Previously on the chosen people.
And in this way I charge you to explore the land. Go with courage in the name of the Lord, and bring back the fruit of the land in your report, so that I may see the truth of the Lord's promises. Go now, with his blessing and his protection before you, honor your tribes, for you have each been chosen to represent your people. We await your safe return.
The land was fertile and ripe for their people to thrive, but every mile was filled with adversaries, battle hardened, giant and bloodthirsty adversaries. The spies deliberated about what they were going to report back to Moses and the others. There's no way I'm marching into battle against those giants.
We should go back to Egypt.
Yes, we should appoint a new leader, one who will lead us back to Egypt as far away from Canaan as we can get.
Moses will lead us to death if we stay with him.
Stop, just stop. Are you even hearing yourselves? This land is incredible. It's better than we imagined. The Lord would not lie to us. He's bringing us to a land of milk and honey.
He's not holding out on us.
Listen, you fools.
Don't revel against the Lord. Don't be afraid of the people of the land.
The Lord has taken their protection, for he is with us. Don't be afraid of them, traders.
Why do you want to see us all dead?
Why do you hate Israel?
Joshua nodded and then closed his eyes as he turned back to face the mob. Caleb did the same, and a blinding light erupted all around him.
Our bones will be scattered in this world wilderness. Shallo my friends from here in the Holy Land. I'm ya el Extein with International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through Israel's story, we'll find this truth that we are all chosen for something great. If this podcast has blessed you in any way,
we'd love it if you left us a review. And if you're interested in the countless lives being impacted and biblical prophecy coming to fruition by our work at the Fellowship, you can visit us at IFCJ dot org. That's IFCJ. Dot Org. Now let's begin. The Chosen People stand at the border of the land promised to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, led through the sea onto dry ground, and fed with manna from heaven. They had seen wonders, but when faced with the giants of
the land, they faltered. Now the restless Israelites stir against Moses, their leader, and against God himself. And so we ask today what happens when the Chosen People turn against the one who chose them. They are about to make a choice to trust in God's promise or to rebel in fear. Will their fate be sealed by the voices of doubt, or will they return to the one who delivered them from Egypt.
The blinding light of the Lord's presence halted the crowd. Moses may have cried out in protest, but his voice was lost in the chaos. Caleb and Joshua, crumpled and torn, clothed, arms raised, had accepted their fate. They alone had remained faithful to God's promises. Before the mob, which now clutched stones ready to strike, Moses, knew there was no stopping them. The crowd was driven to blind fury by the reports from Canaan. But even before God's glory blazed over the scene,
Moses sensed that Israel's fate was sealed. The Lord's anger had been kindled before for their lack of faith, their complaints, their idolatry, But to murder the only faithful men on the threshold of the promised land would be the final rebellion. The crowd's shouts shifted from rage to panic, blinded by the divine light amidst their clamor, as if from a great distance, Moses heard the furious voice of God in his ear.
Oh Lord, will these people aspires me? How long were they not trust in me? Despite all the signs I have performed among them?
Please Lord, I do not know. I don't know why their faith is so weak.
I will strike them with a plague and destroy them. P shin. I will make you into a great nation, a mightier nation than they are.
Exasperated, Moses absorbed the Lord's words. How many times had he stood in this very place pleading for mercy? How many more times would he need to do it? Maybe he should let the Lord destroy them. They seemed determined to meet their own ruin. In the blinding white light, Moses felt the presence of the wailing crowd. God was waiting for his answer. But then Moses remembered what could be theirs, all of Israel, if they only kept their covenant.
They had pledged to uphold his laws, swearing in blood at the mountain's foot. In return, they would be a great nation, a holy priesthood blessed and set apart. Moses had been charged with leading them toward that destiny. If he gave up now, their failure would become his own. Reluctantly, he knew what his answer must be. Once again, Please.
Don't destroy these people.
Think of the Egyptians.
They witnessed your strength when you brought these people out. News of your mighty deeds is surely reached the inhabitants of this land. They know, Lord, that you are among these people, that you are seeing face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them in.
A pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
If you strike them down now, the nations who have heard of your fame.
Will will say. The Lord could not bring his people in the viland he promised, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.
How will I rebuild with a new nation?
How would I lead.
Those whose faith would be shaken by the memory of past failures.
Moses paused, his throat dry and roar with desperation. Despite his anger toward the people, urgency coursed through him. Time was sure to convince the Lord to show mercy. He couldn't remain suspended in this perilous moment forever. Whatever plea he could make to sway the Lord, he needed to do it now and quickly.
Please, Lord, remember your name, yahweh if Amy spoke to me on the mountain. You your slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
You are forgiving of iniquity and rebellion. You you promise these things. Please pardon the iniquity of these people according to the greatness of your faithful love, as.
You have forgiven them from Egypt until now.
Despite the muffled chaos beyond the dazzling glory of the Lord, Moses' ears rang in attention. He held his breath to see what the Lord's response would be. Several long moments passed, and the Lord finally answered, Moses.
I will pardon them as you have asked However, I will not leave the guilty unpunished.
Moses stepped back in shock.
They would be barred from entering the promise.
Yes, they have seen my glory, they have witnessed my yet they still doubt me. For this, they will never see the promised land. The rebellious will never settle in the land I swore to give their ancestors their children will, but they will not.
Moses grappled to understand the breadth of the Lord's words.
After all their anguished cries and slavery for hundreds of years, after all the trials in the wilderness, and it would all count to nothing.
But since my servant Caleb has a different spirit and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it. Caleb and his family, as well as Joshua, son of London.
Moses was still in shock, two would be saved. The two men still kneeling before the murderous crowd before them, halted from certain destruction from this divine vision. The two men who stood firm in their commitment to the Lord's promise, two out of two million. Moses wouldn't allow himself to consider that his brother and sisters names were not mentioned, or even his own.
I have heard the Israelites complaints against me. Tell them this, All who were counted in the censes twenty years older will die in the desert. I swear that none will enter the Promised Land except Calo and Joshua. I will bring the children they feared would become plunder into the land they rejected, and they will enjoy it. But the rest their corpses will fall in this wilderness for forty years.
Their children will be shepherds here, bearing the penalty of their parents unfaithfulness, until all their parents' bodies lie scattered, one year for each day the spies scouted the land, and forty years the israel will know my displeasure. I the Lord have spoken. I will do to the entire community that conspired against me. Here in the wilderness. They will meet their end.
Moses felt the color drain from his face and his body go nun.
How could I possibly relay this message?
Tell them what I said, Moses, And since Israel has refused to enter the Promised Land, you will have them turn back. You will all go back into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea. There are Amalekites and Canaanites in the land ahead, just as the scouts have reported. But in their disobedience, I will no longer grant victory. What could have been a conquest will now be a retreat. So turn away, turn away, and go back into the wilderness.
With that, the voice of the Lord concluded, and the all encompassing light faded away and left Moses standing alone before the oblivious and abandoned people of the Lord. The mob that was once violent against Joshua and Caleb were still now the light had shocked them into attention. All eyes went to Moses. He was pale and looked as though he would be sick. Despite his advanced age, Moses rarely looked frail, but the man before Israel looked weak and unsure. Devastation was written all over him.
Well what is it? You were clearly speaking with the Lord.
What message do you have for us?
Moses?
Moses didn't respond, His face was gaunt, stripped of all vitality. Caleb attempted to give Moses attention.
More gen Moses, are you there?
Joshua rose to his feet an inch towards Moses, gently, carefully Joshua laid a hand on Moses's shoulder. With a whisper, he brought Moses back to the real world.
Moses, what did the Lord tell you?
Moses' bottom lip began to quiver, and his trembling hands grasped at Joshua's arm.
The Lord, Lord has spoken forty years, forty years of what exile?
The crowd began to stir. Shamua was growing impatient. What do you mean exiled? Aren't we already wanderers?
How could it get worse?
Because of your disobedience to the Lord. You will not to the promise Man.
