Day 2: Bring back some fruit of the land
Moses surveys the twelve men standing in front of him. They are young, strong leaders, each chosen by their tribe as the one to travel secretly into the promised land and spy it out. They stand ready to hear their orders.
Moses stands straight, strong, and tall with fire in his eyes. He is ready to finish the journey to the promised land. Squaring his shoulders and motioning with his staff, he says,
“Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (Numbers 13:17-20)
The twelve say goodbye to their families and set out towards Hebron in the hill country, staying off the main roads to avoid any chance encounters with people asking too many questions. Just north of Hebron, they happen upon a valley filled with vineyards. It is just before harvest, and the fruit is enormous. Perhaps as they regroup around the fire for dinner, Joshua exclaims, “We should call this the Valley of Eshkol (Cluster Valley)!” Conversation soars, as they excitedly devise a plan. A few of the twelve plan to pose as travelers looking for some work. Once they have access to the vineyard, cutting off a branch will be much easier. They execute their plan flawlessly and remove a branch with a sample of a gigantic cluster. Under cover of night, they make their way south, but the cluster is so big it must be carried by two people on a pole between them.
Word quickly spreads to the whole encampment; the spies are back! The people gather eagerly to hear their stories and see the amazing fruit. The spies tell their stories of a land “flowing with milk and honey” but inhabited by a group of large, strong people. Joshua and Caleb advocate advancing into the land and trusting God for the outcome. The other ten spies strike fear into the hearts of the Israelites, saying the people living there could crush them like grasshoppers.
Dread slowly sweeps through the crowd. The swell of murmuring gets louder. What if we’re not strong enough? What if God won’t give us the victory? What if we die?? The murmurs turn into chanting. “No! No! We won’t go!! Let’s go back to Egypt!!”
Choosing fear over faith, they receive the consequences of their choice and wander in the desert until the faithless generation is gone, giving rise to a new generation who will trust.
Vineyard Metaphor
In addition to soil, another influence of terroir is topography. Topography describes the geographical aspect of the terrain. Are there hills? How steep are the hills and what exposure is there to the sun? Are the valleys wide or narrow?
Before planting a vineyard, a farmer must take the topography into consideration. The farmer will consider the terrain to decide which varietal to plant and in what direction to plant the vines. Exposure to the sun changes depending on whether the rows of vines run east and west or north and south. If the grapes are planted on a hill, the farmer must determine if the vines should run with the contour of the hill or cut across the hill. Hills are generally rockier, with microclimates that influence the production of fruit at the top and the bottom of the hill. All this must be taken into consideration before planting a vineyard.
The Judean hill country around Hebron has more rainfall than other areas in Israel and enjoys a wider range of temperatures each day, which allows grapes to develop a beautiful balance of sugars and acidity. The shallow soil on the hills has a high stone content which allows for good drainage. No wonder the spies found beautiful fruit in the Valley of Eshkol.
Reflection and Meditation
Sit with the metaphor of topography for a minute.
The topography of our life, or where we are “located” in the world, influences our life. Take a moment to consider your “location” in life , your family of origin, friends, physical capacities, career, obstacles, blessings, and so on.
Wherever you are planted – on a “hill” or in a “valley” – is where God, the Master Gardener, wants you to partner with him.
Are you following in faith in your location? What has God put in front of you? What has he asked of you, and are you acting on it? Or do you wander like the Israelites, longing to return to a life of slavery and oppression? Are you trusting in God’s love and power?
Talk to God about your thoughts and feelings.
Receive God’s love.
“‘What if?’ questions can lead to fear and anxiety whereas ‘even if’ proclamations build faith. The words ‘even if’ invite you into a story that is filled with faith and overcoming. It is a life filled with strength and resilience. It drives courageous response in our daily lives.
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