Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen people.
Speaker 2: Your name, my son, Moose, son of none Osheya, my son,
Speaker 2: you did everything I asked of you. You did well.
Speaker 2: I'd have you lead the armies from me Oshea. Stand
Speaker 2: by my side and learn from me. You have an
Speaker 2: obedient and faithful spirit. With such a spirit, there's no
Speaker 2: limit to what you can do. On behalf of God
Speaker 2: and for our people.
Speaker 3: You let us well. My friend with courage far beyond
Speaker 3: your years or experience, and name's Caleb, son of Jeffany.
Speaker 4: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt.
Speaker 4: I have heard their cries and beheld their suffering. I
Speaker 4: have come to deliver them out of slaver and carry
Speaker 4: them to a land of promise, a vast and vibrant
Speaker 4: land heaving with life, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Speaker 2: Tell each man to be equipped for battle. There's no
Speaker 2: telling what perils will face on the White Decadan. The
Speaker 2: wilderness is treacherous, the.
Speaker 5: Path is long.
Speaker 6: Twelve spies were sent by God into the Promised Land,
Speaker 6: but only two were true to God. Shallo my friends
Speaker 6: from here in the Holy Land. I'm yea el Exstein
Speaker 6: with International Fellowship of Christians and Jews welcome to the
Speaker 6: Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired
Speaker 6: by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love,
Speaker 6: and the meaning of life. Through Israel story, we'll find
Speaker 6: this truth that we are all chosen for something great.
Speaker 6: If this podcast has blessed you in any way, we'd
Speaker 6: love it if you left us a review. And if
Speaker 6: you're interested in the countless lives being impacted and biblical
Speaker 6: prophecy coming to fruition by our work at the Fellowship,
Speaker 6: you can visit us at IFCJ dot org. That's IFCJ
Speaker 6: dot org. Now let's begin. Our people stand on the
Speaker 6: edge of destiny, freed from slavery, led through the wilderness
Speaker 6: by fire and clouds, sustained by manna. And now they're
Speaker 6: at the edge of the promised land. But before them
Speaker 6: lies giants, walled cities unknown. And so they send spies
Speaker 6: twelve men to scout to see if God's promise is
Speaker 6: as good as his word. But what happens when fear
Speaker 6: takes root, when the land of blessing becomes the land
Speaker 6: of doubt?
Speaker 1: Could feel his heartbeat in his throat, and he fought
Speaker 1: the urge to wipe his sweaty hands on his cloak.
Speaker 1: He stood before all of Israel, just outside the courtyard
Speaker 1: of the Tabernacle. Moses was proclaiming their mandate before the nation,
Speaker 1: his mandate and the mandate of the eleven other men
Speaker 1: who stood beside him.
Speaker 2: Shamuas son of Zakur, from the tribe of Reuben, Shaffat,
Speaker 2: son of Hurri, from the tribe of Simeon, Caleb, son
Speaker 2: of Jeffuna, from the tribe of Judah, hi Gal, son
Speaker 2: of Joseph, from the tribe of Isikar, Joshua, son of None,
Speaker 2: from the tribe of Ephraim Parti, son of Ram Joshua.
Speaker 1: He was Joshua now, though the name still felt foreign,
Speaker 1: as if it belonged to someone else. Days earlier, Moses
Speaker 1: had pulled him aside, speaking of the importance of this mission.
Speaker 1: The people were growing anxious. They had left Hazaroth, mourned
Speaker 1: those lost to grumbling and the quails black, and now
Speaker 1: stood at Kaidish, on the border of the wilderness of paren.
Speaker 1: God's people were on the brink of their promised land.
Speaker 1: Feeling the eldest pressure, Moses shared with Joshua his decision
Speaker 1: to send a scouting party ahead.
Speaker 2: The people hold their tongues when I walk by, but
Speaker 2: they gripe to the elders without abandon, knowing that it
Speaker 2: will make its way to me. They are cowards, but
Speaker 2: they of course do not want to be seen as cowards.