The crowd irrupted at that. They shrank back, groaned, and cried as Moses told them the rest of the Lord's message. Since they were afraid to go forward into Canaan, they would get what they wanted to remain in the desert forever.
Only Caleb son of Jeffunah, and Joshua, son of None will see the Promised Man. Their faithfulness has sustained them.
Caleb's mouth fell open in shock. He turned to Joshua and saw his own astonishment reflected in his face. Neither of them could comprehend this reversal of fate. Just moments ago they had prepared to die.
This is the judgment of the Ward.
As if to punctuate the end of his speech and the finality of his words, the cloud pillar above the tabernacle crackled with fiery energy, and a thunder shook the skies. The people shrank back further, unable to take their eyes off the sky above. It wasn't until the crying turned to frantic shouting that Caleb tore his own gaze from the churning storm above camp. What Caleb's eyes widened in horror as the other ten scouts writhed in pain and
scratched viciously at their skin. For some, their skin turned white and squatchy with disease. For others, horrible boils and sores flared as they compulsively tore at their open wounds. Whatever malady overtook them, it took hold fast. Some collapsed immediately, while others staggered, arms, reaching for help, anyone who could help cure them. But the crowd recoiled in fear. Shamoa
screamed in agony over the din, help me, it burns. Shamois, somehow more pitiful than all the others, all toward the terrified crowd and called for his mother or wife to help him. Caleb frantically scanned the fallen them, their eyes unseen an upward turned toward their maker, their expressions pleading for his mercy in their final moments. Caleb's eyes stung with tears. As much as their betrayals wounded him, he did not wish them dead. He knew their tortured faces
would haunt him for years to come. Most of the Israelite camp had left Kaydish and headed south following the Lord's command, but a group of defiant men had launched a reckless campaign to take Canaan without the Lord's presence or moses blessing. Driven by fear and denial, they ignored God's warning. No news of their fate had reached them yet, only reports of a Melachite and Canaanite forces mobilizing in
the land. Just as the Lord had said, it was only a matter of time before their outcome was known. Aaron and Miriam cast weary glances at Moses, who remained silent at the news. He seemed to be in a comatose state, his eyes glazed over and impassive, gave no signs of him listening.
I'm worried about him.
Erin.
He hasn't eaten anything in days.
He's offered no guidance about the border disputes either.
Joshua's shadow suddenly appeared in the opening of moses tent. He looked pale and frightened as he entered, and the three siblings all held their breath as he steeled himself and gave them the news.
Moses, Aaron Miriam, I come with news from the front, but that was near Canaan. Our army pressed deep into the heart of Canaan. They marched with purpose until the Amalekites descended from the north. The ambush drove a south, scattering soldiers like chaff in the wind. We regrouped and pushed on. We reached the southernmost city of Canaan, but there, against the walls of a rad we were pinned. Canaanites defending the city did what the Amalakite started. The crushed us.
They chased us out of the land entirely.
It was a bloodbath.
I'm so sorry.
The siblings waited for Moses to say something, but he remained silent.
Thank you for the update, Joshua. We will try to relay this news to Moses wherever his mind is at the moment, it isn't here.
Joshua bowed his head and departed, leaving the three alone again.
Moses, have you spoken to Joshua yet about his role?
Moses knew his siblings thought he was entirely checked out, but he marked every word, spoken and unspoken. He listened to Joshua's message, but said nothing and turned away, tuning out his siblings follow up questions. The only thought ringing in his head was, so.
It begins, If every Israel line was to die in this desert, what difference did it make if it was in a hapless battle or infamine or disease? At least those who ventured indicating of this, this doomed expedition seen the promised man, even if it passed me the tip of a steer or the edge of a blade before it struck.
Did you hear what I said, Moses?
No?
Have you spoken to the boy?
Moses frowned again.
Joshua, have you spoken to him since the day he came back? No, he loves you. You know you have become a father to him.
Why are you Why are you telling me this?
He needs you. They all need you.
Miriam approached Moses and placed it gentle hand on his elbow. Moses started at the touch. He had been so removed and detached these last few weeks. They Aaron approached moses other side and clasped him firmly on the shoulder.
