A Noble Effort to Arrest a Nation's Rebellion
W. Jones. Numbers 14:6-9 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:… I. JOSHUA AND CALEB WERE DEEPLY GRIEVED BY REASON OF THE REBELLION OF THE NATION. II. JOSHUA AND CALEB NOBLY ENDEAVOURED TO ARREST THE REBELLION OF THE NATION. 1. They reassert the excellence of the land. 2. They declare the attainableness of the land. 3. They exhort the people not to violate the conditions of its attainment. (1) By rebelling against the Lord. (2) By dreading the people of the land. III. JOSHUA AND CALEB WERE IN DANGER BY REASON OF THEIR EFFORT TO ARREST THE REBELLION OF THE NATION. "All the congregation bade stone them with stones." See here — 1. The tactics of an excited mob when defeated in argument. 2. The folly of an excited mob. This proposal to stone Joshua and Caleb was insane. (1) Stoning would not disprove the testimony, or take away the wisdom from the counsel of the two brave explorers. (2) Stoning would involve the nation in deeper guilt and disgrace. 3. The perils of faithfulness. IV. JOSHUA AND CALEB RESCUED FROM DANGER BY THE INTERPOSITION OF GOD. (W. Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: WEB: Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes: