Series Big Idea: "Showing how the early stories of Scripture establish God’s Plan of Salvation”

Sermon Big: "Like Caleb in Canaan, Christ empowers believers to see by faith"

Key Scripture (Numbers 13:25-33)

Imagine standing at the edge of God's promise, seeing the blessing before you, and then turning away. This is exactly what happened with the Israelites in Numbers 13. After 400 years of Egyptian slavery and miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea, they finally approached the land God had promised to Abraham centuries earlier.

(Numbers 13:25-33)

25 At the end of forty days they returned from scouting out the land. 26 The men went back to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for them and the whole community, and they showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They reported to Moses, “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey, and here is some of its fruit. 28 However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We also saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev; the Hethites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” 31 But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!” 32 So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. 33 We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.” 

Moses sent twelve spies to scout the Promised Land. For forty days, these men explored Canaan, surveying its cities, people, and produce. They returned with a cluster of grapes so massive it required two men to carry it on a pole. The land was undeniably flowing with milk and honey, just as God had promised. But there was a problem, ten of the twelve spies saw only obstacles, while just two saw opportunities.

This passage reveals a crucial moment in Israel's journey and highlights a fundamental choice we all face in our spiritual lives: Will we view our challenges through the lens of faith or fear? More importantly, this story foreshadows how faith in Christ becomes the ultimate foundation for seeing life from God's perspective rather than our own limited one.

I.         The Battle Between God’s Promises and Human Perception

In verses 25-29, we see the spies' initial report. They acknowledged the land's abundance (verse 27). This confirmed God's promise about the land's fruitfulness and potential. But notice how quickly their perspective shifted with the word "however" in verse 28. This single word reveals the pivot from faith to fear, from divine promise to human limitation.

The spies couldn't deny the land's fertility. The massive cluster of grapes they brought back proved to be evidence of God's truthfulness. This wasn't just a good land; it was exceptional, exactly as God had described it. Unfortunately, their focus shifted to obstacles (verse 28). They viewed the people as threats rather than as those whom God would overcome.

This pattern of doubt persisted throughout Israel's history, ultimately finding its resolve in Christ. In Jesus, we see the fulfillment of all God's promises (2 Corinthians 1:20). Where Israel failed to trust God's Word about the Promised Land, we are called to trust in Christ, who is the living Word. The Israelites couldn't see beyond their physical limitations, but in Christ, we have been given spiritual eyes to see as God sees. While ten spies let fear take over their faith, Caleb stood out, showing how Christ would later help believers live by faith instead of sight.

II.         The Decisive Contrast Between Faith and Unbelief

In verses 30-33, we see a dramatic difference in how two people react to the same situation. This contrast reveals that faith isn't about denying challenges aren’t real, but about viewing them in proper perspective.

Verse 30 presents Caleb's bold response. Caleb didn't deny the challenges. He simply viewed them through the lens of God's power rather than human inadequacy. In many ways, Caleb foreshadows the believer who trusts Christ against all odds. Just as Caleb stood alone against the majority, Jesus calls us to follow Him on the narrow path rather than the broad way of unbelief. Caleb's faith pointed forward to the greater faith we can now have in Christ, who has already conquered our greatest enemies, sin and death.

By contrast, the other spies insisted the people were too strong and they couldn’t attack (verse 31). They even exaggerated the threats, claiming the land "devours its inhabitants" and describing men of great size. In verse 33, they compared themselves to grasshoppers in the sight of the inhabitants.

Their fear-based perspective mirrors our natural tendency apart from Christ. It's like standing at the base of a mountain, seeing only its towering height and jagged cliffs rather than the path that leads to the summit. Without the transforming power of the Gospel, we too would be controlled by what we can see rather than by God's promises. But through Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection, we have been granted the Spirit of adoption rather than fear (Romans 8:15). In Christ, we can face life's seemingly insurmountable challenges with confidence, knowing that "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). This wonderfully true story finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who enables us to live by faith rather than fear, as the writer of Hebrews reminds us.

Conclusion:

Hebrews 3:7-19 explicitly connects this Numbers account to our spiritual journey: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion..." The writer warns against unbelief but then points us to the solution, Jesus Christ, who is "faithful over God's house as a son" (Hebrews 3:6).

The Gospel transforms our perspective entirely. When we trust in Christ:

• We don't just see the raging storm; we see the One who calms it with a word
• We don't just see our weaknesses; we see His strength made perfect in them
• We don't just see impossible barriers; we see the way-maker who parts seas and moves mountains

Like Israel, we face daily choices between faith and fear. But unlike Israel, we have seen the fulfillment of God's greatest promise in Jesus Christ. If God did not spare His own Son for us, how will He not also give us everything else we need (Romans 8:32)?

When facing your own challenges, whether in relationships, work, health, or ministry, remember that in Christ, you have been given everything needed for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The same Christ who conquered death lives in you through His Spirit.

Today, will you choose to view your challenges through Christ's perspective, not your own? When we see life through the lens of Gospel faith rather than fear, we can say with Caleb, "We can certainly conquer it!" Not because of our strength, but because of who Christ is and what He has already done for us.

Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:

Holman Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version Bible

King James Version Bible

Christian Standard Bible

Estes, Daniel J. Job. Edited by Mark L. Strauss et al., Baker Books, 2013.Barton, Bruce et al. Life Application New Testament Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001. Print.

Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. Print.

MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006. Print.

Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933. Print.

Vincent, Marvin Richardson. Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887. Print.

Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. electronic ed. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1991. Print.

Water, Mark, ed. Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. 

NIV, Archaeological Study Bible, eBook: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture

Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Duane Garrett, and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

NIV, First-Century Study Bible, eBook: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context

Zondervan, Kent Dobson, and Ed Dobson

Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.

Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, eds. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.

Wilson, Neil S. The Handbook of Bible Application. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2000.

Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Water, Mark. Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible. AMG Publishers, 2003.

Brannan, Rick, and Israel Loken. The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.

Radmacher, Earl D., Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999.

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson, 1992.

Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. The Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.

Packer, J. I. Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs. Tyndale House, 1993.

Martin, Glen S. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Edited by Max Anders, B&H Publishing Group, 2002.

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