Scripture
Reading: Numbers 13
Brief
outline of the chapter: God instructs Moses to send twelve leaders, one
from each tribe of Israel, to explore the land of Canaan, the Promised Land.
The spies are tasked with assessing the land, its people, cities, and soil, and
they spend forty days exploring. Upon their return, they bring back a cluster
of grapes, pomegranates, and figs as evidence of the land’s fertility. They
report that the land is indeed flowing with milk and honey but also inhabited
by powerful people living in large, fortified cities. While ten of the spies
focus on the intimidating aspects of the inhabitants, Caleb and Joshua
encourage the people to trust in God’s promise and take possession of the land.
The majority of the spies spread a negative report, causing fear among the
Israelites, but Caleb and Joshua stand firm in their faith, urging the people
to trust in God’s promise despite the daunting obstacles.
Lessons
from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):
When unable to
harm Moses directly, the Evil one targeted the vulnerable people. The people
were tempted by gluttony and yearned for Egyptian food over the heavenly bread.
“The camp followers with them had a strong craving, and the Israelites also
wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we
used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the
onions, and the garlic, but now our strength is dried up, and there is
nothing at all but this manna to look at.”” (Numbers 11:4-6)
However, Moses
being spiritually elevated and rising above earthly desires, was completely
focused on the inheritance promised by God and therefore, he appointed spies to
report on the features of the land flowing with milk and honey.
Moses sends
out twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan, which God had promised to give to
the Israelites. Ten of the spies returned with a discouraging report, focusing
on the strength of the people and the fortified cities in Canaan. However, two
spies, Joshua and Caleb, brought back a hopeful report, trusting in God's
promise and power. St. Gregory interprets this event allegorically.
According to St. Gregory, the spies represent different
types of reasoning or thought processes in a believer's life. The ten spies who
brought back a negative report represent the doubts and fears planted by the
Devil. These doubts undermine faith and hope in God's promises. On the other
hand, the two spies who brought back a positive report represent the reasonings
born of faith, which confirm hope in God's promises.
Like Moses, a
spiritual pilgrim should disregard the doubts and fears that undermine their
faith and instead trust in the hopeful promises of God.
Joshua was one
of the spies sent to scout the Promised Land. Moses placed great confidence in him, as
Joshua had provided tangible evidence of the land's abundance by bringing back
a cluster of grapes carried on poles. According to St. Gregory, Moses was
assured in his hopes and aspirations because he perceived the mystery of
grapes hanging on the wood which is the prefiguration of Christ’s
passion. Moses’s song foreshadowed the holy Eucharist and the saving Passion of
Christ -“you drank fine wine from the blood of grapes.” (Deuteronomy
32:14). The grapes’ blood, which becomes a saving drink, symbolizes the blood
of Christ shed on the cross.
Questions
for Personal Reflection:
1. How much do I allow the opinions and reports of others to influence my
decisions, thoughts and faith? Am I discerning in whose advice I follow?
2. When assessing situations in my life, do I focus more on the obstacles
or the opportunities? How do the different types of
reasoning (faith-based vs. fear-based) manifest in my life?
3. Have I been a positive influence and a source of hope for others, as
Joshua and Caleb were for the Israelites? How can I incorporate these traits
more frequently moving forward?
In Christ,
Rincy
Ref: Gregory
of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J. Malherbe and E.
Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 114-115. HarperCollins Spiritual Classics
series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press, 1978).
Disclaimer: The content presented here is a
paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited
above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during
Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views
of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original
book for a comprehensive understanding.
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