The next generation, Moses, they will need us to guide them so they don't make the same mistakes we did.
Despite his anger, despite his grief, despite his failure, Moses felt his heart start to stir again.
Come, brother, our people need us. The Lord has not released us from our duty yet.
Our faith may have faltered, but there's still breath in our lungs. Let us continue what we set out to do.
Miriam smiled bravely at him and pulled him forward. Moses turned to look at Aaron and saw that he was smiling at him as well. Despite himself, Moses let hope once again rekindle in his heart.
There's a question that I've often asked regarding this Bible story. What exactly was the sin that the ten spies committed? After all, they were asked to issue an intelligence report on the feasibility of conquering the land, and they did that, But only Caleb, along with Joshua, understood that this was not supposed to be a report that would demoralize the
Israelites and cause them to reject the promised land. And so after ten of the twelve spies warned the Israelites against entering the land, Caleb and Joshua gave a different report. Caleb and Joshua understand that this land was indeed promised to the Chosen people by God, and so they gave a very brief report. This is what they said. The
land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. And it is because of this very that I'm here today in the Holy Land, thousands of years later, studying this chapter with you. One time I was speaking to a group of Christian visitors to the Holy Land about the miracle of modern Israel, and one woman asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.
Y ell.
She said, I heard everything you said about God's promises to the Jewish people, But are the Jewish people really worthy of these promises being fulfilled? Don't you worry that if Israel isn't obedient to God, that you won't live up to God's promises?
What?
Then, I have to admit I wasn't sure how to answer her at first. The Jewish people aren't perfect. There are certainly many among us who don't follow the Torah. What if she was right? What if we aren't worthy
of God's promises? But then I remember that God himself told Abraham over and over that his covenant is in everlasting covenant between me and your descendants after you for the general rations to come, God's covenant with Israel's everlasting, because it isn't for our sake, It's for God's sake. In today's story, when God threatened to wipe out the children of Israel for their lack of faith after the
Sin of the Spies, Moses prayed to God. And the argument that Moses made is the answer to that woman's question to me. Moses said to God, if you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say the Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness. God's response was to punish Israel, but
not to destroy them. By fulfilling his promises to the chosen people, God shows the whole world that he is faithful. He's a faithful God who controls history, and when he makes a promise, he means it forever. God uses Israel to reveal himself to the world, not because we are worthy, but to show the world who he is, a God whose promises are eternal. No matter what, this story makes me think about my Abba my father by Ria Extine of Blessed Memory. In the early years after he'd started
the fellowship, that wasn't easy. There were times when the uncertainty was almost unbearable, when my Abba didn't know if this ministry would succeed. There were moments when criticism came from every direction. People doubted him and didn't understand what he was trying to build. But my Abba didn't turn his back. He had faith that God was with him, that the mission wasn't his alone, that it was a mission from God, and that's what kept him going. It
wasn't an easy road. There was struggle, there was pain, but in the end, he kept moving forward, trusting that God would fulfill what he had started. But here's the hard truth, the truth Caleb and Joshua knew as well. Even when God is with us even when the promise is sure, there are consequences wh lose faith. God has promised to bring the people into the Promised Land, and that wasn't going to change. But their lack of faith
came at a cost. Forty years in the wilderness, an entire generation lost because they didn't believe, didn't trust, didn't have faith. This part of the story hits hard, doesn't it, Because it's not just about victory. It's about struggle, and it's about the cost of not trusting when we're called to the chosen people would eventually enter the Promised Land, but they would wander first. They would taste the bitterness of their own doubt before they tasted the sweetness of
God's promise. Faith empowers us, yes, but when we falter, when we when we let fear overtake us, there are consequences. It reminds me of my father's journey. The road was long, the challenge is great, but he trusted even when it hurt, and because of that, the fellowship succeeded. But the struggle, it was very real. Just like the people of Israel. We might reach our promised land, but we may have
walked through the wilderness first. God is faithful, but he also asks for his chosen people to trust him.
You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yil Eckstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein. Please rate and leave a review.