This week’s Parashat has an entire generation that gets left behind. Last week we read how the Israelites continued to mess up and anger the Lord. God tells Moses to SEND FOR YOURSELF 12 men to spy out the land. The word SPY that is used means to search for yourself. It is not the word used in the military to spy on your adversary. God told Moses to send men out to see if what He has told the people about the land He Promised them is true. God is testing them to see if they TRUST Him.
Moses gives them specific things to look for. He tells them to see what the land is like? Are the people weak or strong? Is the land good or bad. Are the cities open or fortified? Is the land fat or lean. Are there trees or not? Bring back fruit from the land.
Moses sent the 12 SPIES out on Sivan 29 which just so happens to be Father’s Day this year. The spies searched the land for 40 days. They brought back grapes that took 2 men to carry. When they arrived back to the camp they began to tell Moses, Aaron, and the congregation what they had seen. They said we went to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey. If they would have stopped there, they would not have spent 40 years in the wilderness. However the said a word that can be translated as NEVERTHELESS or BUT. They are now going from telling what they saw to their opinion of what they saw. They are looking through man’s eyes and not God’s eyes.
Here is what they say. The people of the land are strong and the cities are fortified, and they are large. We saw the descendants of ANAK. Some translations say we saw the NEPHILIM. They saw the children of the FALLEN ANGELS. They said the land devours its inhabitants. They said we became GRASSHOPPERS in our own sight and so we were in their sight.
I find it interesting that they called themselves GRASSHOPPERS a kosher food. That even in their mess up they saw themselves clean and set apart. Joshua and Caleb tried to turn the people back to God. However the congregation cried and began to turn on Moses and Aaron. Joshua gives a speech telling the people if Yahweh is pleased with us He will give us this land of Milk and Honey. The people there will become our bread. God has removed their protection. The people would not listen. God says the people 20 years old and above will not enter the Promised Land they will wander for 40 years in the wilderness and they will all die in the desert. Only Joshua and Caleb will be allowed to enter the Promised Land.
12 men saw GIANTS and 10 of them allowed fear to control them. 10 is the number of testing. 10 men failed the test and gave a false report. Do you know today there are 10 major news networks who promote propaganda and 2 that shoot straight. They see the modern day GIANTS of PRONOUNS, LGBTQ, DIVERSITY, GENDER CONFUSION and many more. When David prepared to take on Goliath he grabbed 5 stones because there were 5 known giants in the land. Their numbers are small yet they make the most noise. Today you have a choice to listen to the loud GIANTS and become a grasshopper or listen to your God and take the land. What will it be?
