Today’s Bible Verse
And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.”
Numbers 13:32 (NKJV)
Uncommon Report
The difference between victory and defeat is in the report. Returning after 40 days of their spying expedition, ten out of the twelve spies came back with a report that forever changed the course of generations to come. It was called a “bad report” according to scriptures. It was a common report in that they (10 spies) had given about what they saw and brought back from their spying expedition of the promised land.
This report was a great indicator of their chances to conquer and possess that which the Lord has already promised. Their report was logically on point in their minds, but the Bible calls it a bad report. The report was intellectually accurate in their measurements and recall, but it’s considered bad. It was sensible and common sense in their estimation but still called bad according to the Bible. It was a bad report as it compromised the everlasting promise and possessions from the Word of God; it was contrary to will of God (Gen 17:8).
This was the people response because of this report:
“Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” (Numbers 14:3-4 NKJV)
Because of this report, the people of Israel sank into despondency and wept the whole night through and turned and returned to the Wilderness. God also judged the people of Israel by making them wait for 40 years to enter the promised land. He also promised that every person 20 years old or older would die in the wilderness and would not see the land with two exceptions—Caleb and Joshua. (Pastor Fika Esau)
An Uncommon Life
As unpopular as it was, Caleb and Joshua delivered an uncommon report.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30 NKJV).
Caleb and Joshua’s Uncommon report was God’s report. It was birth and backed by Heaven and validated by God himself. It was the report of the Lord (Isaiah 53:1) for the Children of Israel.
You would have thought the people took heart, remembering the promises God had made and the miracles they saw Him perform throughout the wilderness (Gen 17:8). But no. Because of unbelief, when they came up against resistance, they would rather have stoned Joshua and Caleb, canceling God’s report to protect and promote their own.
What happens when the logical, intellectual, and common sense report is missing the God factor? You end up in the wilderness. The uncommon can be very unpopular. I learned over the years that easy is not always the best. The road of least resistance is not always God, and not everything in the world that shines is gold. Go back to His promise and His oath, the Word (Heb 6:17-18). Like with Caleb and Joshua, it always pays off in the end:
But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. (Numbers 14:24 NKJV)
Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I [a]swore I would make you dwell in. (Numbers 14:30 NKJV)
Today’s Declaration
I believe the everlasting and unchanging report of the Lord. I make a deliberate decision to not waver through unbelief or doubt but believe God’s Word and His oath. No matter the circumstances, His Word is final authority in my life.
