Decision time

Numbers 13:3-16

Before I became a pastor I was challenged in my study of the bible when a guy by the name of Jeff Adams was visiting our pastor, and shared in the bible study that week how he had studied Joshua 15, and the meaning of the name Achsah (meaning anklet) for some weeks before coming to an understanding of how this applied to his life. The resulting study was amazing, and for me life changing, as I began to understand the wealth of the word of God. A year or so later when I began to preach I applied myself to understanding what God was saying through every word of scripture, as it says in 2 Timothy 3:16, resulting in a sermon on the meaning of the names of the twelve spies Moses sent into the land of Canaan. Sadly I lost my notes in the intervening years, and so what follows is by no means as detailed as I uncovered at the time, but I hope it gives you a taste of why you should never skip through lists of names thinking them devoid of meaning.

Here are the names, in the order they appear in scripture, along with their Strongs reference, and meanings, from Strongs.

Shammua = H8071 - Renowned, root H8074 Made destitute

Shaphat = H8202 - Judge

Caleb = H3612 - Yelp, exclaim

 Son of Jephunneh = H3312 - Will be prepared

Igal = H3008 - Avenger

Oshea = H1954 - Deliverer

Palti = H6406 - Delivered

Gaddiel = H1427 - Fortune of God

Gaddi = H1426, Root H1424 - Fortunate

Ammiel = H5988 - The people of God

Sethur = H5639 - Hidden/Secret

 Son of Michael = H4317 - Who is Like God?

Nahbi = H5147 - Occult (Knowledge of the hidden) , to hide

Geuel = H1345 - Majesty of God

What does this all mean? It describes the life of a man living a life without God, being challenged by him, coming to salvation, living a life as part of the body of Christ, and ending before the throne of God in Heaven. See how the names, in the order given (which is not the order of the tribes or anything like that) fit perfectly to a life like this.

We begin our lives sure of ourselves and try to build a name for ourselves, but God will bring us down a peg in time.  Isaiah 2:11-12. Then he will judge, we will be judged.

Thankfully, when God judges he also prepares the hearts of those that will listen to him Galatians 3:24, and recognise their failing, and know that they deserve death. Romans 6:23.

In accepting Christ as our saviour, we are delivered from bondage to sin Ephesians 2:8-9. We receive of the grace of God Romans 3:20-24, and are fortunate indeed. We become the people of God John 1:12. More than that, we become part of the body of Christ, the church, the hidden mystery of God Ephesians 3:8-10.

And in the end, whether we die, or he returns we shall see his glory Philippians 2:8-10.

The spies returned and faced a decision, to go into the land and be part of the promise, or to stay with what they knew in the desert. We face the same decision in turning to salvation, and again in living for Christ. What is your decision?