Canaan Stoppers

By Godwin Emofo

These are all warning markers-DANGER!-in our history book, written down so that we dont repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel-they at the beginning, we at the end - and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Dont be so naive and self-confident. Youre not exempt I Cor. 10:11-12 (The Message Bible). Just like these multitudes of Israelites that left Egypt (bondage) for Canaan (Gods fullness, completeness and blessings), you as a Christian and believer in Jesus Christ are embarking on a similar spiritual journey. God has offered a Canaan Land opportunity to you as an individual, but the opposition to your seizing it can be threatening and formidable. What are the oppositions that God has allowed in your path? Maybe it is health issues, loss of relationships, joblessness, financial hardship, business failure or some other severe trials? Are there things that have you trapped in bitterness and discouragement? Then the story in this book may really apply to where you are right now with God. You may be getting ready to have your door opened to enter into your Promised Land. However, you are well aware of the giants and Canaanites with heavily fortified cities that you will be coming against if this door opens up for you. Will you affirm the giants and Canaanites with heavily fortified cities, like the generation that perished or the promise and faith of Joshua and Caleb?

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781449784744

Godwin Emofo

Godwin Emofo, a practicing Geophysicist, received an outstanding award for the publication of The VOISSI Magazine in 2001.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-8474-4 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-8473-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-8475-1 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013902446

WestBow Press rev. date: 3/5/2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Part 1

Lessons From The Ten Spies And The Multitudes

Chapter 1

Summary Of The Story In This Book

Chapter 2

The Ten Spies’ Reports

Chapter 3

Unbelief

Chapter 4

Lust

Chapter 5

Idolatry

Chapter 6

Fornication

Chapter 7

Tempt Christ

Chapter 8

Complaining

Part 2 Meet The Two Survivors

Chapter 9

The Attitudes And Actions Of Joshua And Caleb

Chapter 10

Courage

Chapter 11

Optimism

Chapter 12

Confidence

Chapter 13

Faith

Chapter 14

Obedience

Chapter 15

Reward

Chapter 16

Conclusion

Endnotes

-To God the Father – For His unconditional, redemptive, and all-consuming love.

-To God the Son– Our Passover, sacrificed for us.

-To God the Holy Spirit – The Helper of Mankind sent by God to protect His Children from demonic ways, influences and attacks.

INTRODUCTION

These are all warning markers—DANGER!—in our history book, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless cultivate God confidence.

(1 Cor. 10:11–12 MSG)¹

It all began one bright summer morning of June 2006 at 8:45 a.m. I was walking through the White House of Africa’s most beautiful campus, the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Out of the blue, a laughing dove with pinkish-brown on the underside and a lilac-tinged head and neck flew past me and had a head-on impact with the massive glass wall of the Geology Department Museum. Then the laughing dove fell to the ground. Curious, I moved closer to see what had become of the lively bird I had seen few seconds ago. To my astonishment, I found the bird motionless and as good as dead.

I stood there and gazed at the bird and the glass wall that had prevented the bird from its God-knows-where destination. These questions popped up in my mind: Where was the bird going? Was the bird going to meet family member(s)—wife, sons and daughters, father and mother? Or was the bird going to some kind of duty and was on the morning shift? Or could it be the bird was going about his Maker’s business? The echo of my heartbeat brought me from my reverie. I knew the answer might not be handy at that moment.

As I headed toward my destination to accomplish the day’s agenda, I was in deep thought about what I had just witnessed. I liken the bird and the glass wall to our life here on earth and its many ups and down. Someone full of zest for life and with great plans ahead who you can see this minute may not be alive the next moment. So is the lot of every man here on earth. A person could wish his family good-bye this second, and in the next second, he may no longer be in the land of the living. This sometimes makes one think of man as a flower seen this moment, and the next moment it has withered. An African proverb says, Death is like a robe that everyone has to wear.

In today’s world, there is not a day that passes without the news media reporting on a missing child, a murder, a conflict, a drug war, kidnappings, suicide bombings, a terrorist attack, an epidemic, a hurricane or flood, or a famine that can wipe out the hopes and lives of thousands of people.

How do you react to all of these? Do you just turn the pages of the newspaper or click the remote control to change your TV channel? There is so much misery in the world currently. Believe me, it’s not a time to close your heart, choose to feel nothing, and continue to do your own thing as if you will live forever in this world. We are living in a distressing time, and the worst of it is that all throughout history man has never learned from past examples. He keeps repeating the same mistake over and over again.

All the same, it is very obvious that our dear planet earth is more deadly now than it was ten years ago. And like a massive blanket, wickedness is covering the face of the earth. Man has no answer anymore to his myriad troubles. Maybe man is not alone. What about this lively bird that died? Maybe, like man, animals are not spared of this mystery.

