Э.Г. Уайт - История спасения - Глава 20. Разведчики и их донесение - текст песни, слова, перевод, видео

(Numbers 13:14)

God commanded Moses to send twelve men to inspect the land of Canaan, into which He intended to bring the children of Israel. Therefore, it was necessary to choose one representative from the leaders of each tribe. The messengers went and returned after forty days; having appeared before Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of Israel, they showed them the fruits of the land. All, having seen the magnificent fruits brought as evidence, agreed that the land was good. Among the fruits were pomegranates and figs, which grew in abundance in that land, and a huge bunch of grapes was carried on a pole by two men.

Having told about the richness and fertility of the land of Canaan, all who returned, except two, began to assert with alarm that the people of Israel would not be able to take possession of it. They said that the people who lived there were very strong, that their cities were surrounded by thick and high walls, and, what was most terrible, that there were giants among them, sons of the "giant race" of Anak. Having described where each people lived in the land of Canaan, they concluded by declaring that the Israelites would never be able to take possession of it.

After hearing the report, the Jews gave vent to their disappointment, weeping and throwing bitter reproaches at Moses. There was no question of an unwavering faith that the Lord, who had led them to this place, would certainly give them this land as an inheritance. They immediately fell into despair; having a limited understanding of the power of the Holy God and not trusting in the One who had led them through the desert all this time, the people reproached Moses and said to one another in despair: "Behold, the end of all our hopes has come. This is the land for which we have been wandering in the desert for so long."

Caleb and Joshua tried to reason with them, but the people were so excited that they could not and would not listen to the voice of these men. When the noise died down a little, Caleb took courage and addressed them again. He said, "Let us go and take possession of it, for we are able to overcome it." But those who went with him to explore the land began to say, "We cannot go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are." They continued to spread an evil report and announced to the people that all the people in the land were "men of great stature." "We saw giants there, the sons of Anak," they said, "of the giant race; and we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes before them, and so we were in their eyes." And Israel Murmurs Again

"And all the congregation lifted up their voices, and the people wept all that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation said unto them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness! Our wives and our little ones will become a prey to the enemy. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make ourselves a captain, and let us return to Egypt. And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the whole assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel."

The Israelites not only gave free rein to their complaints against Moses, but also accused God Himself of deceiving them by promising to give them a land which they were not able to possess. Their rebellious spirit became so great that, forgetting the invincible power of the Almighty, who had led the whole people out of the land of Egypt and had shown them so many miracles during their wanderings in the desert, they decided to choose a new leader for themselves in order to return back to Egypt, where they had been slaves and suffered unimaginable hardships. In the end, they chose a new leader, depriving Moses, their patient leader, of all authority, and angrily murmured against God.

Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Lord in the presence of the whole congregation of the children of Israel, begging God for mercy on the rebellious people. However, their despair and grief were so great that they could not continue and lay silently on their faces. Then Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes in great sorrow and said to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, “The land through which we have passed to search is very, very good. If the Lord is gracious to us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us - this land flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not be afraid.”