BLOOMING WHERE WE ARE PLANTED

Joshua 14:6–14 (KJV)

6. Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

7. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

9. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

10. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

13. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

14. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

a. Wholehearted Commitment to God

Caleb was of the tribe of Judah; therefore, when the tribe of Judah was called forth, Caleb’s claim to an inheritance was considered first.

Caleb himself approached and reminded Joshua of the Lord’s promise to both him and Joshua at Kadesh-Barnea. Caleb lay out his case before Joshua, stating that he had personally been forty years old when Moses sent him to spy out the land of Canaan.

Numbers 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Numbers 14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Twelve spies had been sent out, two of whom were Caleb and Joshua.

Caleb reminded Joshua that he had faithfully carried out the mission and that he had been strongly convinced of victory through the power of the Lord. He had confronted the evil, negative report of the other spies who were determined to discourage the people. And he had personally demonstrated trust in God’s promise of victory.

He followed the Lord wholeheartedly . He had been totally convinced that God would give power to His people, the power to conquer the promised land.

He trusted God, had faith in God. He knew that God would give them the promised inheritance. He demonstrated beyond that he followed the Lord completely.

Consequently, Caleb had been given an oath by Moses, an oath that quaranteed his inheritance.

Moses sworn that Caleb would inherit the land focused upon by the spies, Hebron and southern Canaan:

Deuteronomy 1:36 “ Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.”

Southern Canaan had been the special focus of the spies, although they had spied out all of Canaan, Nu. 13:21.

Caleb had a wholehearted commitment in seeking the inheritance of God.

Trusting God’s Promises.

The inheritance had been the longing and hope of his heart, the driving force that gave him the energy to keep on seeking the inheritance throughout his entire life.

The hope of the inheritance filled his heart and gave him the courage to keep pressing on, to persevere until this day finally arrived, the when he would receive his inheritance.

Acts 20:32 “ And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Romans 8:16–17 “ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Galatians 3:29 “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

1 Peter 1:3–4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

b. The wholehearted commitment of Caleb is seen in his willingness to face the enemies who stood opposed to the promised land (10-13)

Caleb came to the point, of laying claim to the inheritance promised him.

1) First of all, Caleb publicly praised God for a long life, in particular for keeping him alive during the hard trials of the wilderness wanderings.

Caleb is now 85 years old, and for him, the 40 years of wilderness wanderings had been long and hard. Severe harsh, backbreaking and exhausting years.

Nevertheless, the Lord had kept him alive through all the trials of the wilderness wanderings.

In fact, Caleb was as strong now as the day he had been sent out on the spy mission some 45 years earlier. God was still infusing his body with the strength of the Lord, and this was evident by the strong, vigorous body and health he now experienced.

He was just as able to go out to battle as he had been when sent on the spy mission.

2) Caleb mad a strong claim and request for the land that had been promised him ( 12).

3) Courageously, Caleb declared that he wanted to march against and drive out the enemy who had caused so much trouble for God’s people. The enemy was the Anakite giants who had built large fortified cities to protect themselves against invaders.

Remember that Caleb was 85 years old; nevertheless. here he was requesting the right to march against the enemies of the promised land.

He was an old man, yet taking life easy was the furthest thing from his mind. A life of ease and comfort, of selfish indulgence and pleasure was not the call of God. And Caleb knew this.

There were enemies to be conquered for the people of God.

I God be for you who can be against you?

Enemies were still trying to keep God’s people from receiving their full inheritance. The leaders were dividing all the land among the tribes but within each territory. There were still enemies; and despite his age, Caleb wanted to help his Israelite family conquer the enemies that were still opposing them.

4) The wholehearted commitment and courage of Caleb touched the heart of Joshua. Joshua gave Caleb just what he was asking the promised inheritance of the great city Hebron.

What a dynamic lesson for us, in particular as we age. The enemies of this world are constantly attacking God’s people, attempting to defeat and destroy them.

Enemy after enemy attacks enemies such as ...

sickness

disease

accident

loneliness

depression

discouragment

poverty

death the lawless

the persecutor

the mocker

the attacker

the judger

the abuser

the profane

the immoral

the worldly

the enticer

the bitter

the vengeful

The list of enemies that attack us is innumerable.

Frankly, there is no tme for comfort and ease, for indulgence and pleasure. Every genuine believer is needed in the army of God- regardless of age- needed to fight the enemies tht attempt to defeat and destroy us. The spirit of Caleb needs to fill us all, the spirit of wholehearted commitment to combat the forces of evil.

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:10–13 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

1 Timothy 6:11–12 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

2 Timothy 2:3–4 “ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Titus 2:2–3 “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;”

1 Peter 5:8–10 “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Isaiah 46:4 “ And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”