Joshua & Caleb

“Joshua and Caleb: Men of Courage, Vision, and Integrity”

Numbers 13-14/Joshua 14-15

5 September 2021

Introduction:

·         A person’s character is never really known until it has been tested under fiery trials.

·         Courage is never revealed apart from adversity. One of the best examples of this that I know of is the story of young Audie Murphy in WWII. He was the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. He received every military combat award for valour available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. Murphy received the Medal of Honour for valour that he demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, then leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition. It was only in the crucible of combat that his courage and valour were revealed.

·         And something else… strength of character and conviction is only confirmed when the majority chooses to do what is wrong (e.g., the abortion issue today). Sadly, many people, even Christians, try to keep their heads down and “go along to get along.” It is in these kind of circumstances we can see what people are really made of—iron, or jelly.

·         Any old dead fish can float downstream, but it takes strength, it takes a fighter to swim upstream against the current. 

Joshua and Caleb were such men, men of iron and flint:

·         Their character was tested under fire.

·         They trusted God rather than prevailing opinion.

·         They were willing to risk death for the sake of truth and righteousness.

The Scenario in Numbers 13 when we first meet Joshua and Caleb:

·         Israel has been led out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership.

·         God has promised the Jews a homeland for them and their descendants forever.

·         Jehovah has brought them through the long trip to Canaan’s door.

·         They are positioned to experience God’s blessings.

·         They made plans to send spies into the land to bring back a report. This was not due to lack of faith at this point. They needed reconnaissance and accurate information and in fact, God was the one who told them to send the spies (cf. 13:2).

I. Joshua and Caleb’s Quality Recognized (Numbers 13:2)

·         Joshua, the son of Nun was the leader chosen from his tribe (13:8, Ephraim). His name was really Hoshea (Heb. “salvation/deliverance”) but verse 16 tells us that Moses changed his name to Joshua (“Yahweh is Salvation” = Yeshua, Jesus).

·         Caleb was also a leader (cf. 13:2) from among his father’s tribe (cf. 13:6, Judah).

·         Joshua was a young man, probably in his early 20s when he was chosen for this mission.

·         Caleb was approximately 40 years old and respected as a man of importance. It seems that he took Joshua under his wing during the mission, and they became friends for life.

·         What are the qualities of a good leader?

1.       Recognized by others as having special leadership skills.

2.      Courage – willingness to stick one’s neck out for a positive change.

3.      Ability to communicate a vision of a better future and to rally support for it.

4.      Leads by example, out in front like a shepherd saying, “Come this way,” rather than standing in the back of the pack poking people and yelling, “Go that way!”

5.      Sees difficulties as challenges to be met and solved rather than as impediments to stop progress.

6.      Has people following him/her. If nobody is following, leadership is not happening.

II. Their mission mandate described: Numbers 13:17-20)

·         Go into the Negev (“arid country”) and then into the hill country.

·         See what the land is like.

·         See whether the people are strong or weak, few or many.

·         See if the land is good or bad.

·         See what the cities are like, whether they are open camps or fortified cities.

·         See if the soil is fertile or infertile. (“fat or lean”)

·         See if there are trees or not.

·         Try to bring back some of the fruit (it was the beginning of the grape harvest).

III. The Mission Journal (Numbers 13:21-24)

So, they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. ²² They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

·         So, a squad of 12 spies was sent into the land of Canaan on a 40-day reconnaissance mission in hostile territory (like the Lewis & Clark Expedition).

·         So, the spies went out and completed their mission. They covered approx. 250 miles (400 km.) each way. That works out to over 20 km./day (± Sligo to Cliffoney).

·         Then they came back to Kadesh Barnea to report to Moses, Aaron, and the congregation of Israel about all they had seen and done. Caleb and Joshua came back very excited and ready to whip wildcats saying, “Let us at ‘em! We can do this!”

·         You see unlike the other 10 spies, Caleb and Joshua saw the dangers but were undaunted by them, seeing them merely as challenges well within God’s ability.  

IV. The Mission Report (Numbers 13:25-26)

At the end of forty days, they returned from exploring the land. ²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses this account:

Their report: Numbers 13:27-29) = THE FACTS (2 positives, 4 negatives)

·         (+) We went where you sent us (= specific obedience)

·         (+) It is truly a land flowing with milk and honey (= fertile and fruitful; they showed the grapes, figs, and pomegranates they had brought back with them)

·         (-) BUT the people are many and very strong.

·         (-) BUT the cities are fortified and very large and strong.

·         (-) BUT there are some monstrously big dudes living there. They are giants, descendants of Anak.

·         (-) But there are “-ites” everywhere you turn: Amalekites in the Negev; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites in the hill country; Canaanites by the sea and by the Jordan River.

N.B. The report was clear, factual, and objective and all 12 of the spies agreed with it, including Caleb and Joshua. The disagreement arose over the interpretation of the facts and the conclusions drawn and the plan of action based on it.

The Majority Conclusion: Ten out of the twelve spies (10/12) gave a negative (lit. “evil”) conclusion: (Numbers 13:31-33). They said, “We cannot defeat them! They are too strong for us. This land will eat us up. The giants are too big and too fierce, and they will squash us like little bugs!”

This report panicked the people. Joshua 14:8 says that their “hearts melted within them.” The people began to wail and complain against God who had brought them here to die, etc.

Verse 30:

·         Just then Caleb stepped up to the microphone.

