JOSHUA 14:6-16
FAITH ENDURES!
Psalm 90:10-12 - The days of our years [are] threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength [they be] fourscore years, yet [is] their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, [so is] thy wrath. So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.
"William Hunt, the noted painter, addressed a stern remark to a pupil one afternoon when the class was painting a glowing sunset. Looking over the boy's shoulder, the artist noticed to his dismay that the student had ignored the sunset and was busy painting an old red barn with decaying shingles. "Son, son," he shouted, "It won't be light long! You haven't time for both shingles and sunsets. You must choose?" Source Unknown
No matter what our age, life is ebbing away. We need to chose if in our lives, we are going to paint the mundane shingles and get involved in all that is mundane about life, or if we are going to paint sunsets. When we paint sunsets, we are living for and claiming the promises of God by faith! We are living to please Him!
Such a man of faith, who painted sunsets with his life, was a man named Caleb. As we visit the Book of Joshua, we are coming to the time when the major campaigns in the promised land have ceased. Israel was ready to settle into her land.
The first tribe to get its inheritance on Canaan side of Jordan is Judah. Arriving with the tribe of Judah, is Caleb, the old friend of Joshua. They had to be the two oldest people in Israel. All the other people of their generation and any older generation had denied in the wilderness because of unbelief.
Before the land of Judah was divided, Caleb comes to express his faith and to claim the promises of God which he had believed all the years wondering in the wilderness, and in conquering the Promised Land. Caleb's faith was an enduring faith.
As two "old war-horses", Caleb and Joshua, remember old times, Caleb shows three characteristics of faith that endures:
FAITH'S REMEMBRANCE Vss. 6-9
FAITH'S REQUEST Vss. 10-12
FAITH'S REWARD Vss. 13-15
FAITH'S REMEMBRANCE
Vs. 6 - Caleb is called a "Kennizite."
This means one of two things.
1). He was not originally an Israelite, but he or his ancestors
joined Israel by faith of conviction, before the Exodus. This
was not unusual at all. The Bible tells us about such people
as Ruth the Moabitess, and Uriah the Hittite.
2) There was somebody in his line of ancestors named Kenaz. He
was a Jew.
When Caleb comes before Joshua, who is now more than just an "old war buddy", but the leader of Israel, he reminds Joshua of what God had promised through Moses, the man of God.
There is a neat thing that I'd like to show you here.
Vs. 6 - Caleb says "the Lord said".
Vs. 10 - Caleb says "the Lord spake".
Vs. 12 - Caleb says, "the Lord spake".
Although this was 45 years later, Caleb remembered what the Lord said. Caleb remembered what the Lord had promised.
I think one of the biggest faults we make as Christians, is that we forget what the Lord has said.
Here is just a brief list of some of the verses which I think we forget: You might have others to add.
Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Isaiah 26:3-4 - Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH [is] everlasting strength:
Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Oh, that you and I would be as good at remembering all these things which the Lord has told us, as Caleb was at what the Lord had told him!
Vs. 6 - Caleb is reminding Joshua of the promises that God had given him through Moses. He's going back to a very specific time!
Vs. 7 - Caleb was 40 years old when he was sent on a spying mission, along with Joshua into the Land of Canaan, the promised land.
Numbers 13:1-20 - Read and Comment.
Numbers 13:26-33 - Read and Comment.
Vs. 7 - Caleb said that he spoke what was in his heart.
Numbers 14:1-10 - Read and Comment.
In other words, Caleb had the "courage of his convictions."
His heart told him that the right thing to do was to go forward into the promised land and trust God. He didn't quietly let the other spies paint a one sided picture. Joshua joined him in that stand.
Can you think of anyone else in the Bible who had the courage of their convictions?
Ruth
David
Shadrack, Mishak, Abendego, Daniel
John The Baptist
Stephen
Paul
Vs. 8 - Caleb and Joshua were a minority of 2.
Caleb makes a very important remembrance here.
He wholly followed the Lord his God.
Oh that we would remember this simple way of life.
There is no room for being wishy-washy.
God had spoken.
God was omnipotent.
God was omniscient.
God was omnipresent.
God could be trusted.
So, God could be wholly followed.
Oh, that you and I would just follow God completely, like Caleb. It doesn't matter if anyone else follow. The important thing is that we follow Him, and Him alone.
If God says "Go" we "Go".
If God says "No", it's "No"
If God says "Pray", we pray.
If God says "Love", we love.
If God says "Do", we do.
Truly, the only one we have to please is our God!
May we, like Caleb follow Him wholly!
Vs. 9 - Caleb now remembers the promised reward of Moses.
