Well Soul Podcast
Sometimes life leaves our souls feeling weary, parched. Come away for a few moments to drink in Scripture, reflect, and pray. Seana Scott, a seminary-trained writer and speaker, guides you in this weekly devotional podcast designed for you to connect with God. Refresh your soul at the Well of Living Water that never runs dry.
Well Soul Podcast
Ep. 56 | NUMBERS 14 | The Story of the Gospel: Afraid of the People in the Land
The people of Israel feared the people of the land God was giving them, more than they trusted in the Lord who rescued them from Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm.
And I wonder—do we sometimes depend on our own perception of our strength rather than God’s power when we find ourselves in our own places of needing to trust in Him rather than our own abilities?
Listen to this episode to mediate on Joshua and Caleb's faith—and Israel's fear... and consider where your heart might need realigned.
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Well Soul Resources
· S.I.M.P.L.E. Guide to Inductive Bible Study.
· 4 Simple ideas to read Scripture when you don't have time.
· 1 Practice to walk closely with Jesus.
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Welcome to the WellSoul Podcast, where we pause to drink in scripture, reflect, and pray. I am your host, Seana Scott, and sometimes life leaves our souls feeling parched. So come, to the well of living water that never runs dry.
In today's episode, we will continue the story of the gospel, where we will meditate on what happened when God sent spies into the promised land to prepare the people to enter. If this is your first time listening, I encourage you to start at the beginning of the story of the gospel episodes.
So far in the story of the gospel, we meditated on creation, humanity's sin, and God's redemptive plan that started to unfold when he made an unconditional promise to Abraham for land, descendants, and through him. All the nations of the earth would be blessed. We dwelled on God's faithfulness to deliver Israel, Abraham's descendants through Isaac, from slavery in Egypt, and Tamar's righteousness to continue the line of Judah, even in unconventional ways.
And last week, we meditated on God giving Israel the law through Moses, a gift, so they would know who God is and how to worship Him and live for Him and how they treated one another as they lived as a light to other nations. Today, we move forward in the storyline of the gospel to the edge of the wilderness when God's people would enter the land of promise.
Now, the Israelites had not acted perfectly in their time in the wilderness. There was the account of when they grew impatient with Moses and built a golden calf to worship (see Exodus 32)—or when they grumbled against Moses because they wanted the delicacies of Egypt, among other sinful attitudes and actions we can read about in the wanderings.
But God still was faithful to Abraham's promise, and the promise he made with Moses and Israel. So, God brought them to the edge of the promised land. And he told Moses to send out the leaders of the tribes into the promised land to scope it out before they conquered it.
The spies saw an immense bounty—not a desert wilderness where they depended on manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No. The spies brought back a cluster of grapes so large, they had to carry it between two men—in addition to pomegranates and figs, this was truly a land flowing with milk and honey. It is here that we will meditate on today's scripture.
Before I read, take a deep breath and pray for the Holy Spirit to speak to you through God's word.
Come, Holy Spirit.
As you listen, pay attention to the contrast of faith in the people of Israel. and Caleb and Joshua.
25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
Report on the Exploration
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
The People Rebel
14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them.
What did the Holy Spirit highlight for you as you listened? Sit with this for a moment.
The people of Israel feared the people of the land God was giving them more than they trusted in the Lord who rescued them from Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, more than they trusted the God who parted the Red Sea, presented himself to the people in a billow of fire and smoke as the earth trembled.
They feared the people of the land more than the one who caused water to flow from a rock, gave the miraculous bread from heaven, and filled the tabernacle with his presence, a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They feared people more than God. And so God would have them wander the wilderness for another 40 years until that generation died, except for Caleb and Joshua, who believed the Lord.
And I wonder, are we more like the unbelieving Israelites? Or are we more like Caleb and Joshua? Who are you more like?
Take a moment to reflect and pray. Sit silently for 30 seconds asking God to reveal to you your heart and then pray about this, or anything else the Spirit brings to mind.
Let's pray.
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one and only true God, we worship You. Thank you for your word from Genesis to Revelation, which reveals who you are, who we are, and how to have a relationship with you. And thank you for this story, which helps us see our own hearts. Are we more like Joshua and Caleb, or more like the grumbling Israelites?
Oh, Holy Spirit of God, please gift us the faith to be more like Joshua and Caleb, to believe you even in the hard things. We love you, God, and we worship you. Amen.
Thank you for joining me today on the WellSoul podcast for our story of the gospel journey. You can subscribe to the WellSoul community and receive encouragement and resources directly in your inbox. See the link in the show notes to join us for free. You can also download a free resource in the show notes for your use.
You can follow the WellSoul on Instagram for more content to help you know God's word, walk with God and live with purpose. In closing, I remember my late friend, Brian Vasquez, who made this podcast possible. God bless you and I pray that you have a well soul.
