Two familiar events

Moses and the Israelites come near the Promised Land

Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan to check out the area, to measure the enemy and gauge its power.

It was a reconnaissance mission. It's recorded for us in the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter 13.

Ten of the returning spies were overwhelmed at the strength and stature of the Canaanites.

They reported that the land was indeed good and capable of producing much food. It was a land "flowing with milk and honey," as the LORD had said.

But, they said, "We cannot attack those people...they are stronger than we are. All the people we saw there are of great size."

The Canaanites appeared to be giants when compared to the Israelites, who seemed to shrink to mere grasshoppers.

The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can do it."

What was the difference?

Had they seen different things?

Both groups saw the land and both groups saw the giants.

But the ten focused on the giants in the land and lost sight of God's powerful Presence and His promises of victory.

They did not really see the kingdom God promised them. Fear and doubt clouded their vision.

All they could see were the giants.

Joshua and Caleb kept their eyes on God, and it was the Canaanites who seemed to shrink in size.

The giants got smaller and God loomed larger.

They really saw the kingdom God promised them.

So there they all stood - on the edge of the Promised Land.

Should they believe God and move forward, or trust their own eyes and give up?


Jesus talks to Nicodemus - Seeing and Entering

Hundreds of years later the Son of God Himself came to earth, in the body of a human being.

One night a leader named Nicodemus came to Him saying, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

(The conversation is recorded for us in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 3.)

In reply, Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless He is born again."

A few moments later, Jesus said, "No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless He is born again."

So we can't even see the Kingdom of God unless we are born again with God's spirit.

And certainly we can't enter that Kingdom, if we can't even see it!


Seeing and Entering -
Or Not Seeing and Not Entering


So there stood the 12 spies, along with Moses and all of the Jews who had left Egypt -- most of them could not see the kingdom of God's promise right before their eyes!

They were blinded by doubt and lack of faith. They didn't want to trust God.

But Joshua and Caleb could see the kingdom before them, and they were allowed to enter.

The rest refused to see and so they could not enter.