For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the LORD had given them Num 32:9
When we pass through the Valley of Eshcol will it be a valley of promotion or will it be a valley of discouragement.
Background: Lord brought Israelites out of Egypt to take them to the Promised Land, after 40 years of journey they came to the border of Cannan. The word says The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. Num 13:1. So purpose of sending 12 people is just to see the land Lord is going to give.
Mission: 12 people went on a mission for 40 days to explorer the Promise that the Lord was going to give and saw the Land was good as the Lord promised. And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them… That place was called the Valley of Eshcol Num 13:23,24
Discouraged: Coming back from the mission, 10 people out of the 12 as Moses said in Num 32:9 discouraged the people around them because they were scared of achieving the Promise by their own strength. The word says, So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying.. all the people that we saw in it are of great height. …. and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them. Num 13:32,33 Do we feel like grasshoppers (hopeless).
Promotion: 2 out of the 12 got promotion to have the promise of God. Joshua and Caleb had confidence because they knew promise fulfillment is the Lord’s business. Num 14: 6-8 “And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh… said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey And we know of all the people who started from Egypt only Joshua and Caleb reached Cannan (Others were those who were born on the way)
Prayer: Oh! Lord when I am passing through this valley of Eschol, I have no idea how I will cross this. Although I do not see the other side, my only hope is your promises. I know Lord you are powerful enough to fulfill your promise that you gave me. Amen