First Grapes, First Glimpse

The first glimpse that the Israelites had of the land the Lord promised to them coincided with the first grapes ripening in the land. Forever the gardener, defining times with plant references, the Lord crafted a pruning-hook of a passage in Numbers 13-14 when previewing their future, with plenty for plant metaphor-lovers to ponder.

As [Moses] sent them to explore the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there through the Negev, then go up into the hill country. See what the land is like and the people living there, whether they might be strong or weak, few or many. In what kind of land are they living? Is it good or bad? Also, what about the cities in which they are living? Are they unwalled or do they have fortifications? How is the soil—fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob the entrance of Hamath. Numbers 13:17-21 TLV

This story comes to us from the recent parashat, Shelach or Shlach. What is the parashat? The portion of Torah, or first five books of the Bible, allotted each week so that all five books are read in unison in a year. Why am I reporting on the parashat right now? Because I glimpsed my own first grapes in our garden this week—what are the odds?!

Garden Confessions

Of course, my grapes are the farthest extreme from the sumptuous cluster that the scouts brought back, too funny! They are miniscule and hardly visible, nowhere near the plump fruits harvested to delight the Israelites. Prime pruning duties pile up about the time temperatures go up in our Texas garden, and by avoiding the sweat of this prudent task, as you can see from the wild overgrowth, my produce is meager and measly. But I do love making grapevine wreaths when I finally cut them back in the fall.

first grapes appearing on our backyard grapevine--even though they are miniscule — *glimpse our garden grapevine—too many branches, not enough pruning!*

read about planting this grapevine 5 years ago in “Under Your Own Vine and Fig Tree“ from the Devotions Blog

Besides, shade has overtaken our grapevine, so I will never behold the heavy-laden bunches that captivated the scouts: grapes need all day sunshine. Yet these eye-catching, miniature forms outstanding against deep green leaves captured my attention and got me digging into God’s Word nevertheless.

Learn more about growing grapevines in the Plant Guide

botanical illustration of pruning knives by LeRegne Reveil, 1872 courtesy BHL Library — *LeRegne Reveil’s illustration of pruning knives, 1872*

Back to the book of Numbers, the headline of the passage is the rotten attitude harbored by 10 of the 12 scouts and the discouraging report they made, which upset the rest of their families, turning a straightforward trip through the desert into a 40-year wandering saga. This story from centuries ago asks so many questions of us still. The questions have a sort of pruning knife quality—don’t you love God’s humor—a piercing frankness in contrast to the nonchalant, summer-breeziness with which I first approached this reading. Happy summer, by the way! Work with me through key points in the passage and maybe we can grow through it together.

Am I excited for the otherwise-impossible promises of God, or increasingly intimidated by the forces opposing success?

[The scouts] told Moses…”a powerful people dwells in that land, and the cities are highly fortified. Furthermore, we even saw the descendants of Anak there…[Joshua and Caleb] spoke to the entire assembly of the people of Israel saying, “The land we passed through and explored is a tremendously good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Numbers 13:28, 14:7-8 NCB

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV

Has God parted waters already in my life and yet, camped on the edge of outrageous fruitfulness ahead, am I still drowning in unbelief?

Adonai said to Moses, “How long will these people treat Me contemptibly? How long will they neglect to trust in Me—in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? Numbers 14:11 TLV

Jesus answered, “If it is possible! All things are possible for one who has faith.” Immediately, the father of the child cried out, “I do believe. Help my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24 NCB

Am I to stand as someone’s Moses for the moment, holding ground for God’s praiseworthy loving-kindness, interceding for forgiveness?

“So show your strength now, Lord. Do what you said: ‘The Lord doesn’t become angry quickly, but he has great love. He forgives sin and law breaking. But the Lord never forgets to punish guilty people. When parents sin, he will also punish their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren, and their great-great-grandchildren.’ By your great love, forgive these people’s sin, just as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now.” Numbers 14:17-19 NCV

The Lord is merciful, compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive. The Lord is good to everyone and has compassion for everything that he has made. Psalm 145:8-9 GW

Am I working in misappropriated confidence, charging ahead impulsively without seeking the Lord’s presence and counsel?

They rose up early the next morning and went to the top of the mountain and said, “Here we are! We have sinned, but we are ready to go up to the place that the Lord has promised.” But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the command of the Lord? This will not succeed…. In their presumption, they went up into the high hill country, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses did not go out from the camp. The Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in the hill country came down and attacked them and drove them back… Numbers 14:40-41, 44-45 NCB

We are confident that God listens to us if we ask for anything that has his approval. 1 John 5:14 GW

And perhaps the most poignant question at the outset of this portion:

How is the soil of my heart?

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? Numbers 13:19-20 NIV

The seed that fell into good, fertile soil represents those lovers of truth who hear it deep within their hearts. They respond by clinging to the word, keeping it dear as they endure all things in faith. This is the seed that will one day bear much fruit in their lives.” Luke 8:15 TPT

Closing Prayer

O Lord, thank you for the blessings You put in our lives, and all the little garden moments that You bring together to entwine our hearts with Yours. Through doubt, wrath, plagues, and bad reporting, like Numbers 13-14 shows, help me linger and see what You want me to grasp in this first glimpse of first grapes. Of course, I want to be like Your Joshua and Caleb, wholeheartedly trusting You, but I am five times more likely to wail and grumble at the giant obstacles I encounter! Help me to see your loving-kindness at work when it feels like I’m enduring a desert or when Your promises lead me to face opposition. Help me to go to You always, as Moses did, and take me to a deeper filling of Your forgiveness. Dear Jesus, You have promised to overcome these troubles—another promise for the sweet land You are taking me to. May I feel Your strength and confidence. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

first grapes from the grocery store when homegrown grapes fall short! — *grocery store grape clusters to remind us of the first grapes glimpsed in the land flowing with milk and honey—in case your homegrown grapes are as miniscule as mine!*

Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord Adonai is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2 TLV

Dig into the lessons of your garden as devotions in My Father is the Gardener, Devotions in Botany and Gardening of the Bible

God's Word for Gardeners Bible with grapes from grapevines

Find more devotions on the Promised Land in God’s Word for Gardeners Bible in the Garden Tour section, beginning on page a-15

Enjoy the poetry of grapevines in God’s Word in “The Vinedresser’s Creed” part of the A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word

You can grow this! Learn more about growing grapevines in the Plant Guide

Photo Credits: Reveil, LeRegne. Vegetal; … Atlas Iconographique (Paris: L. Guerin, 1872). Plate 55. Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by New York Botanical Garden, LuEsther T. Mertz Library. Link to the online version here. All other images ©2025 Shelley S. Cramm

NIV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

TPT denotes Scripture quotations taken from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com