SPIES LIKE US

SPIES LIKE US:

The year was 1985. The movie, SPIES LIKE US, was pretty bad. Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase played a couple of dim-witted federal employees who were easily duped into believing they were international spies. In actuality they were a couple of hilariously bumbling decoys.

The Bible has a tragic story about some not-so-hilarious bumbling spies who went into Canaan, aka “The Promised Land.” In the book of Numbers it seems like God told them to go in and explore, scout, spy on the land. But in the book of Deuteronomy it sounds like it was the people’s idea to go in and explore, scout, spy on the land.

The reason why this is significant is at least two-fold:

First, one might conclude that the reason the nation of Israel was punished to wander in the wilderness for 40 years was because they failed to simply waltz into the land God had promised Abraham’s descendants - trusting that God would take care of all the details. But if God commanded them to go in and explore, scout, spy…  Hmmmm... Was God just setting them up to fail? If so - how do we know He doesn’t do the same thing to us today? What kind of loving God would do that?

Second, the two accounts (in Numbers and Deuteronomy) seem vastly different - especially regarding who initiated the whole idea of exploring, scouting, spying. Does that mean the Bible is riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions? Is this some kinda game that God is playing? Does that prove - or at least give credence to the idea - that the Bible is of human origin? If so…  Hmmmm… Then it certainly cannot actually be trusted as being accurate, authoritative, or timeless - right?

Well let’s begin with the fact that there’s a HUGE difference between actual inconsistencies / contradictions and apparent ones. If we can explore the reasons for these apparent contradictions, then hopefully it will facilitate your reconsidering the authority, accuracy, and fidelity of the Bible.

Sometimes apparent contradictions pop up when you really stop to read your Bible carefully. Notice the emphasis on -apparent- contradictions. The Bible is God’s Word and it is unlike any other book because it is neither merely a book - nor is it of human construction or origin. Certainly humans like Moses, Matthew, Paul, and John were intimately involved as inspired authors (or “redactors” as some prefer), but ultimately there is no denying the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16a: “All Scripture is God-breathed…”

One apparent contradiction comes when reading and comparing the story mentioned above, i.e. that of the Israelites conducting a covert operation into the land of Canaan - i.e. The Promised Land.

The first story comes from the book of Numbers 13:2 Where God says to Moses “Send some men to (wə-yā-ṯu-rū from the Hebrew verb tur) the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites..." Depending on the context the verb tur typically means to explore, spy, search, scout, or something along those lines. Therefore, in the book of Numbers it appears as though God is the one initiating, in fact commanding Israel to embark upon, this exploratory or probative covert op.

The second story, told approximately 40 years later, comes from the book of Deuteronomy. In context, Moses is talking to a whole new generation of Israelites and giving them a “second law” or “second telling” of how the nation failed epically, was punished to wander, and now stands on the cusp of finally entering into God’s “Promised Land,” Canaan, in order to fulfill His covenant promise to Abram and bless all of humanity. In Deuteronomy 1:22 Moses states, “Then all of you came to me and said, ‘Let us send men ahead to (wə-yaḥ-pə-rū from the Hebrew verb khawfar) the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.’”

Not only do the verbs differ in Deuteronomy (khawfar: to uncover or dig) and Numbers (tur: to explore or scout), but it seems to be a very different story. Did the plan initiate with God telling them to go explore/scout -or- did the plan initiate with Israel in wanting to go uncover/dig up something?

The short answer is “Yes.”

The Latin phrase Scriptura Scripturae interpres, meaning Scripture interprets Scripture, is absolutely essential here. Scripture, i.e. the Bible, was never intended to be used as a “cut and paste” self-help guide or reference manual to rally support for religious or denominational beliefs, doctrine, building projects, plans, traditions, etc.

Instead, the Bible, as 2 Timothy 3:16b-17 instructs us “... is useful/profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” It is the ultimate love story by which God Himself discloses the goal and purpose of transforming humanity from separation, darkness, sin, and eternal death to unity, light, holiness, and eternal life.

The Bible is God’s gracious instrument of transformation. When received, approached, and used rightly - by it humanity is not only restored, redeemed, and reconciled into community with our Creator, but we actually become the vehicle, as the Bride of Christ, through which God’s gracious covenant promise to Abram, “all the families on earth will be blessed through you,” is literally fulfilled.

