"Forty days, a day for a year, a day for a year, forty years." Numbers 14:34
The twelve spies traveled the Promised Land for forty days and returned with a negative report.
They spoke badly about the land and said that it buries its inhabitants. They melted the hearts of the people and caused them
to cry and to lose the courage to enter the land. Therefore the Israelites were punished that for every day the spies traveled
the land they would have to stay and travel the desert for a year. Forty days, forty years. But, is this fair? What were they
actually punished for and why did they receive punishment for the days that the spies walked the land?
The people were punished for believing and accepting the evil report. The spies spoke only one
hour, but in that hour they condensed and capsulated their entire forty-day trip. Therefore, if the people heard and accepted
that shortened version of the trip, it is as if they went through and traveled the entire time.
The spies came back from touring the land and reported: "The nations are stronger than us." We must
never allow ourselves to get to a place so low that we believe that Yahveh cannot help us. Turn to Him at all times,
turn to Him now ~ no matter what your situation may be.
