It is declared, concerning Israel, by the voice of inspiration, that “they could not enter in [to Canaan] because of unbelief.” (Heb. iii.) So is it with us. We fail to enter upon our heavenly inheritance—fail to take possession, practically, of our true and proper portion—fail to walk, day by day, as a heavenly people, having no place, no name, no portion in the earth—having nothing to do with this world save to pass through it as pilgrims and strangers, treading in the footsteps of Him who has gone before and taken His place in the heavens. And why do we fail? Because of unbelief. Faith is not in energy, and therefore the things which are seen have more power over our hearts than the things which are unseen. Oh, may the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith, and energize our souls, and lead us upward and onward, so that we may not merely be found _talking_ of heavenly life, but _living_ it, to the praise of Him who has, in His infinite grace, called us thereto.
“And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, ‘Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?’ And they said one to another, ‘Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.’”
There are two melancholy phases of unbelief exhibited in Israel’s history in the wilderness: the one at Horeb, the other at Kadesh. At Horeb, they made _a calf_, and said, “These be thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” At Kadesh, they proposed to make _a captain_ to lead them back into Egypt. The former of these is the _superstition_ of unbelief; the latter, the willful _independence_ of unbelief; and most surely we need not marvel if those who thought that a calf had brought them out of Egypt should seek a captain to lead them back. The poor human mind is tossed like a ball from one to the other of those sore evils. There is no resource save that which faith finds in the living God. In Israel’s case, God was lost sight of. It was either a calf or a captain; either death in the wilderness or return into Egypt. Caleb stands in bright contrast with all this. To him it was neither death in the wilderness nor return into Egypt, but an abundant entrance into the promised land behind the impenetrable shield of Jehovah.
“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes; and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, ‘The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.’ But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.”
And for what were they to be stoned? Was it for telling lies? was it for blasphemy or evil-doing? No; it was for their bold and earnest testimony to the truth. They had been sent to spy the land, and to furnish a true report concerning it. This they did; and for this, “all the congregation bade stone them with stones.” The people did not like the truth then any more than now. Truth is never popular. There is no place for it in this world or in the human heart. Lies will be received, and error in every shape, but truth never. Joshua and Caleb had to encounter, in their day, what all true witnesses in every age have experienced and all must expect, namely, the opposition and hatred of the mass of their fellows. There were six hundred thousand voices raised against two men who simply told the truth and trusted in God. Thus it has been, thus it is, and thus it will be until that glorious moment when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”