The part that stands out most for me among these long lists of words I struggle to pronounce and places whose location I don't know, is chapter 14:5-16 ~ the part about Caleb's inheritance. The more I look at it, the more incredible it becomes.
Caleb is 85 years old; it's 45 years after he and Joshua and the ten other spies were sent into Canaan. His comments about his age give us a good timeline, helping us calculate how long the Israelite army under Joshua had been fighting in the Promised Land. Caleb says he was 40 when he and Joshua spied out the land. Add to that the 38 years Israel wandered in the wilderness after that due to their lack of faith, and you arrive at the age of 78. For Caleb to say he's now 85 means that Israel had been fighting steadily for seven years in Canaan before there was any talk of division of land.
I wonder if Caleb's faith ever wavered? It sounds like it didn't, not even once. He remained steadfast and faithful all those years. God had promised him a special inheritance in the Promised Land after the demonstration of his faith in the famous reconnaissance mission, but that inheritance didn't happen for another 45 years! Wow, and I think waiting for a few weeks or months for an answer to prayer is too long!!
Not only did Caleb have to wait 45 years for his inheritance, he still had to conquer the giants!! I think it wraps up Caleb's story so beautifully and poetically that he requests the land of the giants for himself and his descendents. Exactly the land he spied out, exactly the race of tall, strong people, exactly the reason the Israelites trembled in fear and doubt and as a result were punished by 38 more years of wandering, THIS is the stuff Caleb wants!
Joshua had already driven the Anakites out of the city of Hebron, but v. 12 clearly indicates the hill country surrounding the city had still not been taken from the Anakites. Caleb still had work to do! But thanks to his dedication to serving God, God has not only allowed him to reach the Promised Land, but the strength of his youth has been preserved. He's still more than ready to meet this challenge. What he knew he could accomplish with God's help 45 years earlier, he knows he can STILL accomplish with God's help. He's never seen these Anakites in relation to Israel's strength; he's been looking at them in relation to the power of God.
"Caleb is the picture of a man who had the chance to settle down into an easy, comfortable life, but who chose instead the challenge of a hard situation. "Give me this mountain," he said. "Give me the giants to wrestle with." Caleb is the rebuker of everyone who wants to slide through life as easily as possible and the inspirer of those who are thrilled by the challenge of difficulty. The Calebs continue to this day to make a glorious name for themselves in the Kingdom of God. The physical challenges that faced Israel are types of the spiritual challenges facing the church. As faith and obedience were necessary to Caleb's success, so are they necessary to our spiritual success. God has a work for each of us. Much depends upon our faithful doing of it." (from here, emphasis mine)
I think this is just an incredible story! And a great examination of a man whose life we don't often look at beyond his adventures as a spy early on in Exodus, but who so clearly demonstrates a life of total commitment to God.
Tomorrow's passage: Joshua 15:20 - 17:18.
2 comments:
That stood out to me as well, Tammi.
Amazing that an 85-year-old man was still so vigorous as to go into battle, much less fight giants. When we talk about the incredible things God has done, we usually talk about Him creating the earth, destroying Sodom & Gomorrah, stopping the sun and moon for a day, or dividing the Red Sea, or making the walls of Jericho fall down. I've noticed more so this time than previously how many "smaller" things God did in Old Testament times that we sometimes overlook but are still amazing. Keeping the Israelites clothes and sandals from wearing out while they wandered in the desert. Keeping the warriors' bodies strong and vigorous into their 80s to do battle as he'd commanded them. Amazing.
I had noticed that as well!
And, unlike Abraham and Sarah, Caleb believed God would keep His promise, even though it took 45 years! His faith never wavered.
Miriam - you're so right about all those "little" miracles. Amazing!
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