Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
1. The first thing, What is the terrain like? Num 13:18 “And see what the land is like.
2. The spies were to see what the people who live in it are like! And whether the people who live in it are strong {or} weak,
3. The third part of the field order is also found in verse 18, whether they are few or many.
4. The fourth part of the reconnaissance is whether the land is good or bad, Num 13:19 “And how is the land in which they live, is it good or bad?
5. The fifth item on the reconnaissance report And how are the cities in which they live, are {they} like {open} camps or with fortifications?
6. The 6th item is the land or the agricultural reconnaissance. Num 13:20 “and how is the land, is it fat or lean?
7. The 7th item, Are there trees in it or not? In other words do we need to use what is in the land or ignore it.
They all had the potential but whether potential ever materializes or not depends on doctrine metabolized in the soul.
One of them is Caleb from the tribe of Judah. Caleb was 40 years old when the reconnaissance mission occurred.
He will be 85 and still be doing great things.
JOS 14:7 “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh‑barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart.
What he reported was divine viewpoint because he had a lot of doctrine in his heart.
Joshua is from the tribe of Ephrahim, the tribe of Joseph’s older son and only Caleb and Joshua had the spiritual strength to lift the shield of faith under pressure.
The first test was a test of leadership in the tribes of Israel and only Caleb and Joshua passed that test.
The second is the test of the Exodus generation, and with few exceptions they all flunked the test under operation cry-baby as we will see.
Operation cry-baby is the test that led to isolation and the accumulation of scar tissue on the soul.
Ahiman is one of the three famous giants from the race of the Anakim. He was eventually driven out by Caleb.
Sheshai was eventually slain by Caleb and Talmai was a third giant also expelled by Caleb as well.
In the north there was a great concentration of giants called the Rephaim.
In the south there was a concentration called the Anakim, named after Anak who was the original giant in that area.
In Jos 15:14 we read that Caleb drove out the giants from his inheritance which is why we read in verse 14, (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
Zoan was built by the Jews as slaves. Hebron was captured by the Jews as free slaves.
ISA 35:3 Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.
In ACT 4:36, notice what Barnabas was known as, And Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called
Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means, Son of Encouragement),
ROM 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
ROM 15:5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus;
HEB 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but gather together for the purpose encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
They spread fear which led to hysteria. Hysteria led to withdrawal. And withdrawal led to a lot of scar tissue in the soul.
Exo 23:1 “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
Neh 6:13 He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.
2Co 6:8 We commend ourselves as servants of god by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
Rom 3:8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), “let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.
This is because bad news is used by the kingdom of darkness to try and stop the momentum of the people of God.
Jer 49:23 “For they have heard bad news; they are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed.”
Eze 7:26, ‘Disaster will come upon disaster, and rumor will be added to rumor; then they will seek a vision (teaching) from a prophet, but the doctrine will be lost from the priest and counsel from the elders.
Were they just victims or were they also responsible for listening to the bad reports from the 10 leaders of the tribes of Israel!
1. Metabolize doctrine protects the believer from those who speak perverse things, Pro 2:10-13.
2. Self-destruction and self-induced misery is the inevitable result of those who spread evil reports, Pro 6:12-19. “utters lies” is the hiphil imperfect of the Hebrew verb puwach (poo’akh); which means to puff up, blow with the breath or air; hence, to fan (as a breeze), to utter, to kindle (a fire), to scoff:
To spread strife is the piel stem of the Hebrew verb shalach — to send something away, to let go, to stretch out; to let loose; to dismiss, to give over, to cast out.
3. The mature believer brings blessing because of association, the wicked bring cursing, Pro 11-11.
4. Believers who live in doctrine speak truth, those who live in deceit speak lies, Pro 12:17-19.
The Exodus congregation relied on the 10 spies and their bad report rather than on Caleb and Joshua and their doctrinal view!
The first test was a test of Leadership in the tribes of Israel. (only Caleb and Joshua passed that test). The second is the test of the Exodus congregation, and with few exceptions they all flunked the test under operation cry-baby.
Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai were three famous giants from the race of the Anakim, all of them were taken care of by Caleb.
They knew that Moses would make a brave and doctrinal conclusion, and they knew the weakness of the people.
Ten men, or leaders of the tribes of Israel already made up their minds that they are not going into the land.
Prin-These spies had false reports and bad reports concerning the promise land.
Pro 17:4 An evildoer (the Exodus congregation) listens to wicked lips, (the 10 spies) a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
Pro 19:5 A false witness (10 spies) will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will not escape.
Pro 19:9 A false witness(10 spies) will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish.
Pro 22:3 The prudent (the believer with wisdom) sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive (the stupid in the Exodus congregation) go on, and are punished for it.
1. In Joh 10:10‑11, He is presented as “the Good Shepherd” in that He lays down his life for the sheep.
2. In Heb 13:20‑21, He is called “the Great Shepherd.”
3. “The Chief Shepherd” in 1Pe 5:4 is the title for Christ as we face Him after death and for all of eternity.
a. The believer, like a sheep, is helpless and has no sense of direction; a sheep must be guided by a shepherd.
b. A sheep can’t clean himself; this is a reminder of our Lord’s provision of rebound and recovery.
c. A sheep is helpless when injured.
d. A sheep is defenseless. He depends on the shepherd.
e. A sheep can’t find food or water for himself. A sheep must depend on the shepherd to lead him to water.
f. A sheep is easily frightened or panicked.
g. When the sheep produces wool it doesn’t belong to the sheep but to the shepherd.