·         Caleb was a confident, take-charge kind of guy. He stepped up and calmed the crowd, demonstrating his leadership alongside Moses (N.B. Joshua had apparently not said a word yet).

·         Caleb gave a brief yet stinging rebuttal against the Majority Report Conclusion. He said: “We should by all means go up and take possession of it [i.e., the land], for we shall surely overcome it.”

V. Joshua and Caleb’s Integrity Manifested

Ø  It is not that Caleb and Joshua did not see the reality of their situation, because they obviously did. It was just that they interpreted the situation in the light of God’s ability rather than Israel’s inability!

Ø  They were not just optimistic dreamers lacking common sense.

Ø  They were seeking to please God rather than men.

Ø  They chose courage instead of fear.

Ø  They chose hope over despair.

Ø  They chose obedience rather than rebellion. 

Now look at 14:1-5: That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. ² All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” ⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there.

N.B. Verse 6 says, “Then Joshua…and Caleb…, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes” apparently in plain sight of all the people gathered there – This was a sign of grief, sorrow, and anger.

·         A sign of Frustration with all those stiff-necked, stubborn people.

·         A sign of Anger, righteous indignation for God’s sake.

·         A sign of Grief over the unbelief of their people.

VI. Joshua and Caleb Share Their Vision (Numbers 14:7-9)

·         Caleb and Joshua gave the Minority Report (2/12) with all positive conclusions:

Ø  (+) We should go in and take possession (13:30)

Ø  (+) We shall overcome all the obstacles in God’s strength (13:30)

Ø  (+) It is an exceedingly good land, flowing with milk and honey (14:7)

Ø  (+) God will give it to us if we honour and please Him (14:8)

Ø  (+) They pleaded with the people, “Do not rebel against the Lord who has brought us to this land of promise.” (14:9)

Ø  (+) Do not fear the people. They will be our prey rather than vice versa (14:9)

Ø  (+) The LORD has removed their protection. They are like sitting ducks (14:9)

Ø  (+) The LORD is with us, not with them (14:9)

Ø  (+) Do not be afraid of them (14:9)

Ø  Caleb’s words echoed those of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 1:29-31: “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. ³⁰ The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” 

VII. Joshua and Caleb’s Lives Are Saved by Divine Intervention

·         N.B. The immediate response of the people to the minority report = They wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua to death. Talk about killing the messenger... WOW!

·         Verse 10 says, “But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the sons of Israel.” Did you catch that? God rescued Caleb and Joshua by manifesting His presence in the form of the cloud of glory, the Shekinah. I think this is an absolutely amazing verse that gets too little attention. In that moment, just before they were stoned to death, God intervened and delivered His servants, Caleb, and Joshua, from certain death. 

The Results of the People’s Unbelief (14:11ff)

·         God explained to Israel the form that His discipline would take (cf. 14:11ff).

·         God Himself vindicated Caleb and Joshua. That is the best kind of reference.

o   Verse 10:

ü  God saved their lives from stoning.

o   Verse 24:

ü  He called Caleb, “My servant.”

ü  God said, “He [Caleb] has a different spirit from the rest.”

ü  God said, “He [Caleb] has followed Me wholeheartedly” (i.e., fully).

ü  He promised that Caleb would get to go into the Promised Land.

ü  He promised that Caleb’s descendants would possess the land.

o   Verse 30:

ü  God declared that out of all the men of that evil, unbelieving generation, only Caleb and Joshua would enter into the Land of Promise.

o   Verse 38:

ü  When God struck dead the original spies only Caleb and Joshua were spared. (cf. 14:36-38 – So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against Him by spreading a bad report about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua… and Caleb… survived.

VIII. Caleb’s Faithfulness Rewarded (Joshua 14:6-15; 15:13-19)

NEW SCENARIO:

·         Their 40 years of wandering is finally over.

·         The generation of unbelief has all died off.

·         Now their descendants are dividing up the land among the tribes.

·         Joshua, who is now 60+ years old is the recognized leader of Israel.

·         One day Caleb reminds Joshua of the Lord’s promise to him.

·         45 years have passed since they and the other ten went in to spy out the land.

·         Caleb is now 85 years old (vs. 10) but he is still very strong and healthy.

·         He simply asks for what is rightfully his. The time has finally come.

·         So, in Joshua 14:13 it says that Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him Hebron for his inheritance, “because he followed the LORD fully” (verse 8, 9, 14).

·         See Joshua 14:14-15 - So Hebron has belonged to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. ¹⁵ (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.

N.B. Numbers 15:13-19

·         Now the land was finally his, at least on paper, but he still had the tough job of driving out the giants and claiming what God had promised him.

·         So, Numbers 15:14 says that Caleb and his men drove out the giants, the descendants of Anak, and renamed the place, Hebron. 

CONCLUSION:

Caleb was a great example because...

1.       He was willing to stand up against the Loud Majority of naysayers, foot-draggers, and retro-movers (e.g., like Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk).

2.      He operated from courage and vision, rather than fear and despair.

3.      He urged others to have faith in God for victory, rather than trust their own strength.

4.      He was willing to defer pleasure and postpone the fulfilment of his own hopes and dreams to stay with his people for 45 extra years to identity with them and to meet their needs.

5.      He showed no sign of chaffing under Joshua’s leadership, a man who was his junior and his equal.

6.      N.B. The people of Israel in this story exemplify many people who come right up to the line and look Heaven in the face, then turn and walk away.