Numbers 14:22-24 - Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Here is Caleb 45 years after he was made a promise. He is remembering what God had said through Moses, and has not stopped believing in it.
As Caleb endured 38 years of wilderness wanderings, and 7 years of conquering the promised land, it appears that God's promises kept him going. Even though there was, in human terms, great delay, Caleb did not forget or give up.
Even when God delays His promises towards us, we should never forget them and never stop believing them.
FAITH REMEMBERS
FAITH REQUESTS Vss. 10-12
Vs. 10 - Caleb notes that God has kept him alive.
The promise for him to possess the land would
not have meant much if he died in the wilderness,
or in battle.
I like the way he gives the Lord the credit.
Even though he spoke his convictions and wholly followed his God, Caleb realized that the source of his preservation and his strength came from his God.
May we likewise realize that when the Lord makes promises, it is he that will preserve us so that we can see the promises come true.
Vs. 11 - Caleb is leading up to his request.
He notes that he is still strong for battle.
He wants Joshua to know that he, Caleb, is still capable
of a fight!
Another neat thing here. Caleb was 85, and not retired!
Why he wasn't even drawing Social Security.
He is a living reminder to older folks that it is good to stay active in the Lord's work.
"The great Italian violinist Nicolo Paganini (1782-1840) willed his fine instrument to his home city of Genoa. His bequest carried one condition. The violin was never to be played; it would simply be placed on display. But that's not good for a finely crafted stringed instrument. It needs to be used and handled regularly if its beauty and value are to be retained. As a result of Paganini's request, his marvelous violin has become nothing more than a decaying form. It has wasted away as a museum piece." Our Daily Bread
Let's remember that we will probably feel and act younger as we continue to serve the Lord. Let's not fossilize.
Vs. 12 - Caleb was not asking for an area already conquered.
Caleb was asking for an area that he was promised.
He was also asking for an area that would require him to fight. Evidently, he was asking for the very area which had struck fear in the hearts of the ten other spies.
What do we want from God?
Do we want something easy or something hard.
Do we want something without a challenge or with a challenge.
We make the mistake at old age in thinking that the tasks should get easier, not harder, this was not Caleb.
And what impresses me about Caleb is that He requested what God had promised Him.
As you see the promises of God as you read your Bible, I challenge you to claim these promises, and believe that God will give you your requests as you claim them.
Does a certain ministry seem impossible but you've been given a promise in God's Word? Then claim it in prayer and action.
Does God promise you victory over a certain besetting sin.
Then claim the promise, and ask God in prayer to keep his promise.
This book is full of promises! Claim them!
FAITH'S REMEMBRANCE
FAITH'S REQUEST
FAITH'S REWARD Vss. 13-15
Read Verses
Very simply, Joshua gave Caleb what he wanted.
Why?
It was promised.
Caleb claimed the promise.
It was His!
Caleb could have lived in comfort and ease as a "grand old man of Israel." Instead he is going forward to conquer land that perhaps no one else would tackle.
May we like Caleb and others who have followed, not be contented with the easy road, but claim and believe the promises of God.
Such a man was William Borden, who's life was summarized by a Dallas Seminary Student:
"He couldn't have done anything else-or could he?
While a student at Yale University, he was elected president of his Phi Beta Kappa chapter.
At 20 he founded the effective Yale Hope Rescue Mission.
Shortly after graduation from Princeton Seminary, he spoke to no fewer than 30 leading colleges and seminaries within a period of 3 months.
He became a millionaire, as heir to the Borden dairy fortune.
SO WHAT DID HE DECIDE TO DO WITH HIS LIFE?
He dedicated himself to reach the Moslems in an interior province of China. He went to Cairo to learn Arabic and take studies in Islam in anticipation of this work. Within a few months he was dead from cerebral meningitis.
Why Did He Do this?
He wrote: In every man's heart there is a throne and a cross. If Christ is on the throne, self is on the cross: and if self, even a little bit, is on the throne, Jesus is on the cross in that man's heart... If Jesus is on the throne, you will go where He wants you to go.
He prayed: Lord Jesus, I take hands off, as far as my life is concerned. I put Thee on the throne in my heart. Change, cleanse, use me as Thou shalt choose. I thank Thee.
Was It Worth It?
He did extensive tract distribution and personal work, and organized others to do the same.
Throughout his death many dedicated themselves to carry the Gospel to those who had no heard it.
His testimony has been greatly used among Moslems to show what Christian love led on man to do for them." Source Unknown
Here is a man who died young.
Here is a man who, like Caleb, claimed the promises of God.
Here is a man who made life worth living.
May we do the same as our faith endures.
FAITH'S REMEMBRANCE
FAITH'S REQUEST
FAITH'S REWARD