Fear is one of the most powerful emotions, especially when it strikes a person’s heart. Fear’s strength was revealed in the Israelites as they responded to the negative report of the 10 spies. As the people listened to the report of big people and large fortified cities in the promised land, they chose to ignore Joshua and Caleb’s report, and the fire of fear was lit.

The grasshopper mentality of the 10 spread like a wildfire in the camp, and the result was devastating. It didn’t burn a whole city. It literally ended up wiping out an entire generation of rebellious people.

FEAR IGNITES THE CAMP
Fear permeated the camp as the whole assembly mourned all night (v. 1). They grumbled against their leaders, Moses and Aaron, and longed for the past. It would have been better to die in slavery, they complained, than to come to this land and die by the sword and have their wives and children taken as plunder (vv. 2, 3). Their doubt even led them to debate about choosing a leader to lead them back to Egypt (v. 4).

Fear often causes us to develop the rearview mirror syndrome. When what lies ahead causes fear, the image in our rearview mirror grows larger. That expanding rearview mirror does a number of things to our perspective. It begins to obscure our vision of the future, and we are unable to see the milk and honey right before us. When that happens, we make little if any forward progress in our lives.

It also causes our past, even if it was negative, to be viewed more positively. In this instance, it caused the Israelites to believe their horrible state of slavery in Egypt was preferable to what lay ahead. This reaction of the Israelites vividly demonstrated the depth of their fear, while also reminding us of the havoc it can wreak in our lives.

THEIR FEAR IS CHALLENGED BY THE FAITH OF THE TWO
Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the crowd (v. 5). Joshua and Caleb reacted by tearing their clothes as a sign of mourning (v. 6). The Israelites may have mourned in fear, but Joshua and Caleb mourned the loss of faith. As they tore their clothes, they once again told the people about the fruitfulness of the land full of milk and honey (vv. 7, 8). They urged the people not to rebel; God was with them, and there was no reason to be afraid. Because of the blessing of God’s presence, they would surely be able to take the land (v. 9).

A pattern can be seen here. As the rearview mirror syndrome occurs and we only look backward, too often we also look away from God. The people’s lack of faith, demonstrated by their fear, led them to doubt God and rebel against him.

We can do the same thing. Too often we focus on the mountains in life and fail to focus on the mountain mover. We walk by sight and not by faith. Sight causes us to feel like grasshoppers. Faith causes us to look ahead and stand firm in God’s might when we know “the Lord is with us.”

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The Israelites weren’t looking through the windshield of faith, but the rearview mirror of fear, which gave them the completely wrong perspective.

This wrong perspective was evidenced in their plot to stone their leaders. As they plotted, God made his presence known to all of them (Numbers 14:10). He then spoke to Moses and asked the Israelites, “How long will you ignore God’s miraculous deliverance and not believe in him?” (14:11). His questions led to his judgment. Because of the people’s doubt and rebellion, God would punish them with a plague and honor Moses (14:12).

It’s interesting their freedom from slavery in Egypt began with that nation being struck with plagues, and their freedom as a people could be ended in the same way. God’s wrath boiled up against the people, and his anger led him to threaten destruction of them as a people.

It is good to pause at this point and be reminded of God’s perspective on our sin and rebellion. Our world doesn’t often talk about it, but God’s wrath does pour out on our sin. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death.” And, because of that, we must always keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:1-3). He looked in fear at the cross, but chose faith instead.