1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. … 6 Joshua … and Caleb … , who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the Israelites, “The land that we went through as spies is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us ... 9 Only, do not rebel against the Lord” … 10 But the whole congregation threatened to stone them.
Numbers 14
Have you ever heard the phrase: “Don’t shoot the messenger”?
Usually it’s reserved for when the messenger is bringing bad news. But Joshua and Caleb were bringing good news – “It’s a good land given to us by a good God.” So why did the Israelites want to shoot (or stone) them?
It was because of fear … and lies. It was because of doubt sewed into them by ten of the twelve spies. But more than that, it was because of lies they chose to believe.
The truth is out there (as the old TV saying goes). But how many of us keep choosing to believe lies?
Choosing. It’s a choice. We can know the truth and the truth can set us free. (That’s what Jesus taught us.) Or we can choose to be intellectually lazy and not investigate. We can choose to believe religious clichés and theological half-truths.
In fact, Satan traffics in half-truths. His method is two truths and a lie. Liars and the Father of Lies sprinkle in a few positive truths to establish trust (13:28 “the land to which you sent us … flows with milk and honey … ”), then they add in a few negative facts and inconvenient truths to make them seem logical and dispassionate (13:32 “ all the people that we saw in it are of great size), and now people are prepared for the lie (13:31 “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we”).
Checkmate!
Except it isn’t true.
What fact did the liars – intentionally or unintentionally or probably fearfully – leave out? That though the enemy is “stronger than we,” God is stronger than the enemy and we are more than conquerors through him who loves us!
Caleb and Joshua told the truer truth … and the world tried to stone them. Jesus told the truest truth … and the world put him on a cross.
Why are we so vulnerable to lies (which often turn into defeat)? It’s because we’re intellectually lazy. We believe half-truths and religious clichés. And half the truth is more than enough to make us constantly vulnerable whenever trials may come. Do you want freedom?Know the truth. It will set you free.
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who doesn’t like
to cry out with the crowd
(I’d rather reflect than react)
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