Today’s story is fascinating and tragic. Twenty miles outside the Promised Land, the Israelites send a spy from each tribe to explore the Promised Land. Their objectives are to determine the best way to conquer the land and to confirm that it is really flowing with milk and honey. The spies found that the land was fertile with fruits and vegetables that grew large.

The spies were not anticipating finding fortified cities, a King, and a military. The spies were shocked. God had promised them the land, so they anticipated taking the land with ease. Now, they see that it will require great risk and sacrifice to take the land. But God never said anything about risk, sacrifice, or giants.

Ten of the spies report back that it is too dangerous and risky to attempt to conquer the land, because there are highly trained and fortified giants in the land. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, saw the same things as the other spies. They acknowledge the dangers and risks but still advocate for taking the land.

The perspective the spies had about the Promised Land was completely based on the depth of their faith in God. All 12 spies had the same experiences but understood them differently. Ten forgot what God had already done, so the obstacles before them grew into giants. Two remembered what God had done and knew that their God was so big, so strong, and so might that there was nothing their God cannot do.