Numbers 13:32-33 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the children of Israel, saying, The land… It is a bad plan to exaggerate the enemy's strength; to do so is to increase it. Our English warriors have owed many a victory on land and sea to the confidence with which they entered the fight. Francis Drake was playing bowls on the Hoe at Plymouth when information was brought him of the appearance of the terrible Armada. Some were for hurrying away at once; but the great sailor insisted on finishing the game, gaily assuring his comrades: " There will be plenty of time to beat the Spaniards." It is with something of the same dauntless spirit that we should enter upon our holy war. There was real wisdom in the lad's answer when asked what he thought of the first two chapters of Job. He had but just learned to read, and had set himself with firm resolve to read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. He had now come to Job, and his friend asked, "Well, what do you think of it?" "Well," replied the child, "I don't like that Satan a bit; and when I get to learn to write and when I have to write Satan, I will always write Satan with a small 's.'" Alas! too many of us would have to write the word in large capitals if our writing expressed our feelings. Fear and timidity magnify the foe. Let us learn a holier and braver lesson. (G. Howard James.). Parallel Verses KJV: And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. |
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