Faithful Fridays Two: Numbers

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Numbers could also be called 'The Book of Complaining' because, once Israel left Sinai, the complaints just started rolling on.  The biggest complaint, of course, was the complaint that ten of the spies brought back to the people at Kadesh Barnea...that the people of Canaan were too numerous, too strong, too well-fortified and there was no way they were going to be able to conquer them to possess the land, as God had promised.

But two guys didn't see it that way, and their response to the complaining is my pick for this week:

Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.  If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.  Only do not rebel against the LORD.  And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up.  Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us.  Do not be afraid of them."   (Numbers 14:6-9, NIV84)

But their fellow countrymen would not hear them, and, in fact, threatened to stone them.

That's a minority opinion.  And they might have been stoned for it, had the glory of God not appeared at that moment at the Tent of Meeting.

But...the challenge to me from this verse is that Joshua and Caleb did not back down from their minority opinion.  They stood up in front of everyone and proclaimed it.

I kind of tuck my minority opinions into a safe place and not make a show of them.  Keeping the peace and all that.

God vindicated Caleb and Joshua...and he made them a promise that they alone out of their entire generation would actually survive and live on their inheritance in the promised land.

I find myself wondering if there were others who secretly agreed with them but went along with the noise of the crowd instead of showing support for the minority opinion.  

IF there were...they died with the rest.  In that case, not speaking up was the same as agreeing with the majority.

Ouch.