The Nation of Israel: The Battle of Faith vs. Fear

Everyone has fear, including great figures or nations in the Bible or those who seem strong. This is what is happening right now, when the whole world is gripped by global fear because of the pandemic coronavirus that is spreading so quickly. Added to that is anxiety about its impact. Among them are the loss of income or business turnover, the lack of adequate healthcare facilities, and the shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment) for medical workers.

One story about fear is found in Numbers 13. The nation of Israel, which at that time was wandering in the wilderness, was about to begin a new journey, namely entering the land of Canaan. Fear and faith were at war within them, a battle that we also experience in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

God tells us through His word, “Do not be afraid.” But how do we overcome this fear? Let us look more closely at the story of the twelve spies from the perspective of Yosua and Kaleb, the ten spies, and the nation of Israel itself. 

The Problem of the Nation of Israel: Twelve Against Two

Twelve men were sent by Musa to spy out Canaan, the land God had promised to the nation of Israel. They were not just ordinary men, but leaders from the 12 tribes of Israel. Yet of all the spies, ten brought back information that filled the nation with fear. Only two men, Yosua and Kaleb, were optimistic that they would be able to take possession of the Promised Land. 

Just like this 12:2 comparison, our fear is often greater than our faith. What is really the root of the fear of those ten spies, which perhaps we too unknowingly nurture? And what things must we pay attention to so that we become courageous people?

1. Thoughts (Thoughts) – Control Your Mind

Sometimes, what hinders us is not our circumstances or other people, but our own way of thinking. As long as we live, fear can come upon us at any time. We cannot control the things that will happen. But we can control our minds, and how we respond to a situation or event. 

They also brought to the Israelites a bad report about the land they had spied out, saying: “The land through which we have gone to spy out is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. We also saw giants there, the sons of Anak who come from the giants, and we saw our selves as grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”” –Numbers 13:32-33

It is said that those ten spies spread a bad report, that the land of Canaan was inhabited by cannibals. Was that true? We do not know. 

It may be that the conclusion was formed based on what they observed. Perhaps there really was still a group of cannibals there, but that does not mean all the inhabitants of the city were like that. However, because of fear, those ten spies exaggerated the facts. They did not control their minds, and as a result, they were instead enslaved by fear.

Often, what makes us afraid is our own thoughts. We create scenarios, then become afraid of the results of our imagination that go beyond reality or may never happen. Our minds block creativity and the solutions that our brains should have been able to find. 

The Danger Overthinking and Assumptions

Fear can also arise because of distorted perceptions or false assumptions. For example, when we see someone's stylishway of dressing, we become insecure, and lack confidence. When we see a long list of tasks, we immediately become afraid that we will not be able to finish them. Even though, actually, we do not need to overthink. We only need to deal with the tasks one by one. 

What are you afraid of right now? Is the cause of that fear the product of your own thoughts? Have you controlled your mind? 

Rather than overthinking or continuing to worry about the unconducive situation caused by this pandemic, it is better to do the things we can to maintain our health and strengthen our faith. Direct your thoughts toward solutions, not toward exaggerated problems.

2. Faith (Faith & Belief) – Examine Your Faith

Twelve men went together and spied out the same land, but returned with two different opinions. 

Yosua and Kaleb:

But Yosua son of Nun and Kaleb son of Yefune, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes, and said to the whole congregation of Israel: “The land that we passed through to spy out is exceedingly good. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Only, do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them. Their protection has left them, and the LORD is with us; do not be afraid of them.”” – Numbers 14:6-9

The other ten spies:

But the men who had gone up with him said: “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”” – Numbers 13:31 

If we compare the two verses above, we will find a very great difference. What was different? 

Their faith was what was different.

When we are struck by fear of anything, that is the right moment to reflect again on how our faith in Godis. Perhaps our faith is too small, so God also seems small, and the problems or struggles of our lives appear too big. This is what makes us stuck and unable to do anything. 

We must be careful with our fear, and also with our faith. Whatever you believe has power, and you must know that…

Your Belief Will Come True

If fear becomes the driving force of your life, be warned: you will become what you believe. 

Realize how great the effect of fear is on our lives. God does not want us to live in fear, because that means we do not have faith in Him. It may be that we are like the nation of Israel, claiming to know God, even being called God's chosen people, yet not believing in His greatness and instead submitting more to their fear.

The result? God caused one generation of that nation to perish in the wilderness over a period of 40 years. From that generation, only Yosua and Kaleb finally reached the land of Canaan. It was the faith of Yosua and Kaleb that made them both win the ticket to enter the Promised Land.  

Ironically, this is exactly what they said:

All the Israelites grumbled against Musa and Harun, and the whole congregation said to them: “Oh, that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness!” – Numbers 14:2

Say to them: As I live, declares the LORD, just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, namely all of you who were counted, every one of you without exception who is twenty years old and upward, because you have grumbled against Me. Surely you shall not come into the land which I swore to make you dwell in, except Kaleb son of Yefune and Yosua son of Nun!” – Numbers 14:28-30

If today our fear is dominating our thoughts more, let us change that. Replace the contents of our minds with positive things. Read God's word, remember His promises, and be courageous. Faith determines the outcome we will receive. 

Besides having courage, we also need to do one more thing, namely…

3. Action (Action) – Fight with Confidence

Even though Yosua and Kaleb had conviction, they still had to step in and fight to take the land of Canaan. They needed to go forward into battle. In my opinion, it was not that Yosua and Kaleb had no fear at all. They were also ordinary human beings who could feel afraid, but that fear did not defeat them. It was their faith that moved them both to act and gain victory. 

Action is the result of our mind and belief . If our thoughts and beliefs are right, we will not be afraid and will step forward boldly. 

So now, the LORD has preserved my life, just as He promised. It has now been forty-five years since the LORD spoke this word to Musa, during all the time that Israel wandered in the wilderness. So now, I am eighty-five years old today; yet I am still as strong now as I was when Musa sent me. As my strength was then, so my strength is now for war, and for going out and coming in. – Joshua 14:10-11

Forty years later, Kaleb's faith and spirit were still the same as before. And this was the result:

And Kaleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, namely Sesai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. From there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir. The former name of Debir was Kiryat-Sefer. – Joshua 15:14-15

Yes, at the age of 85, Kaleb was able to defeat the people who had been described like man-eating giants by the other ten spies.

Could it be that the fear you are experiencing is happening because you are overthinking or imagining scenarios that are not true? Control your mind. Be careful, what you think can grow into belief (faith), and what you believe can become reality. Build your faith through right thoughts that come from God. And fight with all your strength and full confidence, because you have an extraordinary God. Let your faith grow bigger than your fear!

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