The 10 Spies: Faithlessness Towards God  

“In the book of Numbers, we find the narrative of the 12 spies sent by Moses, the man of God, to inspect the land of Canaan—the land God promised as an inheritance to Israel,” the MC began. “Out of the 12, 10 brought back a negative report that destroyed the faith of the people and instilled fear, while only 2 gave a good report. Tonight, we are honoured to have the 10 spies with us to share their story.”

“As usual, we will start with a keynote address from them, and afterwards, there will be time for questions and answers,” the MC concluded, leaving the stage for the guest speakers.  

“Good evening, everyone,” began one of the spies, who seemed to have been chosen as the spokesperson for the group. “Today, we hope that sharing our experience will serve as a warning and a guide to remain faithful to God, unlike what we demonstrated in the wilderness,” he stated, his tone tinged with regret.  

The speaker proceeded to recount the events of that significant day when Moses selected them, along with Joshua and Caleb, to scout the Promised Land and confirm what God had revealed about it.  

“We deeply regret to admit that, despite seeing all the evidence that confirmed God’s promises, we walked by sight and not by faith. We fixated on the challenges rather than focusing on the God who gave us the promise. Fear consumed us, leading us to give a report that sowed doubt and exhibited faithlessness toward God. Our actions ultimately delayed the journey to the land flowing with milk and honey. Tragically, none of us made it to the Promised Land because of our disbelief.”  

A hand went up from the audience, eager to ask a question as the session was nearing its end. “Sirs, thank you for your honest and inspiring reflections. How can we avoid falling into faithlessness and instead learn to trust God for what He promises?”

Another member of the 10 spies stepped forward to address the question. “To trust in God’s promises, you must first know His promises. These are found in the Scriptures—His Word is unchanging, and He is faithful to every one of His promises. Second, trust that God is not only willing but fully able to fulfill what He has spoken. Lean not on your own understanding but trust Him with all your heart. Lastly, hold on to His promise, even when circumstances seem contrary, and trust Him until you see its fulfillment. In our case, though it took 40 years, those who trusted Him entered the Land, while those who doubted were cut off. Learn from our mistakes, and it will go well with you.”  

With those closing words, the session with the spies came to an end. The audience left fulfilled, having gained valuable insights into trusting God above their fears and feelings.