Speaker 5: You can't blame them for being afraid, but.
Speaker 2: I can't blame them for their lack of faith, Husha.
Speaker 2: Faith is everything true. Nevertheless, a good leader listens. That's
Speaker 2: why I've gathered you and the elders.
Speaker 5: Are you going to send a scouting party?
Speaker 2: I do, Husha?
Speaker 5: Would you go and lead them? Me lead the scouting party? Yes,
Speaker 5: he seemed surprised. I'd ask you, Moses. You know I
Speaker 5: will do whatever you ask, but I do not know
Speaker 5: the way.
Speaker 2: Ha ha, who do not fear, young Hosey.
Speaker 5: I would not send you alone.
Speaker 2: I have men who would prepare you with maps and
Speaker 2: knowledge of the terrain, roads and cities.
Speaker 5: That is good. When would you have us go?
Speaker 1: Moses looked at Hoshier for a moment, considering Hoshier stiffened
Speaker 1: under his gaze. Even after all this time, and though
Speaker 1: he profoundly admired Moses, he was still an intimidating man.
Speaker 1: For he could perceive in him, deep under the surface,
Speaker 1: deep rolling anger, ranging from a righteous anger to an
Speaker 1: indignant sense of injustice. Joshua supposed it fueled the determination
Speaker 1: to lead their nation, lending him strength and tenacity. He
Speaker 1: couldn't sense it now, but he knew it was deep within.
Speaker 1: He did his best not to shrink under. Moses, steady gaze.
Speaker 2: I do not tell you this enough, but I am
Speaker 2: grateful for you. I've not known loyalty like yours.
Speaker 1: O Sheer was speechless. He could feel his face turning
Speaker 1: bright red, and the more he thought about how redd
Speaker 1: it was growing, the more heat traveled to his cheeks.
Speaker 5: Thank you, Moses. I don't know what to say. You've
Speaker 5: been like a father to me. It is you I
Speaker 5: should be thinking. You truly are a kind of salvation
Speaker 5: your name, O Shea.
Speaker 2: Surely your parents told you of the meaning that I
Speaker 2: suppose they had hoped that our people would eventually be
Speaker 2: free from our oppressors. I'm sorry they didn't live to
Speaker 2: see it, Oh Shea. Your faithfulness to me and to
Speaker 2: our Lord will be rewarded someday. But until that day,
Speaker 2: I would offer you a blessing for you depart on
Speaker 2: this mission for me.
Speaker 1: Hosher was struck silent a blessing from Moses before he
Speaker 1: could speak. Moses rose and approached him. The prophet, chosen
Speaker 1: leader of Israel, knelt beside Hosher and rested a gentle
Speaker 1: hand on his shoulder.
Speaker 2: Hoshea, if you accept, I will give you a new name,
Speaker 2: A name to give you strength in our promised land,
Speaker 2: A name to remind you where your true strength lies
Speaker 2: in the face of whatever comes. I name you Joshua
Speaker 2: Yahweh is Salvation. Let this name remind you, no matter
Speaker 2: the danger or uncertainty, that salvation is found only in
Speaker 2: the Lord. The Lord does not fail, does not falter,
Speaker 2: and does not abandon his promises. May Our God protect
Speaker 2: you and guide your steps, granting you wisdom and courage
Speaker 2: above all else. Joshua, do you accept this new name,
Speaker 2: your new calling, and this mission?
Speaker 5: I accept. I don't know what else to say. You
Speaker 5: honor me.
Speaker 1: Joshua blinked, fists clenched to steady himself. If he thought
Speaker 1: any longer about how profoundly meaningful that moment was to him,
Speaker 1: he would never recover his composure. Not while standing before
Speaker 1: all of Israel as Moses delivered their charge to the
Speaker 1: appointed spies. More than anything, he longed to be worthy
Speaker 1: of this appointment.
