Israel's problem was unbelief—they refused to take God at His word and enter the land He had promised them.
God told Israel to go up and possess the land, promising to drive out the Canaanites before them. Instead, Israel asked to send spies first, then believed the spies' discouraging report and refused to move forward. Les Feldick points out that sending the spies was not God's idea—He condescended to their request, and their unbelief cost them the easy possession of the land.
Deuteronomy 1:21 — God directly commanded Israel to go up and possess the land, with no mention of sending spies.
Numbers 14:1 — Israel's response was weeping and murmuring—clear evidence of their unbelief.
God had already set the land before Israel. In Deuteronomy 1:20-21, Moses told them: "And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us. Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged." The problem was not that God had failed to provide. The spies who returned said, "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers 13:33). The people responded with unbelief: "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night" (Numbers 14:1).
Les Feldick emphasizes that Israel's problem was unbelief at Kadesh Barnea. He points out that God never intended for Israel to send twelve spies into the land. When God said, "Go in and take the land," He promised to drive out the enemy and even use hornets (Clip 1). Israel, however, couldn't even take God at His word and asked to spy out the land first (Clip 2). God condescended to their request, but the spies' report only confirmed their lack of faith: "We're as grasshoppers in their sight" (Clip 2). Israel then wept and wailed, and Les identifies this as their first Tisha B'Av (Clip 1). Had they believed, they could have entered the land of milk and honey without one ounce of work—a picture of God's rest (Clip 3). Crossing the Red Sea had been by faith, and Kadesh required the same faith (Clip 5). But because of their unbelief, they did not believe God meant what He said and lost the easy possession of the land (Clip 7).
No. In Deuteronomy 1:21, God told Israel, "Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it." Les Feldick emphasizes that sending in the twelve spies was not God's idea—it arose from Israel's weakness of the flesh (Clips 2, 5, 6). God condescended to their request and allowed them to send spies (Clips 1, 2).
The spies returned after forty days with a report that focused on the giants in the land, saying, "We're as grasshoppers in their sight" (Clip 2). Israel responded by weeping and wailing—their first Tisha B'Av (Clip 1). Numbers 14:1 says, "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night."
Les explains that had the twelve spies come back in faith, Israel would have gone in and taken the land. Instead, because of their unbelief, they didn't believe that God meant what He said. They could have had the whole thing without losing a single young son or lifting a sword, but instead they missed the easy possession of the land and had to wait and eventually cross the Jordan under harder circumstances (Clips 3, 7).
The Truth About Grace, Faith & Abraham — Romans 4:13-25
faith. You know, even ourselves, we're living in a fast paced culture, and it's awful easy to lose faith. Things begin to overwhelm us, and it is so easy for any of us to suddenly think, well where is God? I just can't sense His presence. Why are these things falling in on me? Where is He? I imagine people ask that every day.
Israel Demands Spies Instead of Trusting God
Les shows that Israel said, "Send in the spies, we can't believe God," and God condescended to their request; when the spies returned with a discouraging report, Israel wept and wailed and held their first Tisha B'Av.
God Never Planned for the Twelve Spies
Les emphasizes that sending the spies was not God's idea; Israel couldn't take God at His word, and the report—"we're as grasshoppers"—revealed their unbelief.
What Israel Could Have Had
Les explains that if the spies had returned with faith, Israel could have entered the promised land without working—it was a picture of God's rest.
God's Command Was to Possess, Not to Spy
Les points to Deuteronomy 1:21, showing God set the land before Israel and told them to possess it—not to spy it out.
Faith Was the Requirement
Les compares crossing the Red Sea by faith to entering the land by faith—God had everything ready and only required them to occupy.
Israel's Failure: Weak in Faith
Les notes that Israel backed off, weak in faith, and forgot God's manifested power, asking to know what they were up against before entering.
Unbelief Cost Israel the Easy Possession
Les says because of unbelief, Israel did not believe God meant what He said and lost the opportunity to enter without lifting a sword or losing a young son.
Deuteronomy 1:21: Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
This is God's direct command to Israel to take the land, making their demand for spies an act of unbelief.
Numbers 13:33: And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
The spies' report focused on the giants instead of on God's promise to drive out the inhabitants.
Numbers 14:1: And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
This verse records Israel's response to the spies' report—weeping and unbelief.
Israel came to the border of the Promised Land, but instead of going in as God commanded, they asked to send spies. When the spies returned with a fearful report, Israel refused to believe God and wept through the night.
Les Feldick says they could not take God at His word—they said, "Send in the spies, we can't believe God, we've got to have spies before we can believe Him" (Clip 1). God condescended to their request, but it was a sign of their weak faith.
Les explains they could have entered the land of milk and honey without one ounce of work, without lifting a sword, and without losing a single young son (Clips 3, 7). It was a place of God's rest.
Watch the Teaching: The Truth About Grace, Faith & Abraham — Romans 4:13-25