Centuries ago, a band of spies was sent to assess the resources and defenses of a foreign territory. The future of an entire people was at stake, and their leader—the Hebrew patriarch Moses—charged his agents to bring back a detailed report.
Contradictory assessments came back to Moses. Most of his sources advised him, “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” But Caleb, representative of the tribe of Judah, said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Although the people’s disobedience delayed settlement of the land of Canaan for many years, Caleb’s intelligence report eventually proved to be accurate—and his willingness to follow God was divinely approved (see Numbers, chapters 13 and 14).
Intelligence gathering based on divine help was found to be reliable again and again by the early Israelites, even in desperate circumstances. Joshua’s agents in Jericho were concealed by the harlot Rahab, and safely brought word back to their leader. Nehemiah prevented foes from discovering his plans. Daniel overcame damaging reports of spies. David was given insider information about King Saul’s plots to kill him.
