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Less than 20% Listen-Worthy Prophets
Less than 20% Listen-Worthy Prophets
David W Palmer
(Numbers 13:30–31 NKJV) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” {31} 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.”
The Bible narrative of the twelve spies sent to spy out God’s Promised Land has a prophetic application today.
First, we see that all twelve were legitimate tribal leaders, chosen by God and authentically appointed by Moses:
(Numbers 13:1–3 NKJV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, {2} “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” {3} So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.
Next, we note that their mission was to spy out the Promised Land—to see God’s future plan for his people:
(Numbers 13:17–18 NKJV) Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, {18} and see what the land is like.”
Twelve legitimate leaders, all appointed by Moses in conjunction with God, were sent on a prophetic mission. These men were not false leaders, illegitimate or self-appointed prophets; they were the very best on offer. God gave them the absolute privilege of seeing his future as he showed it to them.
After their privileged spying out of (seeing) God’s future for his people, their final responsibility was to report an accurate account of what they had seen. In other words, they represent gifted and graced prophets to whom God reveals his future intentions today. God certainly did his part; he showed them their future inheritance, and he promised them the land— “which I am giving to the children of Israel.” Their final responsibility was to report as true and faithful witnesses what they had seen of God’s intention. This tested their integrity and faithfulness of heart to report not only what they had seen, but also to communicate it in God’s spirit of love and faith. Their attempt at this is seen in the following passage:
(Numbers 13:26–29 NKJV) Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. {27} Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. {28} Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. {29} The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
God’s prophets, to whom he gave a 40-day prophetic encounter of the future, gave their report. They described accurately what they had witnessed—a good, fruitful land of abundance. They also described the current [illegal] occupiers and pseudo guardians of the land. This was true. But sadly, like so many we will encounter today, they didn’t give it purely as God showed them; they mixed in their own fears and ideas. They polluted what God wanted said.
In a twist, we see the ratio of prophets who truly prophesy what God wants said and those who mix fleshly impurities:
(Numbers 13:30 NKJV) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
(Numbers 13:31–33 NKJV)
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By DAVID W. PALMERLess than 20% Listen-Worthy Prophets
David W Palmer
(Numbers 13:30–31 NKJV) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” {31} 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.”
The Bible narrative of the twelve spies sent to spy out God’s Promised Land has a prophetic application today.
First, we see that all twelve were legitimate tribal leaders, chosen by God and authentically appointed by Moses:
(Numbers 13:1–3 NKJV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, {2} “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” {3} So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.
Next, we note that their mission was to spy out the Promised Land—to see God’s future plan for his people:
(Numbers 13:17–18 NKJV) Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, {18} and see what the land is like.”
Twelve legitimate leaders, all appointed by Moses in conjunction with God, were sent on a prophetic mission. These men were not false leaders, illegitimate or self-appointed prophets; they were the very best on offer. God gave them the absolute privilege of seeing his future as he showed it to them.
After their privileged spying out of (seeing) God’s future for his people, their final responsibility was to report an accurate account of what they had seen. In other words, they represent gifted and graced prophets to whom God reveals his future intentions today. God certainly did his part; he showed them their future inheritance, and he promised them the land— “which I am giving to the children of Israel.” Their final responsibility was to report as true and faithful witnesses what they had seen of God’s intention. This tested their integrity and faithfulness of heart to report not only what they had seen, but also to communicate it in God’s spirit of love and faith. Their attempt at this is seen in the following passage:
(Numbers 13:26–29 NKJV) Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. {27} Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. {28} Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. {29} The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
God’s prophets, to whom he gave a 40-day prophetic encounter of the future, gave their report. They described accurately what they had witnessed—a good, fruitful land of abundance. They also described the current [illegal] occupiers and pseudo guardians of the land. This was true. But sadly, like so many we will encounter today, they didn’t give it purely as God showed them; they mixed in their own fears and ideas. They polluted what God wanted said.
In a twist, we see the ratio of prophets who truly prophesy what God wants said and those who mix fleshly impurities:
(Numbers 13:30 NKJV) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
(Numbers 13:31–33 NKJV)