Speaker 2: And in this way I charge you to explore the land.
Speaker 2: Go with courage in the name of the Lord, and
Speaker 2: bring back the fruit of the land in your report,
Speaker 2: so that I may see the truth of the Lord's promises.
Speaker 2: Go now, with his blessing and his protection. Before you,
Speaker 2: honor your tribes, for you have each been chosen to
Speaker 2: represent your people. Await your seat return.
Speaker 1: And with that, the Israelites cheered for their representatives as
Speaker 1: they waved in acknowledgment at the crowd. Joshua waved awkwardly,
Speaker 1: but felt better when his friend Caleb gave him a
Speaker 1: playful ludge and flashed him a friendly smile. Joshua was
Speaker 1: glad Caleb had been selected for his tribe. He felt
Speaker 1: woefully out of place in this assortment of decorated lieutenants
Speaker 1: and statesmen from the other tribes. He didn't know any
Speaker 1: of them personally, but their reputations preceded them, and besides,
Speaker 1: most had children who were older than he was. But
Speaker 1: with Caleb by his side, he knew he would have
Speaker 1: at least one person to watch his back. Joshua and
Speaker 1: Caleb snuck through some jagged stones, overlooking the land of Hebrew.
Speaker 1: The city had jagged buildings hewn from stone, with large
Speaker 1: pillars of fire illuminating the city streets. Padding close behind
Speaker 1: was the lieutenant of the tribe, Reuben Shamoa. He was
Speaker 1: an abrasive and prideful man.
Speaker 7: Remind me again why Hebron is so important.
Speaker 5: Hebron is where most of their forefathers and mothers are buried, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob,
Speaker 5: and Leah.
Speaker 1: Caleb peered down and pursed his lips.
Speaker 8: It is also the land where my father's ancestors, the Kennesites, lived,
Speaker 8: long before they assimilated into the tribe of Judah. I
Speaker 8: have tyes here.
Speaker 7: Will we be met by friends or foes down there?
Speaker 5: No way of knowing until we get a closer look.
Speaker 8: It's too risky for all of us to go in.
Speaker 8: I'll go, Samuwa can come with me.
Speaker 1: The two men crouched and descended the hill. They crawled
Speaker 1: through the sparse desert brush, scanning the city. Ahead of
Speaker 1: the city's entrance, two large figures emerged from the shadows.
Speaker 1: Their footsteps shook the earth, vibrating Kyla leb and Shamoa's chests.
Speaker 1: What struck Caleb most was their sheer size. Even from
Speaker 1: a distance, he could tell these men stood more than
Speaker 1: a foot taller than he did, and Caleb was no
Speaker 1: small man. Their broad shoulders, powerful legs, and precise movements
Speaker 1: marked them as warriors, and their cruel iron weapons and
Speaker 1: lightweight armor confirmed it. His heart sank. These were likely
Speaker 1: scouts like them, searching for threats, and the Israelites were
Speaker 1: undoubtedly that threat. Shamoor shot him an alarmed glance. Echoing
Speaker 1: Caleb's thoughts, The giants grumbled to each other as they
Speaker 1: settled into the camp.
Speaker 9: Why'd you got him so quickly? We should have questioned
Speaker 9: him and learn what he was An Amori? Those greedy
Speaker 9: dogs only want more land. I didn't want to give
Speaker 9: him a chance to bark, would turn home to his
Speaker 9: master's to wine.
Speaker 8: We don't even know if he was a spy.
Speaker 5: Or an Amoright course he was a spy, and did
Speaker 5: you see his clothes? Even if he wasn't an Amori,
Speaker 5: who cares he wasn't one of us. Remember when he
Speaker 5: wet himself?
Speaker 8: Ah? Has he wept like a babe?
Speaker 10: I think I heard him blubbering for his mother when
Speaker 10: I twisted my blade into his throat.
