Greetings;
After the test of authority, the children of Israel were ready to enter the Promised Land. This was approximately two years into their journey. Although the Promised Land was only eleven days by geographical distance from their departure from Egypt, it had proven to be two years by the tests from Egypt to the time of their crossing.
In Numbers chapter 13, Moses sent out twelve men to spy out the land of Canaan. Those men represented each of the tribes of Israel. It was time to enter the Promised Land. They went out from the Wilderness of Paran (the Wilderness of Caves) and they spied out the land.
Numbers 13:17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; 20 whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. 21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
It was at this time that the Children of Israel faced the test of giants. We must all face giants in our entrance to the realities of the Promised Land in our lives. The Promised Land is a place of finding our identity, our testimony, and our purpose in demonstrating the power of Christ for the glory of God in and through our lives. It is the place of reigning in life from the inward influence of the kingdom of heaven. It is the place of outwardly manifesting the internal influence of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I believe that the test of giants reveals a very significant thing to our destiny. Giants are things that are too big for us to face alone. They are the things that require us to find our identity in Christ, our testimony as an expression of Christ, and our destiny in partnership with God and His supernatural power in all things.
Numbers 13:21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin (flat place) as far as Rehob (broad place), near the entrance of Hamath (fortified place).
A flat placeis a place that needs identity. A broad placeis a place that needs a testimony. It needs expression. A fortified place is place that requires the power of destiny. God wants us to know that He is bigger than anything we will ever face in life. The test of giants is meant to reveal who Christ is inside of us, who we are as a testimony of Christ in this world, and who God and we are together for the purpose of His glory.
Numbers 13:22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there.
The place of giants needed identity, a testimony, and the power of God’s purpose. It was at the entrance was Hebron. Hebron is a fortified place where things are in alliance or association with God and others for a purpose. It is place where our covenant with God and one another and our commitment to His purpose in our lives is tested. Three categories of giants were there to oppose the children of Israel. I believe these three things stand against you and I in our path of destiny. These were the giants of Ahiman, meaning my brother is a gift, Sheshai, meaning noble,and Talmai, meaning furrowed. The giants represent things that team up against us to stop us in our destiny. These are things that team up against us to draw out our resolve, our commitment to our part in the calling or the testimony of Christ, and our destined purpose in Christ. They are giants. They appear to be more gifted than us. They present themselves as more noble or influential than us. These giants are more entrenched, traditioned, or furrowed in their ways than us. These giants are meant to draw out our gifting, draw out our nobility, and draw out our creativity to reign in life.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
Please consider partnering with us in prayer and finance. In March we will be doing more video recording for training in the Portuguese world. I am presently recording many training resources for leadership and church development in English and in Portuguese. I will be in Portugal for three weeks in March and then in Angola, Africa in April and back to Portugal following. May will include ministry missions to Spain, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria, and then in June I will be in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands. The year is going to be filled with purpose and destiny.
We need to purchase many tickets for the upcoming itenerary. Please donate to House of Bread Ministry and help us reach the nations and generations with the word and impartation of New Covenant Life and Grace. Donations are payable to House of Bread Ministry. You can donate at the link on this page or mail your contribution to:
House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA
Thank You So Much – Ted J. Hanson
