Joshua - Just one thing: Chapter 14

I wonder what it feels like to know you are an indestructible man. That's what Caleb son of Jephunneh was. Not many of us have a guarantee that we will live tomorrow, but Caleb did. The fact is it was impossible for him to die before he received the promise made to him 45 years earlier.

The time was Moses' time, and the place was the Wilderness of Zin. Twelve men, a leader from each tribe, were sent to spy out the territory for conquest (Numbers 13). Twelve men saw the same lay of the land in Canaan, but 10 came back to camp with a recommendation not to attack; best to wait till a more opportune time; too many contraindications at present. Only Joshua and Caleb said, "Yippee, let's go!" Just for that, the Lord told the 10 "realists" they would never enter the land. But as for Caleb:

". . . my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).

And today, Joshua 14, is payday. The Israelites have won all the marbles, and Joshua is divvying them up. A delegation from Judah arrives, with Caleb leading it. He takes the initiative and reminds Joshua of the Lord's promise, reviewing the whole story. How many times, I wonder, has he rehearsed this speech---to his wife and kids, to himself on his bed on sleepless nights.

O Lord, God of vengeance,

O God of vengeance, shine forth!

Rise up, O judge of the earth;

Repay to the proud what they deserve !

O Lord, how long shall the wicked,

How long shall the wicked exult?

They pour out their arrogant words;

All the evildoers boast.

They crush your people, O Lord,

And afflict your heritage

(Psalm 94:1-5)

Caleb is about to find what the Apostles found when they asked Jesus where to make arrangements for the Passover; and Jesus directed them to go into the city, where he told them they would find a man carrying a pitcher; and to follow that man into a house; and in that house they would meet the master of the house and would ask for a guest room:

"And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it just as he had told them . . ." (Mark 14:16).

Isn't it delightful when we step out onto God's promises---when we get out of the boat with Peter---and find that they hold?

". . . If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:3).

And the waiting time between promise and fulfillment, between prayer offered and prayer answered---well, it is no more empty of activity than a drop of water is empty of microbes. It's in the long stretch of waiting that we learn about ourselves and learn about God. Still, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

As a postscript, I am glad to see Caleb still filled with the Spirit after all these years. (See Joshua 14:6-12). They couldn't take that away from him, that blessed fanatic.

Read the next part in this series.

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