22/01/2024 - GO AND VIEW THE LAND

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 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. Joshua 2.1

After being confirmed by the Lord’s declarations that he would lead Israel to inhabit the Promised Land, Joshua felt he had to send spies to see the region to be occupied. This time, the envoys returned with good news. So, the commander went to the foot of the city whose wall was going to come down in a few days, met the Angel who had come as the prince of the Armies of the Lord and asked, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” (Joshua 5.14). He gave the instructions, and everything happened just as He had said!

Israel’s camp was in Shittim, and from among the soldiers ready to fight, Joshua chose two to study the land. Shittim is the wood from which gum Arabic was made. It was resistant to insects, as Israel would be to the inhabitants of Canaan, and its color was beautiful. The tabernacle and its furniture were made from this material. Israel was ready to cross the Jordan and begin the conquest of the territory promised by the Lord.

In Shittim, Moses appointed Joshua to succeed him, and he took on a task that was almost impossible to fulfill. However, at that moment, there could be no turning back as had happened the first time, because God would not forgive such infamy. When the Most High commands us to do something, we must go all the way, without crying or murmuring that it is impossible. Believe in the Lord!

The mission of the spies was to walk through the land, studying what was sown there, what was harvested and also what was wasted. Certainly, the potential was far greater than its inhabitants realized. Likewise, we should walk in the Land of Promises, the Holy Scriptures, and see that the Father has given us a land that is fertile, rich and able to bless us. Undoubtedly, we have neglected what belongs to us. Let’s be vigilant!

They were to observe Jericho, its streets, houses and anything else that caught their eyes and bring back the full report. Undoubtedly, they had great ability and experience. If they had been mere citizens, it would have been better not to assign them to this task. Forty years earlier, twelve men had been chosen to see the whole extent of the land, but only Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report. They never failed (Numbers 14:1-10).

In the mission field, we must do the same. Sending shepherds without guidance from Heaven will result in complete failure. The two spies went to the region of Jericho because it was very clear that the war to occupy the whole territory would begin there, and so it did. If they had been as fearful as those ten from 40 years earlier, for observing what they shouldn’t, they would never have had their homeland. Be positive to see what matters, or you’ll never get the blessing!

They were discovered, because the nations were already expecting it. So, they had to go into the house of Rahab the prostitute and lodge there. In the following messages, we will see why this happened and what occurred to them. In the world, we will have afflictions, but we will overcome them, as the Lord Jesus said!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares