Ten Against Two

The Israelites were once held as hostages by wicked kings of Egypt. But God sent Moses to release the people and to take them to Canaan (a land God promised to give them).

Two years after leaving Egypt, the Israelites came near the border of Canaan. Moses sent twelve spies into the land. When they returned from their mission and gave their report, ten spies said it would be impossible to take over Canaan. They claimed that the cities had walls around them, and that the people were very strong. They said that the Israelites should not try to go into Canaan.

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, said that the Israelites could take the land, if they believed in God, because God would help them. Caleb said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30). These two men had a strong faith in God; the ten spies did not. Sadly, the Israelites believed the ten.

Because of this lack of faith, God refused to let them go into Canaan at that time. He made them wander in the wilderness for thirty-eight years. During that time everyone twenty years old or older died, except Caleb and Joshua and their families (Numbers 14:29-30).

Just think—thirty-eight years were wasted. Why? Because the people didn't have faith in God. Of twelve spies, only two really believed in God. We should try to be like those two faithful spies, and always trust God!

---

Copyright © 2014 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

*Please keep in mind that Discovery articles are written for 3rd-6th graders.

This document may be copied, on the condition that it will not be republished in print unless otherwise stated below, and will not be used for any commercial purpose, as long as the following stipulations are observed: (1) Apologetics Press must be designated as the original publisher; (2) the specific Apologetics Press Web site URL must be noted; (3) any references, footnotes, or endnotes that accompany the article must be included with any written reproduction of the article; (4) textual alterations of any kind are strictly forbidden; (5) Some illustrations (e.g., photographs, charts, graphics, etc.) are not the intellectual property of Apologetics Press and as such cannot be reproduced from our site without consent from the person or organization that maintains those intellectual rights; (6) serialization of written material (e.g., running an article in several parts) is permitted, as long as the whole of the material is made available, without editing, in a reasonable length of time; (7) articles, in whole or in part, may not be offered for sale or included in items offered for sale; and (8) articles may be reproduced in electronic form for posting on Web sites pending they are not edited or altered from their original written content and that credit is given to Apologetics Press, including the web location from which the articles were taken. Further, documents may not be copied without source statements (title, author, journal title), and the address of the publisher and owner of rights, as listed below.

For catalog, samples, or further information, contact:

Apologetics Press
230 Landmark Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
U.S.A.
Phone (334) 272-8558

http://www.apologeticspress.org