Speaker 5: Course, it's hard to understand what a man's saying when
Speaker 5: blood is bubbler out of his mouth.
Speaker 8: Ha coward, coward.
Speaker 1: Caleb and Shamoa exchanged where he looks that recently and
Speaker 1: brutally murdered Amorite captive could very well have been them
Speaker 1: if they had been discovered. Caleb and Shamois silently retreated
Speaker 1: from their cover up the hill and away from the giants.
Speaker 1: They didn't speak a word to one another as they
Speaker 1: put a mile between them and the terrifying men. Caleb
Speaker 1: wondered if Shamoa had noticed the dried blood that was
Speaker 1: crusted on their weapons and clothes, the splatter telling the
Speaker 1: bloody and violent tale of their victim's final moments. Caleb's
Speaker 1: thankfully empty stomach twisted into knots as he wondered if
Speaker 1: a similar fate should befall them should they encounter the
Speaker 1: brethren of these giants in the land of Canaan. Back
Speaker 1: at camp, Caleb and Shamoa shared what they had witnessed.
Speaker 1: Joshua clenched his fists in frustration. The land was fertile
Speaker 1: and ripe for their people to thrive, but every mile
Speaker 1: was filled with adversaries, battle hardened, giant and bloodthirsty adversaries.
Speaker 1: The spies deliberated about what they were going to report
Speaker 1: back to Moses and the others.
Speaker 7: There's no way I'm marching into battle against those giants.
Speaker 1: Another one of the spies, Ego from the tribe of Isaka,
Speaker 1: chimed in.
Speaker 2: There's no doubt the land is fertile, But how on
Speaker 2: earth will we compete for its resources? We don't stand
Speaker 2: a chance against him.
Speaker 5: Where's your faith? The Lord has promised us this land.
Speaker 5: It's ours for the taking if we simply have faith.
Speaker 7: That's easy for you to say, Joshua, you didn't see
Speaker 7: those giants.
Speaker 1: Caleb stood up and interjected. He stood a head taller
Speaker 1: than the rest imposing and commanding.
Speaker 3: I saw them, but I still remain convinced that the
Speaker 3: Lord will grant us victory.
Speaker 5: Fool, coward, Easy men, easy, bigel. You witnessed the parting
Speaker 5: of the Red Sea just as I did. Where is
Speaker 5: your faith?
Speaker 2: I've fought by your side, Joshua, Your experience is the
Speaker 2: same as mine. You and I both know the capabilities
Speaker 2: of our armies. I don't understand your optimism here.
Speaker 5: This task is foolish. It would only bring us.
Speaker 7: There, and the lands to the east of the Salt
Speaker 7: Sea are not much better. Adam's reputation of being an
Speaker 7: unfriendly neighbor does not bode well. And Moab is held
Speaker 7: by the Amorites. They say their fortresses are even stronger
Speaker 7: and better fortified than the ones here. Not to mention,
Speaker 7: the Amorites are a vile people. They sacrifice their own
Speaker 7: children to the cruel god.
Speaker 2: Molik Shamua is right. We have to warn the people
Speaker 2: we cannot enter Canaan.
Speaker 3: Brother eat Gal. I can't believe the words I'm hearing,
Speaker 3: All the more reason we should take the land back.
Speaker 7: Enough, Caleb, if you try and win the people over
Speaker 7: with a favorable report, then rally them to pursue this madness.
Speaker 7: I'll call you a trader. We all will. We've talked
Speaker 7: to length. You're out numbered, Caleb. Even Igal and Gadiol
Speaker 7: of your eastern unit are against you.
Speaker 1: Joshua's righteous anger burned as the betrayal unfolded.
Speaker 10: How dare you call Caleb a traitor when it is
Speaker 10: you who are denying the will of our God.
