Caleb: Give Me This Mountain

Introduction

Today we look at Caleb, the 3rd biblical hero in our ‘Boys of Summer’ sermon series, and this is a person that those of us in or middle or advanced years should really admire. We often reminisce about our youth referring to them as ‘the good ole days’. The world wants to stay young as long as possible, proven by the hundreds of books and movies with plots surrounding a ‘fountain of youth’. In baseball cards, the hottest cards to go after are those who might win AL or NL Rookie of the Year award. Shohei Ohtani is arguably the best player of all time. His 2018 Topps base rookie card ungraded is worth about $175. His 2019 card is worth about $12. My point… the world highly regards youth. Yet today, we are going to look at Caleb, advanced in years, yet more than noteworthy. But first, let’s review the historical context of today’s guiding scripture.

Historical Context

Today’s sermon scripture examines a significant transition for the people of God as they shift their focus from military conquest to tribal settlement. they have taken, under the providential mighty hand of God, the land that He had promised, and they are now settling down. The events that we are reviewing today is roughly 45 years removed from the 12 spies that Moses sent into Canaan. Israel had spent 40 years wandering in the desert followed by 5-7 years of intense military campaigns. The Canaanite powers have been broken, and tribal leaders are now distributing territory by the casting of lots. There are still localized pockets of resistance that these tribes would been to deal with before fully settling, but that resistance was substantially weakened from this long multi-year campaign.

Today, we review Caleb stepping forward to claim what was previously promised to him, the most intimidating terrain still occupied by some of the most intimidating foes, and request that demonstrates his faith and character.

(Slide 2) If you look to the screens you will see an image of the Amarna Tablets, a collection of over 300 letters from the royal archives of the new pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Among them exists a group referred to as “Vassal Correspondence” including letters from Canaan city-states. One noteworthy correspondence is from Milkilu, the ruler of Gezer writing “May the king, my lord, know that the war against me is severe. So may the king, my lord, save his land from the power of the Habiru”.

Habiru is etymologically linked to “Hebrew”, though it is not meant as a ethnic designation, rather a designation of “Marauding Nomads”. To the best of our knowledge, no garrison from Pharaohs army was granted. It is noteworthy that this correspondence was likely sent after the Hebrew conquests of Bethel, Gibeon, Mizpeh, and Debir which is why no correspondence from leadership of those regions exist (Windle, Bryan. “Top Ten Discoveries Related to Joshua and the Conquest.” Bible Archeology Report, 27 July 2026, https://biblearcheologyreport.com).

Caleb Remembered God’s Promise

(Slide 3) You will recall from last week that one of the main points made in reviewing Joseph was to “let God’s promise drive your faith”, and we see Caleb in today’s verses doing just that. He recalls in Joshua 14:9 that this land was promised to him as a result of his whole-hearted faithfulness. So he begins this request by recalling the promise. Why was this land promised to him? Because when the other spies reported the giants and cautioned leaders to find another way, Caleb said that God would deliver the giants into their hands. His companions saw the daunting giants, while he saw an unequalled God. They saw the size of the armies, while Caleb focused on the greatness of God.

Friends, the difference between fear and faith is what we choose to focus on. Life has a way of filling our minds with doubt, but mature Christians allow the promises of God to drive their faith. What are some promises that we can stand on?

God will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6)

His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)

His Spirit empowers us (Acts 1:8)

and His mission continues until Christ returns (Philippians 1:6)

If we stay focused on those things, our faith will not be fleeting in difficult seasons.

Caleb Waited Patiently Without Losing Passion

(Slide 4) The next thing that we learn from Caleb is the importance of patience. We read in Joshua 14:10 ““Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old.”

So 45 years has passed since this promise was given to Caleb. Understand that he was not part of the rebellion that caused the wandering in the desert, but he had to do it with them. So after he received the promise of this specific land, he spend 40 years wandering in the desert, and then an additional 5 years fighting. Imagine waiting all that time. Friends, we get frustrated when we have to wait more than 5-minutes in a fast food line, or when we are trapped behind someone going two miles per hour under the speed limit. Caleb waited 45 years! He didn’t grow cynical. He didn’t quit. He didn’t give up. He never demanded to have it on his terms and timeframe. And waiting did NOT weaken his faith. In fact, it strengthened it.

My point is this: many believers abandon a mission thinking that God has moved in a different direction when it does not happen in the timeframe they believe is reasonable. But sometimes, God uses a season to prepare us for the task He has called us to...and some seasons are longer than others. Mature faith trusts God even when the ticks of the clock seem deafening.

Caleb Chose Courage Over Comfort

(Slide 5) Just like mature faith relinquishes personal timelines, it also relinquishes comfort and security. Joshua 14:12 reads “So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.””

Do you see what Joshua asked for? He didn’t ask for fertile ground that easily produced food. He didn’t ask for the safety of a peaceful village. He didn’t ask for the easy, non-abrasive life at all. He asked for the place that God had promised. He knew it was where the giants lived. He knew it was rugged country. He knew it was a place he would have to tame, a task that takes work. Most people would have asked for something easier. He could have said, “You know, I wandered all those years when I had done nothing wrong”. He could have said “God, I fought for a lot of hard years for your glory, please do not make me fight any more”. No, he only asked for what God had promised. He abandoned the comforts and safety that this world often longs for, and thirsted for what God wanted for him. Sometimes the mountains that God asks us to climb look like too much, but the big blessings are at the end of big undertakings. Don’t ask for smaller mountains.

Every Generation Needs Calebs

One of the things that we have to acknowledge as we read these verses is that Joshua was leading, but Caleb was still inspiring. Leadership is more than position, friends. The young people of the world need to see what lifelong faith looks like. Today’s church needs yesterday’s Calebs. We need men and women who have walked with God for decades. People who pray. People who mentor. People who remain joyful despite hardship. People who still dream kingdom dreams. Peopl who thirst for the promises of God, and understand that they may not simply be handed to them; that their realization may require hard work and patience.

One of the greatest gifts that Major Jan and I cherish about this corps are the seasoned soldiers who continue to faithfully serve. God does not merely need seasoned believers in the church, He needs seasoned believers who remain engaged. They may no longer preach on every Sunday. They may have stepped aside from one ministry to allow another person to take the mantle of a specific ministry, but they remain engaged. Joshua didn’t just sit back and pray for his promise to come, he was willing to tame it into existence seeking nothing more than for God and Joshua to allow it.

Closing Thoughts

Don’t covet another persons blessing. Presents!

What promises might we be leaving on the table because we are tired...or scared. Maybe we feel too proud...maybe too unworthy. Friends, God is our strength. He is our courage. When it comes to the gifts of heaven, remember that they are reserved for the humble. And remember that God sent His only Son that you may be free. You are certainly worthy because He says you are. But if you need strength, courage, or reassurance, all you need to do is ask for it...