Thursday - Joshua 14 - Caleb's Conquest

Joshua 14:12 records the famous words of the mighty warrior, Caleb: "Now therefore give me this mountain!" It had been 45 years since Caleb and Joshua had challenged the evil report of the 10 unbelieving spies. Moses had given Caleb permission to claim specific territory in Canaan (Deuteronomy 1:35-36). So, he was ready to take it. As the old song says "I want that mountain that the Lord has given me!"  He was, after all, only 85 years old.

What a grand illustration of patience and faithfulness. Any way you cut it, 45 years is a very long time to wait for the keeping of a promise. Caleb is certainly a great prototype for us though. We read God's promises in His Word and believe them... for a while. However, sadly, sometimes our faith can waiver because of the delays that we experience in God's fulfillment of His spiritual principles. For whatever reason, He frequently waits and waits... and waits, before He puts His promises into action (II Peter 3:9-10). Sometimes it has to do with His longsuffering attitude toward sinners. At other times it is a result of Him trying and testing and improving His own children (James 1:3-4 & Romans 5:3-5). You may discover situations where you can't see either of those purposes at work... but God always has a reason; and a good one at that.

Now, don't assume that it was a small task for Caleb to take his mountain.  Joshua 14:15 indicates that the area which Caleb took had belonged to one of the great giants. It was a prize possession that would have required great power to conquer. But, Caleb had the right perspective. Joshua 14:11-12 puts a wonderful perspective on the balanced attitude that Caleb had. Verse 11 records for us that Caleb had confidence in the physical and mental abilities that God had blessed him with: "I'm strong enough to go fight; and I can come back alive."  Verse 12 records that He also recognized that He was at God's mercy: "If the LORD will be with me, then I will be able to drive the Anakims out, as the LORD said." Many of us would do well to understand the usefulness of that spiritual alloy.  God has gifted each of us with talents, abilities, strengths and opportunities, and… when combined with faith in the God who gave them, these things can be effectively useful in God's program.