Speaker 1: Before Joshua could blink, Shamoa was on him. He grabbed
Speaker 1: the collar of Joshua's robes and roughly pulled him up
Speaker 1: to his face.
Speaker 7: Oh, we didn't forget about you, little pop. You think
Speaker 7: you're so special because you fetch Moses's wine skin and
Speaker 7: mend his sandals. Well, listen carefully, little pop, We refuse
Speaker 7: to let Moses lead us into Canaan.
Speaker 1: Joshua's blood boiled hot. He gripped Shamoa's wrists tightly, ready
Speaker 1: to strike him. Shamua's eyes widened. Realizing that Joshua was
Speaker 1: stronger than he looked, he released Joshua, sending him tumbling
Speaker 1: to the ground. Joshua sprang up to strike, but Caleb
Speaker 1: stepped forward to stop him. A heavy realization settled in.
Speaker 1: There was nothing he or Caleb could say to change
Speaker 1: the other's minds. The silence that followed was thick and tense,
Speaker 1: as the ten other representatives stood unmoved, united in their
Speaker 1: decision to defy the will of the Lord. The Spies
Speaker 1: entered camp triumphantly, greeted by hopeful Israelites gathered around the
Speaker 1: kdish stream. Moses and Aaron quieted the excited crowd as
Speaker 1: the twelve spies lined.
Speaker 2: Up, representatives of Israel. You've returned. As you can see,
Speaker 2: we are eager to hear your report.
Speaker 1: Caleb noted that Moses frowned silently at Joshua and his
Speaker 1: placement away from the rest of them. Joshua had not
Speaker 1: looked up from the ground since camp came into view
Speaker 1: about two hours ago. In contrast Shamois with an oily politicians,
Speaker 1: Smile stepped forward to give the report on behalf of
Speaker 1: the twelve spies.
Speaker 7: As a son of the great tribe of Jacob's eldest Reuben,
Speaker 7: I will give the report on behalf of my companions.
Speaker 1: Caleb fought the urge to roll his eyes at Shamoor's piety.
Speaker 5: It is true.
Speaker 7: Canaan is a land flowing with milk and honey, as
Speaker 7: you can see from the bounty we brought back. But
Speaker 7: the people there are strong, their cities large and fortified,
Speaker 7: defended by forces we could never hope to match. In
Speaker 7: the Negev, we faced the Amalekites, fierce desert dwellers we
Speaker 7: know all too well. To the west, from the Salt
Speaker 7: Sea to the Great Sea, the Canaanites, Hethites, and Jebusites
Speaker 7: hold their cities with tenacity in the hill country, and
Speaker 7: toward more oh the Amorites have carved out a kingdom.
Speaker 7: Their cities are said to be even more fortified than
Speaker 7: those in the West, and their cruelty is infamous. They
Speaker 7: sacrificed their children to Molik, and they are but one
Speaker 7: of the depraved nations we would face. We even saw
Speaker 7: the Anakites.
Speaker 5: With our own eyes, giants.
Speaker 7: The descendants of the Nephelin themselves.
Speaker 1: The crowd gasped at that. Chamois scare tactics were working,
Speaker 1: and Caleb's blood was beginning to boil with each word.
Speaker 7: Yes, you remember them from our histories, horrible violent giants,
Speaker 7: standing almost twice as tall as our warriors. If I
Speaker 7: hadn't seen them with my own eyes, I would have
Speaker 7: thought the stories of their foul deeds to be an
Speaker 7: exaggeration to scare children. But no, they are, and they
Speaker 7: will surely kill us all if we should ever face
Speaker 7: them in battle. Listen to me, for I have seen
Speaker 7: the truth of the land. There is only death in Canaan.
Speaker 1: The crowd erupted in fearful chatter. Moses and Aaron exchanged
Speaker 1: looks of concern as the crowd began to unravel at
Speaker 1: Chamois's provocative words meant to stir up fear and rebellion,
Speaker 1: Kleb's anger pequed, and he found he couldn't stay silent
Speaker 1: any longer enough.
