In Deuteronomy, chapter one, verse thirty-six, the Lord speaks according to Moses that Caleb and his children will see the promised land. Notice that the blessings of God are in reserve for those who “wholly follow the Lord.”
Moses, in this chapter, tells of God’s guidance speaking to the Israelites in Jordan in the wilderness. During the eleven days journey from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea, He was able to choose the choice leaders for each tribe to be the head of each one. While the Israelites were on their journey, God showed Moses a land before them to possess. “Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land.” However, the response from the people of Israel was to send the head leader of every tribe to search the land and find out if it was good.
The plan of sending the spies originated with the people. And, as in itself a reasonable one, it approved itself to Moses. It was submitted to God, sanctioned by Him, and carried out under divine direction. The orator’s purpose in this chapter is to bring before the people emphatically their responsibilities and behavior. It is significant to remind them that the sending of the spies, which led immediately to their complaining and rebellion, was their suggestion.
Today, some believers say they serve the Lord and obey Him but contemplate at times when God directs them to possess something that comes their way. However, they embrace an approach of their own and not God’s. They end up missing that opportunity they were looking for and praying previously before. Sometimes we can be our worst enemy by turning down things that God provides because we interpret them differently from what they possibly could be. Eventually will not know the outcome because someone else is in the position experiencing what we should have done. The situation reminds us a bit of Jonah, who did not initially follow the Lord’s plan of direction and ended up in the belly of a whale. Sometimes we lie down on our backs, belly up, reviewing the missed opportunity and wondering if we did the right thing.