The Bible says, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment” (Exodus 23:2). When the children of Israel were coming to the borders of the Land that flowed with milk and honey they sent out twelve spies. In Numbers 13 we find all twelve spies listed. Out of that number how many do you remember?
Moses gave them a charge of what they were to spy out within the land. “And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.” (Numbers 13:17-18).
God had already told them numerous times that this land was a land that flowed with milk and honey. Notice, further in Numbers 13, that even the spies said this of the land, “…and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it” (Numbers 13:27). They saw the evidence of the promises of God, but.
Those ten spies convinced the people that the people within the land were strong, the cities were walled, were great, and they saw the children of Anak there (Numbers 13:28). The children of Anak were giants. They had the promises of God and evidence before them that this was a land that flowed with milk and honey, and yet the majority of the spies convinced the all the people that they could not possibly take that land that God had promised them.
Remember these same people had seen all that God had done to the gods of the Egyptians. The plagues were against those gods and God showed His power over them. These same people had walked through a sea on dry land. God was also guiding these people with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. They had evidence that God was fulfilling His promise to them right before their eyes and yet they let the majority of the spies convince them that they could not do what God said to do. The children of Israel let ten men keep them from receiving the blessings from God even against the knowledge that they had.
Do we let the majority keep us from blessings of God? We have the evidence placed before us that God is. We have miracles that we can read about within the pages of the Bible, that show us that God can do entirely what He promised. We have all that we need to live the Christian life “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Remember also that Jesus said that the majority will not be in heaven, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
God has given us promises let us know them. God has given us commands let us keep them. Let us receive the blessing that God has promised.
Love, Keith
