Brian Maloy

So a few things happen from last week in Chapter 11 to Chapter 13 where we pickup. It’s worth making sure to connect the dots.

Numbers 11:16-30:

• God appoints seventy elders to help Moses bear the burden of leading the people.
• These elders are gathered at the Tent of Meeting, and God places His Spirit upon them, enabling them to prophesy.
• Two men, Eldad and Medad, who remained in the camp, also receive the Spirit and begin prophesying.
• Joshua, Moses’ assistant, urges Moses to stop them, but Moses responds with humility:
  • “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets…” (v. 29)

Numbers 11:31–35

• God sends a wind that brings quail from the sea, covering the camp.
• The people gather excessive amounts, driven by craving.
• While the meat is still in their mouths, God strikes them with a severe plague due to their greed and ingratitude.
• The place is named Kibroth Hattaavah (“Graves of Craving”) because many died there.

Numbers 12:1–16

• Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses, criticizing his Cushite wife and questioning his unique role.
• God responds by affirming Moses’ unparalleled intimacy with Him:
  • “With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles…” (v. 8)
• Miriam is struck with leprosy as judgment.
• Moses intercedes for her, and God heals her—but she must remain outside the camp for seven days.
• The people wait until she is restored before continuing their journey.

Our lesson picks up in Numbers 13:17, but prior to verse 17, we see more information than narrative.

• God instructs Moses to send men to explore the land of Canaan, which He is giving to the Israelites.
• One man is chosen from each of the twelve tribes, all of them recognized as leaders.
• Verses 4–15 detail the names and tribal affiliations of the twelve men.
• Notably, Hoshea son of Nun from the tribe of Ephraim is renamed by Moses as Joshua (v. 16), signaling his future significance as a leader and successor.

This passage sets the stage for a pivotal moment in Israel’s journey—where faith and fear will soon collide. That’s where we find ourselves picking up in Numbers 13:17. If you haven’t read Numbers 13 yet, here you go –> Numbers 13 (NASB)

Responding to the Complicated

As we pop to Num. 13:17, we know… things are about to get more complicated. Which naturally begs the question, how do YOU respond when things get complicated? But also, why do you respond that way?

Generally, I think there are some “normal” human responses. I know at times I am guilty of these, and I know we all likely are. Doesn’t make them great options… but surely they are applicable to most people. 

1. Control-seeking: trying to manage, fix it, plan around, problem-solve, or reframing. All great skills to have, but important to know when to pause.
2. Avoidance: distractions in our world abound… we can numb ourselves with our chosen poison, and we can withdraw. 
3. Blaming others: we are good at projecting responsibility and blame onto others, sometimes leaders, “systems”, or even God Himself.
4. Despair/Anxiety: feeling overwhelmed, helpless, or paralyzed has become ALL too common in our world. It’s almost socially acceptable to feel this, and it’s not the stew the Lord meant for us to steep in.
5. Boot-strapping: I don’t know if this is a word, but I know it’s real! We all know people, maybe even us… that believe “I must figure this out alone” — in the end, let’s be honest, it almost always isolates us, and wears us out.

What if… there was a better way? What if those of us who followed Jesus didn’t ask, “how do I fix this?”, instead asked, “what is God forming in me through this?” — it’s a paradigm shift, and it changes things in our hearts and minds. It gives us perspective. Heavenly, kingdom perspective. 

It’s wise to prepare, to ask questions, it’s healthy to lament and pour our hearts out before the Lord. 

But it is also important to learn to walk in trust. We seek comfort and discernment from the faithful community we’re surrounded by (hopefully), we learn to practice healthy rhythms (rest, prayer, worship, work), and we learn to walk in the uncomfortable in-between — a broken world, but not allowing ourselves to be consumed by it, after all, Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Be Courageous

So when we read Num. 13:17-20, hopefully we can better approach this idea of “responding to complications”, with a little more context. Moses is instructing the twelve spies in what information will be helpful. But what stands out to me, the call in v20 to “be courageous”. 

Why might Moses have issued that charge to these 12 men? If he knew God had called them here, promised this land, flowing with milk & honey… why would they need courage?