Solomon in his wisdom said,

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above beast": for all is vanity. (Eccles. 3:19)

So I entered the computer room in geology department and was about to carry out the day’s task when the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance the account of Paul about the children of Israelites. Quickly I flipped open my Bible. Behold, Paul recounted the story of the generation of the children of Israelites that left Egypt but were overthrown in the wilderness. In the process, a whole generation was lost forever.

By now I knew my routine would be altered that day. Like a thirsty man in the desert who has found an oasis, I sat down and gulped down several liters of it to quench the thirst that was causing my mind to wander to and fro from the four corners of the earth. Paul told us that these men were moving out of Egypt (bondage) to Canaan, the Promised Land (God’s fullness). Like the laughing dove that never made it past the glass wall, none of these men made it to Canaan. They all perished in the wilderness, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. What a tragedy!

The Bible says, But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:5). How many of life’s lessons have you learned in your journey through the wilderness of life here on earth? I have certainly learned a few in my sojourn here on earth. They make great testimonies if you survive them, but I don’t recommend it. I have discovered there is a better way, and God’s Word is full of the good and bad experiences of men and women of old that have been placed there as examples for you and me. I believe a study of these examples is a much better way and a lot less painful way to learn. I have made up my mind to choose this option. Through the study of their lives, I know I have gained the wisdom and understanding to make decisions that have allowed me to avoid many of the hard knocks that come through trial and error.

Are you prepared to learn from the story of these twelve spies? Despite the dangerous dimension currently covering the earth, will you still trust God’s promises? Would you see that challenge your neighbor is going through presently as yours and lend a helping hand? Would you reach out your hand to the needy and the disadvantaged around you? Would you be a solution provider or a problem provider to earth’s incessant crisis?

The Bible says, Surely none shall come into the land in which I swore to make you dwell, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun (Num. 14:30 AMP). Of the twelve spies in this story, ten made the choice not to move into the Promised Land because it would take a dangerous effort to overcome its inhabitants: "The giants and Canaanites with heavily fortified cities." Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, differed and instead trusted God’s promise.

Today, as we face the giant problems of sin, suffering or sickness, and uncertainties in our personal lives or the apathy, indifference, and weakness in the lives of our fellow brethren, we need the positive traits of Joshua and Caleb to lead us on to victory through the wilderness of life. There is a lot you can learn from the familiar incident of the twelve spies, and many of the events recorded are meant to teach by example.

Paul gave clues to these Canaan stoppers that prevented the Israelites from entering Canaan. He stated that all these things befell them for our learning (1 Cor. 10:11). Since these things are examples for us to learn from, as children of God, it then means that these Canaan stoppers also may prevent us from entering our own Promised Land (Canaan) if we don’t pay adequate attention to them.

But hold on a minute; what stopped these men from getting to Canaan? What are these Canaan stoppers that wiped out these multitudes in the wilderness? Are these clues relevant to our generation today? With today’s technological innovation and the world now a global village, do these Canaan stoppers still exist? Can these Canaan stoppers prevent this generation of men and women who go to space at will? With our nuclear bombs and sophistication in military weaponry, do these Canaan stoppers stand a chance?

In part 1, this book will take a look at these Canaan stoppers! The apostle Paul warned us about what stopped the ten spies and the multitudes from entering Canaan; as a result, a whole generation was lost perpetually. We will look at the lessons we can learn from it.

In part 2, this book takes a look at the two survivors, Joshua and Caleb. What is the secret of these two men that kept them from the destruction in the wilderness? What can we learn from them to enable us to fulfill our destiny? What is there from the two spies that can help us live and think right in our today’s sin-laden world, where the love of many is growing cold? What inner quality did these two men possess that saw them through the carnage in the wilderness that we must seek after with our whole heart?

PART 1

Lessons from

the Ten Spies

and the Multitudes

CHAPTER 1

Summary of the Story in This Book

God sent Moses into the land of Egypt to liberate His people from slavery. He parted the Red Sea so they would have a way to escape from the Egyptians. He threw ten gigantic plagues at Pharaoh and the whole land of Egypt to get Pharaoh to release His people from their oppression. God performed one of the most powerful supernatural displays of signs and wonders the world has ever seen to get His people out of Egypt.

Egypt in this story gives a factual clue, a historical clue, and a metaphorical clue. Of course you may be familiar with the factual and historical, but what of the metaphorical? There are several descriptions that come to my mind and may apply to someone out there.

Egypt stands for being just barely sufficient to get by. Egypt signifies spiritual gloom. Egypt symbolizes feelings of being deprived. Egypt corresponds to lack of accomplishment. Egypt stands for living way beneath your potential. Egypt signifies someone under Satan’s control. Egypt corresponds to physical and spiritual bondage.