Repeating the mistakes of the past - Joshua 1-5

Don’t repeat the same mistakes as those who have gone before you. In Joshua 2:1 we see that Joshua sent out two spies “secretly” to spy out the land, particularly the town of Jericho. His predecessor, Moses, sent out spies (Joshua was one of them) to spy out the land right after they left Egypt. He learns both the positive and the negative from Moses’ leadership. Sending spies to look over the situation is a good thing. Gathering data before you go to war is a Solomonic proverb (Proverbs 20:18). However, Moses sent them out publicly and when they returned they gave a public account. But, Joshua was right there to see that the public account turned the hearts of the people against going into the land and the whole nation was punished as a result. Joshua sends out his spies but does so secretly. He doesn’t throw the baby out with the bath water in that he still uses spies to accomplish a good purpose. But, if they come back with a bad report he is not going to allow the report to turn the hearts of the people. Nehemiah does the same thing in his surveying of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:11-12). there are numerous lessons in this text. One lesson is we ought to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes. Read about good leaders and the great things they have done ... we just have to make sure we learn from their mistakes and not repeat them. Another lesson is to search a thing out in private before you inform everyone of the plan. The hearts of the people, or the family, or the staff or the group ought to be cared for while you develop the necessary plan of attack. Sometimes knowing the mountain is really big can discourage the climbers before you can show them the equipment and support they will have to climb it. Spy out the size of the mountain in secret.