Numbers 13:1-2 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

Last Wednesday we continued our study through the Book of Deuteronomy. In the newspaper when an error is made they post the “correction” usually in small print somewhere NOT on the first page. I made an error last Wednesday. I know it’s hard to believe, but I did. I know you all think I’m perfect (yes, you can laugh).

We were in Deuteronomy 1:22-23 and read the text …

Deuteronomy 1:22-23 (KJV) And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. [23] And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:

Here’s where the error is. I said … begin quote …

“Now this was not God’s idea, but the people’s idea. God merely told Israel to enter the land and possess it. A delegation from the people came from Israel and said in effect “Let’s not go directly into the land. Let’s send twelve spies who can tell us …”

This statement is wrong. I commend the one who came to me in private and told me that I erred. I read the text without cross referencing the Scripture in Numbers chapter 13. To say “this was not God’s idea” is wrong … but not totally wrong. As you read tonight God said:

Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them

The heads of each of the twelve tribes were to go into the land to “search” it, to survey it. God said “I have given the land to the children of Israel”. God wanted them to see what they had been given. It was not their idea to go into the land, but God’s. But IT WAS their idea to try and figure out “what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come”. I was wrong, and I wanted to make this right.

Nobody’s Perfect But God

None of us are perfect but God. I know it’s a business meeting night and I promise not to be too long. Your time is valuable. But God’s time is more valuable.

In Numbers 13 God tells Moses to send a leader from each tribe into the Promised Land. God knew that each and every one of these men were imperfect and unable. But God expected these imperfect and unable people to come together with Him and do as He said. These men were to step out in faith and go see the land that God had already given them. We read:

Numbers 13:3-16 (KJV) And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. [4] And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. [5] Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. [6] Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [7] Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. [8] Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. [9] Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. [10] Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. [11] Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. [12] Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. [13] Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. [14] Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. [15] Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. [16] These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

When we are reading Scripture many times we are tempted to skip over things that we consider unimportant. I find myself often getting cross-eyed when I go through lists of names like those we have just read. Why did God put all the names of these men in His Bible?

God Knows Who Are His

The Bible tells us that:

2 Timothy 2:19 (KJV) … The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

God not only knows we are imperfect, but He knows them that are His. And He tells them that belong to Him to depart from iniquity. Every one of these men chosen were called specifically by God to believe God and do His work. When God said to choose:

of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur

he specified his TRIBE and his FATHER. This person was called to serve the Lord, not his own self interests. This man might have been a tribal headl, but he was first and foremost a servant of the Lord Who saved him.

Believers are called to imitate God, to DO what He says. We are blessed when we do as our Lord commands. But we as Christians are cursed when we depart from obeying our Lord.

Our God Knows Our Potential

Our God knows all things. The Bible says that He knows “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isaiah 46:10). Our God knows what is in our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). Author and Pastor Max Lucado wrote in his book Facing Your Giants:

“{When God looked at David the shepherd} God saw what no one else saw– a God-seeking heart. David took after God’s heart, because he stayed after God’s heart. In the end, that is all God wants or needs. Others measure your waist size or wallet. Not God. He examines hearts. When he finds one set on Him, He calls it and claims it.”

I believe that God had the twelve spies names recorded in Scripture not because He knew they wouldn’t fail, but because He wants us to understand that when we depart from Him we will fail miserably. Ten of the spies went into the Promised Land with their eyes not on the Promise of God, but on what they considered were insurmountable odds. How did God classify their action? We are told:

Numbers 13:32 (KJV) …they brought up an EVIL REPORT of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

These men brought an “evil report”. Evil? Absolutely. God told them to go into the land and possess it. They wouldn’t. The Bible says

“to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17).

Every spy should have said “Yes, there are challenges, but God said GO and we must GO!”. But they didn’t. They looked at the challenges and made them bigger than our God. There were two spies that gave not an evil report, but a good report. We read:

Numbers 13:30 (KJV) … Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

Caleb, the son of Jephunneh was of the ruling tribe of Judah (see verse 6). He did what every leader should do. He heard God, and said “we are WELL ABLE to overcome it”. Why? Beloved, any believer walking with Christ is “well able to overcome it”. God is with the believer in fellowship – and there is nothing our God cannot do.

There was one other spy who encouraged the people to go into the land. He was “Oshea the son of Nun” from the tribe of Ephraim” (see verse 8). Oshea was a special type of person. We read previously:

Numbers 13:16 (KJV) … And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

Moses renamed Oshea. The name Oshea (הוֹשֵׁעַ Hôwshêaʻ, pronounced ho-shay’-ah) means “Salvation”. Moses renamed Oshea Jehoshua (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ, pronounced yeh-ho-shoo’-ah) which means “Jehovah is our Savior”.

Our God Calls Us To Imitate Christ

When Israel finally went into the Promised Land (the second generation) Joshua led them into the land. Why? First, because God chose Joshua to lead them into the land.

Deuteronomy 3:26, 28 (KJV) … the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. … [28] But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see (see also Deuteronomy 31:23).

I think that the second reason God called Joshua and not Caleb to lead Israel into the Promised Land is because his heart was focused on God our Savior. Moses changed his name from “Salvation” to “Jehovah is our salvation”. Joshua loved the Lord. His heart was on the Lord. He lived imitating Jesus.

This is what God calls every Christian to be. We are to live like we are Jesus. We are to move from a saved state (“Salvation”) to a Christ like state (“Jehovah is our salvation”).

Romans 8:28-29 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God has PREDESTINED every Christian to be like Jesus. This is the will of God for your life. Not that you have a big bank account, or be famous or powerful, but that you and I be like Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (KJV) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. [18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit of God is working in the life of every Christian (Ephesis 2:8-10) to make us like Christ, to change us into His image.

1 John 3:2-3 (KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. [3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

We as believers work together with the indwelling Spirit to become more like Christ. We do this by imitating Christ is prayer, in Biblical study, and in doing good in a relatively bad world. We are not perfect, dear Ones, but we will be one day. When we see Him we shall be like Him. Our sins will be gone, and we will live with our Savior and Lord forever and ever.

There’s one other thing I see in this text with all these names.

In Genesis 49:10 the Patriarch Jacob prophesied before he died, saying:

Genesis 49:10 (KJV) The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

When God called a King to be over Israel He called David the Shepherd. God promised David the heritage of an eternal throne. The Lord said:

2 Samuel 7:12-13 (KJV) And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. [13] He shall build an house for my name, and I WILL STABLISH THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER.

When Jesus Christ entered humanity He was born of the tribe of Judah, of the Household of David. This is what makes our Lord the future and eternal King of Israel. Judah was where the throne was vested. However, Joshua was not of the Tribe of Judah, but of Ephraim. Who was of the Tribe of Judah?

Caleb, the son of Jephunneh

Why didn’t God called Caleb, and not Joshua, to be the leader of Israel? I believe it was because

though Caleb honored and trusted God,
Joshua was more like Jesus.

God wants you to be like Jesus.
God wants you to love like Jesus.
God wants you to forgive like Jesus.

God wants you to give like Jesus.

Oh, that we would all be like Jesus! This is where the victory is!