Well, think back to the last couple weeks (and in Exodus), God’s people are being prepared for the overwhelming complications that WILL cause them to doubt God’s goodness and faithfulness. They will be tested, hence God’s constant practice of working to help them trust Him fully… not half-heartedly. 

So of course they need courage. Courage does not mean we are not afraid, it means we do not allow the fear to consume, to control, to dictate our responses and actions (Joshua 1:9, 2 Tim. 1:7). It is NOT just an encouragement, it is a theological imperative. Even with God’s promise, the spies will face visible threats that could eclipse invisible truths unless they walk by faith. 

God’s promises are sure, but the path to their fulfillment often includes trials, giants, and fortified cities. Courage is needed not because God is absent, but because our hearts are prone to wander…

Faithful Obedience & Wise Discernment

When we read Num. 13:21-25, I think it’s easy to feel the tension… how do we balance acting in faith, but also gathering information before moving forward? I want to be faithful and walk in that trust, but I also want to be prepared, be a good steward.

I think this tension is real, and we can live in the gray area. Now let me say, I love things being clear and black and white — but I’ve continued to learn, sometimes it’s not that easy. 

We CAN learn to live in faithful obedience and wise discernment. Let me explain… 

In Num. 13:21-25, the twelve men explore Canaan for 40 days. They see the strength and fortifications of the people. They see the fertility of the land (they bring some fruit back), and they see the geography and strategic layout. It’s important intel! It’s not a lack of faith, it’s what Moses has instructed them to do per God. Gathering information is part of stewardship.

The problem isn’t gathering info, it’s the interpretation of info that gave way to fear rather than faith. Ten spies saw giants and forgot God’s power, Caleb and Joshua saw giants and remembered God’s promise. 

Obstacles to Overcome

Like Caleb, Joshua, and the other spies — we all face obstacles. If nothing else, as a result of the fall. Think back to Genesis 3, immediately there we experience:

• Spiritual separation, we hide from God, it ruptured the relationship.
• Relational strife, harmony between man and woman is fractured, blame enters the scene, trust erodes, conflict, manipulation, and power struggles follow…
• Vocational frustration, work was ordained before the fall, but now it’s toilsome, and resistant, the ground even is cursed. It quickly turns to obstacles in provision, purpose, and productivity. 
• Physical suffering and death are now inevitable. The human body even faces decay and disease. 
• Creation itself now groans under the weight of sin, once a cooperative partner, now thirds, Storms, and scarcity.

Obstacles are not new, and not specific to the Israelites, and certainly not to us. So in light of that bleak reality — perhaps we should reframe it all.

WHEN obstacles come, and they likely impede or delay our obedience to God, how do we deal with them? I brought up this thought before — how we respond to setbacks is telling… but it doesn’t HAVE to remain in the questionable state it was. 

**All that said, we MUST know ourselves, and be willing to honestly look in the mirror. Others can help, but only the Holy Spirit and ourselves truly know our heart. And honestly, we need help understanding our heart too. Praise the Lord for the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Truly — ask yourself, what obstacles am I dealing with, or most likely to be tripped up by? What will cause me to succumb to fear, not in resolute determination to obey the Father regardless?

So assuming we’ve taken, or are taking time to pray about this, seek the Spirit, and face the reality. Some questions to ponder.
With my answers for myself:

• How can we better handle the obstacles that stand in the way of our obedience? 
  • Reframe them, we are being sanctified. God doesn’t waste opportunities, and obstacles are opportunities for deeper dependence, humility even.
  • Name them honestly. Don’t be vague. Vague is not really helpful…  
  • Bring them into the light — confess it, isolation breeds distortion, gospel community helps us see clearly and walk wisely.
  • Remember, remember God’s character, rehearse what is true. God is sovereign, near, good, and ever faithful. Hold onto theological truths, when emotions or physical reality distort and challenge it. 
• What steps can we take to walk in obedience and faith. 
  • Scripture, let God’s Word shape us.
  • Practice small obedience, just like short walks before long runs, we must practice small obedience. 
  • Build rhythms of remembrance, maybe it’s journaling, maybe it’s a “wall of remembrance”, but routinely practice remembering God’s faithfulness.
  • Invite accountability — most people are afraid to step into this space without being invited, invite them, it helps.

So — how can you trust and obey?