As Israel was nearing the promised land, God required Moses to send out spies to give a report back of the land. Moses was instructed to pick one leader from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. All of the spies came back and testified that what God had said was all true. It was truly a land flowing with milk and honey; it was a place of prosperity and fortified cities. However, ten of the tribe leaders couldn’t look past the fortified walls and the giants that dwelled in them and trust that God would be able to give them their inheritance. Only two of the spies put their faith in God and tried to encourage the people not to fear, but instead to put their faith in God.
One of these men was Joshua the son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua became the successor of Moses and proved himself to be a great leader because he led from faith and not fear. The second spy, Caleb, was from the tribe of Judah. Interestingly it’s Judah and Ephraim later in Israel’s history that are the tribes trusted to lead the Kingdom of Northern Israel, and the Kingdom of Judah. Even though Judah was the only tribe picked by God to be kings over all Israel, there is significance that Ephraim was also chosen by to lead. Perhaps it has something to do with the events that we see in Numbers 13–14. God is greatly angered by the lack of faith in all of Israel and without Moses’s intervention we would have a very different story in our hands. God says this concerning the ten unfaithful leaders, “Your sons will suffer for your unfaithfulness.” Although it is true that sin is not something that is passed down from Father and Mother to child, the consequences of acting outside of faith are felt for multiple generations.
Although Joshua and Caleb are ignored in this story, even surviving an attempt to stone them, it is not too many generations in the future that both tribes are honored and respected as leaders among the nations of Israel.
Faith placed in God is never misplaced. Whether you are in the majority or the minority there can be long-lasting consequences for acting outside of faith. There are also all kinds of advantages to you and your children when you make bold actions that are done in faith. Your actions done in faith give your children an example for them to live by. Once Moses dies, and Joshua officially takes over as a leader for the people, the people put full faith in Joshua. Unlike their days in the wilderness, the people don’t rebel against Joshua like they did many times against Moses.
As you live your life keep acting in faith and trusting in God, and your faith may indeed pass on to many!
Jared Kelly
Dalraida church of Christ is a congregation of Christians that meet in the mid-town area of Montgomery, Alabama. Our goal and purpose is to seek and follow God and His Word in everything that we do in life.