Speaker 3: I was there too.
Speaker 1: Kleb threw off Egirl's fist, which was now balled on
Speaker 1: the back of his cloak, and stepped forward to address
Speaker 1: Chamois and the crowd before him.
Speaker 3: I saw the Anarkites same as you, but I will
Speaker 3: not let it deter me from taking what has been
Speaker 3: promised to me.
Speaker 1: The crowd was utterly still at Kleb's words. Shamois was
Speaker 1: shaking in fury at being contradicted before the more.
Speaker 3: Let's go. Let's go now and take possession of the land,
Speaker 3: because we can surely conquer it. Where is your faith?
Speaker 3: Remember the promise and the one who made not.
Speaker 7: No, don't listen to him. I name him Trader. He
Speaker 7: would lead you to your debts. We can't take this land.
Speaker 7: The people are too strong, we'd be devoured. The Nephelim
Speaker 7: are giants. We are like grasshoppers before them. It's hopeless.
Speaker 7: Ask the other scouts.
Speaker 1: The other scouts rushed forward and added their voices to
Speaker 1: Chamois's negative report about the land. Joshua stood alone and
Speaker 1: silent as the crowds started to lament and complain. They
Speaker 1: even started hurling curses and insults towards Moses and Aaron
Speaker 1: in their frenzied fear.
Speaker 11: If only we had tied in the land of Egypt
Speaker 11: or the wildness cost we buried at SINAI.
Speaker 2: Are better off.
Speaker 7: I've seen what will happen, and I ask you this,
Speaker 7: Why would the Lord bring us here only to die
Speaker 7: at the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder
Speaker 7: to the enemies. We should go back to Egypt. Yes,
Speaker 7: we should appoint a new leader, one who will lead
Speaker 7: us back to Egypt as far away from Canaan as
Speaker 7: we can get. Moses will lead us to death if
Speaker 7: we stay with him.
Speaker 1: Caleb watched in helpless horror as the crowd fell into chaos.
Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron sank to their knees, then lay face down, lightly,
Speaker 1: crying out to the Lord for guidance. Caleb felt sick,
Speaker 1: as if trapped in a nightmare. Joshua staggered over and
Speaker 1: they both fell to their knees, tearing their clothes in grief.
Speaker 1: Lament was all they had left in the face of
Speaker 1: Israel's devastating failure. After all they'd endured, would they really
Speaker 1: turn their backs on the god who had rescued them
Speaker 1: from slavery, returned to the very chains he had broken.
Speaker 1: It was madness. Tears filled Joshua's eyes, mirroring Caleb's, and
Speaker 1: Caleb knew they shed the same desperate thought. Joshua pleaded
Speaker 1: with the frenzied crowd.
Speaker 5: Stop to stop.
Speaker 12: Are you even hearing yourselves? This land is incredible. It's
Speaker 12: better than we imagined. The Lord would not lie to us.
Speaker 12: He's bringing us to a land of milk and honey.
Speaker 12: He's not holding out on us. Listen, you fools.
Speaker 3: Don't revel against the Lord.
Speaker 11: Don't be afraid of the people in the land. The
Speaker 11: Lord has taken their protection, for he is with us.
Speaker 11: Don't be afraid of them, traders. Why do you want
Speaker 11: to see us all dead? Why do you hate Israel?
Speaker 1: The crowd had quieted at their words, but it was
Speaker 1: now muttering and fearful again, despite Caleb and joshuas please,
Speaker 1: Shamoa on them, a wild manic look in his eye,
Speaker 1: his fear forgotten for the moment, his wounded pride, seeking vengeance. Instead,
Speaker 1: Caleb and Joshua undermined him, and Caleb could see that
Speaker 1: he was now hell bent on turning this crowd against them.
Speaker 7: You are traders to turn against your own people.
