Big Idea: Trust that God can overcome great difficulties.

Understanding the Text

The people had begun complaining at Taberah and Kibroth Hattaavah (Num. 11). At Hazeroth Moses’s own sister and brother had expressed resentment against Moses and undermined his spiritual authority (Num. 12). In each of these cases God had intervened with a mixture of punishment and grace. Now they come to Kadesh (or Kadesh Barnea) in the Desert of Paran (Num. 13:26) just south of the land of Canaan.

Israel has not learned its lesson from the events of Numbers 11–12. After sending scouts on a reconnaissance mission into the land of Canaan and hearing the majority opinion that the land would be impossible to conquer, the Israelites again rebel against God and Moses. This rebellion will prove pivotal in Israel’s fa…