land Yahuah has promised us now.”
But Moses said, “Are you going to `stick it to Yahuah’ again and defy Him by not heading back into the wilderness? It won’t work guys! Don’t try and enter the land now. You’ll only be crushed by your enemies because Yahuah isn’t with you and when you face off against the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you’ll be slaughtered. Yahuah will abandon you just as you’ve abandoned Him day after day after day!”
But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill-country, even though Moses and the Ark of the Blood-Covenant Witness stayed in the camp. And just as Moses said, the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down, attacked and killed them, chasing the remaining ones back as far as Hormah.
