Do you recognize the names in the title? Do you recognize Shammua, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Gaddiel, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi or Geuel? You can read about these men in Numbers 13. These men were chosen to go and spy out the land of Canaan.
You probably do know the names Joshua and Caleb. Joshua and Caleb were the two spies who came back with a good report. They believed that the Israelites could go in and conquer the land. However, the other ten men did not believe that the Israelites could be successful.
The ten men stated that the land was indeed a good land. They said it flowed with milk and honey. They showed the fruit that they had brought back, but they said the inhabitants of the land were strong. They said the cities were walled and great.
The ten men stated that the Canaanites were of great stature. They said they saw themselves as grasshoppers compared to the Canaanites, and they stated that the Canaanites surely thought of them as grasshoppers. By this they meant that the Israelites were very small and insignificant compared to the Canaanites.
The ten men were able to convince the Israelites that they could not conquer Canaan. In fact, the Israelites decided that they needed to go back to Egypt. This is truly amazing since in Egypt they were slaves. They decided they would rather be slaves in Egypt than conquerors with God.
There are some today who will not trust God. Rather than trying to teach and preach the Gospel, they will say that it is useless to preach. Rather than telling others about Christ, they will be satisfied to sit in silence. They will say that the job is too big. They will say that there are too many to convert. They will say that others will laugh at them. They will say that others will think they are silly.
Individuals like this are no different than the ten spies who gave an evil report. They do nothing but discourage others from obeying God. God brought death to those ten spies, and He brought death to all the Israelites who were convinced by them. All those today who refuse to fight and win the spiritual battle will suffer eternal hell, and all of those who are convinced by them will suffer eternal hell.
Read your Bible. Learn what God wants you to do. Do not think of yourself as a grasshopper. Do not get discouraged and listen to those who say the spiritual battle is too great to win. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
