The very first time Israel tried to take the Promised Land they were defeated. “God has promised us this land! It is ours!” they cried as they charged ahead in full confidence. They were defeated. Not only were they defeated. But God also punished them with an extra forty years of desert wandering.
Why?
The reason should have been seen by Israel and by modern Christian readers of the Biblical account as well. Israel had disobeyed God. The promised land was tied to the covenant. Israel had refused to believe God, and had thus broken the covenant by choosing another leader beside Moses to take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14).
Israel did not own the Land. God did. God gave it to the believing descendants of Abraham for worship and fellowship with him. Do we believers desire God’s gifts more than the Giver, God himself?