Good morning my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends,
When we hear the word “inheritance” most often we think of older people who are passing into eternity and leaving to their descendants an ‘inheritance’, right? But what does it look like when someone receives their long-awaited inheritance in their old age? For the past several days we’ve been traveling with Joshua and the Israelites as they crossed the Jordan river, by God’s miraculous power, on a dry Jordan riverbed, as God held up the flow of the flooded Jordan for many hours so 1 million Israelites, and all their animals and belongings, could cross over into the land of God’s Promise. They spent their first few days at Gilgal celebrating the Passover in the new land and reconsecrating themselves to God. The past few days we’ve watched as Joshua and the Israelites began moving into the land, first conquering the city of Jericho. For the next several months they used Gilgal as their base and moved slowly inland as God guided them.
Joshua chapter 14 gives us the record of an important day at Gilgal when an old man finally received his inheritance. Let’s witness this special moment together. The record says: “The men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal and Caleb, son of Jephunneh said to Joshua, ‘ You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was 40 years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought Moses back a report according to my convictions, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. So, on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. Now then, just as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these 45 years…while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, 85 years old! I am still as strong as the day Moses sent me out… Now give me the hill country that the LORD promised me that day.” (Joshua 14:6-12)
Look at Joshua and Caleb standing face to face. For more than 60 years they’ve been friends, leaders and fellow warriors. They served Moses faithfully together. They were both among the 12 young men Moses had sent in to investigate this land and bring back a report. They stood shoulder to shoulder giving their positive, faith filled report to Moses, and they stood side by side as the other 10 spies mocked them and stirred up the people in skeptical fear. (Numbers 13) On that day God declared His judgment on those 10 failed leaders and the fear filled people, declaring they would wander in the desert one year for each day those 10 faithless leaders had spent investigating the land on their behalf. (Numbers 14:20-38)
God had also said: “Because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24)
I imagine, my friends, that you’ve been at events which honor older people for their long and faithful service. Perhaps a retirement gathering or maybe a funeral. This gathering at Gilgal is different. Caleb is not dying, in fact at age 85 he declares: “I am still as strong as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” Caleb is not retiring from active duty or leadership. But the time has come for Caleb to receive the land inheritance, for he and his extended family, and so he stands before Joshua in this moment of humble celebration. Do you notice Caleb’s focus?
First... I see Caleb recounting that he has been a man who has lived and led ‘according to my convictions.’
As a man of deep conviction, even in the face of ridicule from other leaders and the majority of the people, Caleb’s report to Moses that day was a clarion call to trust God and move forward in confidence that God would be faithful to His promises and lead the people victoriously into His land of Promise. As you and I look around our world today, no matter where you live, how many leaders can you name who are men or women who act and lead according to their God given and God honoring convictions?
Second… I see Caleb declaring again that he remains a man who “follows the LORD my God wholeheartedly.”
Again, I ask us, who are they, men or women, who you see following Almighty God wholeheartedly in every situation, no matter the pushback from a liberal society or even their family?
Third...I see Caleb celebrating God’s faithfulness to him and to Joshua over these 45 years they have patiently, faithfully trusted God as they wandered the desert waiting for the faithless generation to die, and now finally entering the land of God’s Promise.
And I see Caleb declaring his trust that God will continue to lead him, strengthen him and help him fight the battles yet ahead.
Oh my friends, what will be the things of importance you will say when you are 85 years old? What relationship will you have with God when you are in your very old age? Some of you are in those years now, some even older, like my own father at 96! May I encourage you dear older friends who are nearing that century mark… your descendants, the younger ones who look up to you, generations of us… we need to hear from you the accounts you can give us of the faithfulness of God to you over the many decades, just as Caleb did! Don’t hold back. Point us to God with your time tested faith, my older friends!
Watch now as Joshua places his hands on Caleb’s shoulder and with great joy pronounces Caleb’s long-awaited inheritance in the land of God’s Promise: “Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. So, Hebron has belonged to Caleb ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, whole heartedly…” (Joshua 14:13-15)
Hebron was a great ancient city and region of profound importance to the Israelites; do you remember why? It was in a cave in a field on the outskirts of this town that Abraham had buried his wife Sarah when she died. (Gen. 23) It was in that same place Abraham asked his sons Isaac and Ishmael to bury him next to Sarah. (Gen. 25:9.10) It was in that same place Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and in that same place Jacob buried Leah, and finally Joseph buried Jacob in that place. Hebron was the ancestral burial place for the Covenant father’s of the Israelites… Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives! (Genesis 49:29-33)
What else Caleb and Joshua said to each other that day is known only to God for we have no further record. But what we have is a sacred memorial to two men who walked a long journey of faithfulness to God, encouraging and strengthening each other in that journey, despite the opposition of those all around them with much less character and integrity. Caleb and Joshua, men of God honoring devotion and especially FAITH!
So who are they, the Caleb’s and Joshua’s of our day? If you know one or two, please encourage them to stay strong and faithful to God all the way to their finish line. And if you are a Caleb or a Joshua, I salute you! And here’s a great song of worship for this occasion.
Today’s Scripture is Joshua 14.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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