Contrastingly, if one approaches the Bible with the predetermined intent to reject God by confirming or establishing inherent flaws, its uselessness, its oppressiveness, and/or the utter lunacy of an invisible omnipotent sovereign Creator - then the Author, i.e. God, will certainly allow one to arrive at that tragic conclusion.

Apparent contradictions within the Bible, such as the one discussed above, appear, in fact, to have been divinely woven into the fabric of Scripture. Thus, God allows the perpetual hardening of hearts by those whom He foreknew would refuse to accept His free gift of grace by faith, and instead would choose to elevate self to the throne in God’s place.

If one has a hard time believing that “a loving God” would ever give people over to the hardening of their own hearts, then all one need do is read passages like Genesis 6:3; Exodus 9:12; Matthew 13:13; and Romans 1:24.

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So back to our original question and answer: “Was it God’s idea or Israel’s to explore the land?”

God foreknew that humanity would rebel in Eden. God foreknew that Israel would fail as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God foreknew that Israel would not only merely desire to go into the land to find the best path in - but that they would fail to trust in Him despite God’s covenant promises, despite having been supernaturally delivered from 400 years of slavery, despite having seen all the miracles and wonders, despite the parting of the sea, despite God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s army, despite manna from heaven, despite water from the rock, despite His awesome Presence atop Mt. Sinai, despite God descending to dwell in the midst of their community, and despite their forgetfulness, idolatry, and insecurities.

Israel came to Moses with a seemingly valid plan, but ultimately the majority didn’t just want to go in and find the “best path.” No, ten of those twelve ambassadors went in without any faith in God Almighty to do anything. Ten of those guys went in to khawfar, i.e. dig up, seemingly rational, logical, justifiable, and legitimate reasons for denying, opposing, preventing, and attacking God’s character, will, and plan - and God allowed them to find it.

Joshua and Caleb were the exception. In Numbers 13:30 those two stood together as Caleb said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

The other ten had a very different take. In Numbers 13:31-33 we read, “But the men who had gone up with him (Caleb) said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ Thus 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. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). Compared to them we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.’”

We read the same thing in Deuteronomy 1:26-28: But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”

Moses summed up the sin of the ten spies, and in fact the entire nation of Israel, perfectly in Deuteronomy 1:32 when he said simply, “you did not trust in the Lord your God.”

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Fidelity, i.e. faithfulness, is permanently and eternally inherent as part of the essential character of God. When humanity rebelled in Eden’s garden our Creator owed us nothing albeit the explicit consequence of our rebellion - eternal separation from God, i.e. death. God made a graciously unmerited covenant promise (Gen 3:15) of hope and reconciliation to humanity by anticipating a sacrificial serpent crusher; a covenant promise that He Himself would eventually fulfill as the God-man Jesus Christ.

The Israelites condemned to wander and die in the wilderness were SPIES LIKE US. Like we who devise and implement plans that appear logical, sound, and valid. Like us they moved forward not only forgetting God’s impeccable character, but also having lost track of His covenant promise and unwavering mission: “all the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

All of this ultimately reveals the truth, as disclosed by Moses, “you did not trust in the Lord your God.”

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So what are the plans that you’ve brought before God that seem rational, valid, and sound on the surface? Is it a plan or prayer of relationship, a job, a house, a business, or even a ministry idea or church?

Are you telling people “God told me _______?” Remember, in Numbers God said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan.” God told them to go explore. Ultimately it’s not just about what God tells us to do or where He commands us to go, but whether or not we will respond in faith when we get there.

By the transcendent gift of faith will you stand firm in the character, promises, and mission of God? Or will you - like the spies of Israel who questioned God’s fidelity, character, promises, and mission - falter amid the uncertainty of circumstances only to reveal Moses' truth: you never really knew or trusted Him to begin with.

Maybe the reason you’ve been wandering in the wilderness so long outside the Promised Land is because your faith has always been just that - yours. Maybe it was never sourced in or from God.

The solution is simple - pray. Get down on your face and plead with Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, to bless you with the free gift of faith. Tell Jesus that you don’t want to be like the ten spies who had no trust - but instead your desire is to be like Joshua - whose name literally means trusting that “THE LORD SAVES!”

They were SPIES LIKE US and most of that rebellious generation never entered into God’s promise or presence and quite frankly never wanted to. Thankfully, Jesus went to the Cross to become both the gateway and fulfillment of God’s promise.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisicple.com