Speaker 1: This inflamed the crowd and stoked their fear into rage.
Speaker 1: Caleb flinched as someone spat in his face. He blinked
Speaker 1: and wiped it away in time to see someone pick
Speaker 1: up a stone. He saw Shamois see it too. Shamouis
Speaker 1: stooped to pick up a stone himself. Caleb was horrified
Speaker 1: to see that many others in the first few rows
Speaker 1: of the crowd did the same. He wondered where his
Speaker 1: wife and children were. Were they about to witness his death.
Speaker 1: Caleb's heart broke as he turned to look at a
Speaker 1: pale and terrify Joshua. Loyal to the end, but he
Speaker 1: had gotten him into the situation. He knew the boy
Speaker 1: would f him, and now he would follow him into death.
Speaker 8: Joshua.
Speaker 1: Joshua tore his eyes from the looming men with stones
Speaker 1: to meet Kleb's now steady gaze. I'm sorry, Joshua nodded
Speaker 1: and then closed his eyes as he turned back to
Speaker 1: face the mob. Caleb did the same, and a blinding
Speaker 1: light erupted all around him.
Speaker 6: When my daughter was younger, she asked me if we
Speaker 6: could add a special prayer to our bedtime routine, a
Speaker 6: request simple and childlike. She wanted to ask God for snow.
Speaker 6: Now we live in Israel and snow is very rare,
Speaker 6: so naturally I hesitated. I started to explain to her
Speaker 6: that it wasn't in the cards, that the weather forecast
Speaker 6: showed no signs of snow, and that it just wasn't realistic.
Speaker 6: But this cute, innocent girl of mine, my daughter, she insisted,
Speaker 6: And who am I to tell her what God can
Speaker 6: and can't do? And so together we prayed. We asked
Speaker 6: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the same God
Speaker 6: who parted the Red Sea, rained Mana from heaven and
Speaker 6: silenced lions to make it snow. And then it hit me,
Speaker 6: my daughter understood something that I had forgotten, that anything
Speaker 6: is possible with God. When my daughter prayed for snow
Speaker 6: against all odds, she wasn't relying on the weather forecast,
Speaker 6: she wasn't calculating the likelihood of a snowstorm. She trusted
Speaker 6: that God could do it. Seemed impossible, and isn't that
Speaker 6: the faith that we all need. In today's episode, we
Speaker 6: meet the twelve spies scouting the promised land. Ten of
Speaker 6: them returned with reports that paralyzed the people with fear.
Speaker 6: The cities were fortified, and there were giants in the land.
Speaker 6: We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, they said,
Speaker 6: and we looked the same to them. But Caleb, one
Speaker 6: of the two spies, who saw things differently, silenced the
Speaker 6: We should go up and take possession of the land,
Speaker 6: Caleb declared, for we can certainly do it. There are
Speaker 6: so many heroes in the Bible, heroes we've already met
Speaker 6: and those will meet in the year to come. And
Speaker 6: in this chapter the hero is Caleb. Even as the
Speaker 6: twelve spies began their mission, Caleb already had a son,
Speaker 6: said this was going to be a conflict against Moses
Speaker 6: and against God. Verse twenty two is really interesting. The
Speaker 6: New International Version and most English translations of the Bible
Speaker 6: say about the spies they went up through the Negiv
Speaker 6: and came to Revron, to Hebron. But that isn't an
Speaker 6: exact translation of the Hebrew. I'm going to read you
Speaker 6: the Hebrew words via Aluba Negev VI A Vox Adrevron.
Speaker 6: The exact translation says this, they went up through the Negev,
Speaker 6: and he came to Revron. He came to Hebron. In
Speaker 6: the same verse, they which is how traditionally it's translated,
Speaker 6: changes to he Ur. Sages noticed this, and they explained
Speaker 6: the he that this verse is talking about was Caleb.
