Numbers 13:17

Numbers 13:17 says, And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:  Moses sent the spies into Canaan, the Promised Land, and instructed them on the way to go.  They were to go in the closest way and to check out all the land.  Verse eighteen adds, And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;  In addition to checking out the land, they were to check out the number and strength of the people.  We should always check out the power of the opposition to God's people today so that we will know what we are up against.  Still, this is not our Promised Land, but Heaven is, so we can never hope to be totally victorious.  Verse nineteen continues, And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;  Moses also told them that they were to check out the strength of the cities, whether they were living in tents or fortified cities.  Verse twenty concludes, And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.  The spies were also to check out whether the land was full of trees and fruit or not, though God had told them it was a land flowing with milk and honey.  We don't have to wonder about Heaven, because it will be all that God promises it will be.  As Moses told the spies then, we just need to be of good courage here in this old sinful world until we are called home to heaven. Verse twenty-one states, So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.  The spies went into the land and began to search.  Verse twenty-two adds, And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)  They went into several cities, one of which was older than some of the cities of Egypt.  Verse twenty-three says, And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. When they got to Eshcol, they cut down a brach with one cluster of grapes that took two men to carry, and also got some figs and pomegranates.  The land was indeed rich in food as God had promised it would be.  God always fulfills His promises, and when we get there Heaven will be all that God has promised it will be.  Verse twenty-four adds, The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. They called the place where they got the grapes Eschol, which meant Valley of the Cluster according to Matthew Henry.  Verse twenty-five continues, And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.  They searched the land for forty days then returned to Moses.  As Matthew Henry points out, they hadn't been sent because Moses doubted the richness of the land, but to show the rest people the richness.  We cannot show people the richness of Heaven, nor can we send spies to verify it richness, so all we can do is tell people what God has promised.  Many may refuse to believe it without proof, but all we can do is point them to Jesus Christ, and if they accept Him as their Savior and Lord, then they will know the truth of His promises.