Speaker 6: Caleb was deeply troubled by the Brewing conspiracy, and so
Speaker 6: he himself went to Hebron. He went to Hebron. Why
Speaker 6: will our sages say to pray at the tomb of
Speaker 6: the patriarchs who are buried in the cave of Machpelin,
Speaker 6: which is in Hebron. Caleb, as righteous as he was,
Speaker 6: knew that he needed God's help to avoid a disaster
Speaker 6: when the spies issued their report, and so he went
Speaker 6: to pray at the Holy ground in Hebron. As a
Speaker 6: reward for his righteousness, Caleb was given the portion of
Speaker 6: the Promised Land that included the city of Hebron, the
Speaker 6: burial ground bought by Abraham, which we still visit today
Speaker 6: here in the Holy Land to offer our most fervent prayers.
Speaker 6: But there's something else in Hebrew. In this story that
Speaker 6: I want to point out. In verse thirty one, Caleb
Speaker 6: forcibly called out, we should go up and take possession
Speaker 6: of the land, for we certainly can do it. But
Speaker 6: then the other spies shouted out in return, we can't
Speaker 6: attack those people. They are stronger than we are. They
Speaker 6: said that was bad enough, they were not showing faith
Speaker 6: that God would help them. But then there's more. Jewish
Speaker 6: tradition notes that the last words in this verse is
Speaker 6: me menu in Hebrew. That word can have two meanings.
Speaker 6: The first is then we are, meaning they are stronger
Speaker 6: than we are, and that's the simple meaning of this verse,
Speaker 6: that the inhabitants of the land are stronger than we are.
Speaker 6: But our sages point out that the other meaning of
Speaker 6: me menu is then he is. In this reading, the
Speaker 6: spies were saying that the inhabitants of the land were
Speaker 6: stronger than he is, meaning stronger than God is. This
Speaker 6: showed their utter lack of faith that God would fulfill
Speaker 6: his promise of the promised land, a faith that we
Speaker 6: see only in Joshua and this story's hero Caleb. There's
Speaker 6: one more teaching that I want to leave you with today,
Speaker 6: a teaching about one word, actually a word that holds
Speaker 6: tremendous power. It's the word. But when the spies returned
Speaker 6: with what the Bible tells us was a bad report,
Speaker 6: this is what they said. The land does flow with
Speaker 6: milk and honey, but the people who live there are powerful,
Speaker 6: and the cities are fortified and very large. That little word,
Speaker 6: but it's so dangerous, isn't it. In Hebrew, the word
Speaker 6: is fis fs can mean butt, and it can also
Speaker 6: mean zero. Just one word, and everything, all the beauty,
Speaker 6: all the hope is reduced to nothing, to zero. The
Speaker 6: beginning of the verse says that the land is amazing,
Speaker 6: that it's a land flowing with milk and honey, and
Speaker 6: they should have just ended there instead, they said, but
Speaker 6: and then they went on to all the negativity. How
Speaker 6: often do we use that word in our lives? You
Speaker 6: did a good job today, But I trust God completely,
Speaker 6: But I know God is good. But but my friends,
Speaker 6: let me tell you there's hope, because there's always hope,
Speaker 6: because there's one time when the word but is powerful
Speaker 6: in the best possible way. Joshua, the other good spy
Speaker 6: who stood alongside Caleb, would later compose a prayer that
Speaker 6: the Jewish people still read today, and it's called fs Zuletto.
Speaker 6: And what he says is there is nothing but God,
Speaker 6: nothing but God. When we say there is nothing but God,
Speaker 6: suddenly all the fear of the doubt, not the obstacles,
Speaker 6: fade into the background, because anything is possible with God,
Speaker 6: even the impassable.
Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle Eckstein
Speaker 1: ad free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot
Speaker 1: Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made
Speaker 1: possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
Speaker 1: Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller and the team at International Fellowship
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
Speaker 1: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
Speaker 1: enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
Speaker 1: leave a review.