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Joshua 13-17
Caleb
and the Giant Librarians
Psalm 34:1-10 Lov'n It Better Than A Lion
1.“I will bless Yahweh at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.2.My soul shall make its boast in Yahweh; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.3.Oh, magnify Yahweh with me, And let us exalt His name together.4.I sought Yahweh, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.5.They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.6.This poor man cried out, and Yahweh heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.7.The angel of Yahweh encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.8.Oh, taste and see that Yahweh is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!9.Oh, fear Yahweh, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.10.The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.Observations
34:1-10.David blessed, praised, magnified and exalted Yahweh, because in a fearful situation he sought God, and He delivered. Note the occurrences of fear, the basis for deliverance.
34:2.
The humble are those whose prayers aren't being answered and are at the temple praying. They would hear of God blessing David and be encouraged to persevere in seeking Him.
34:8.
Try trusting, you'll like it. Our trust is rooted in the infinite goodness of the Almighty God.
34:9-10.
Even mighty lions experience lack but our infinitely good God makes sure that those who fear him lack no good thing.
Application
If we're fearing, trusting, and seeking God, then if we don't have whatever we lack, it isn't good for us at this time. This is a great Psalm to meditate on (a lot).
Prayer
O God who hears and delivers and is infinitely good, You are so trustworthy that I do not fear anything or anyone but You. Amen.
Proverbs 9:13-18 Pick a Path to Pleasure or Pain
13.The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing.14.She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,15.To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,16."Whoever is simple, let him turn in here." as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,17."Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant."18.But he doesn’t know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.“Observation
9:13-18.To get the greater benefit of the end of this proverb you need to see it in its context. Both wisdom and folly call out to the simple. Wisdom has built a house and labored over a feast to share; she has organization and discipline and authority. Her servants call from the highest places of the city (where civil and supernatural authority reside). Wisdom has words that extend and enrich life.
Folly has nothing but a loud mouth; she lacks discipline and knowledge. Yet she too seeks to influence the leaders and the common man. She offers words that lead to death, but cloaks them in sensual appeal. The one who doesn't fear God and listens to folly won't live to regret it; because they will die.
Application
Consider the source and fruits of wisdom and folly, then choose wisely. The consequences are permanent.
Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to see clearly the consequences of wisdom and folly, and give me the grace to choose the way of wisdom rather than the path of passion and pain. Amen.
Joshua 13-17 Caleb and the Giant Librarians
These chapters record the initial conquest and incomplete possession of the land. We also get a great profile of Caleb. Don't miss it.
Joshua 13 Conquer vs Possess
1.Now Joshua was old and well advanced in years. Yahweh said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.2."This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites...5.and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon...6.all the inhabitants of the hill country...them I will drive out from before the children of Israel: only allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.7.Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance...12.all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (who was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses attacked these, and drove them out.13.Nevertheless the children of Israel didn’t drive out the Geshurites, nor the Maacathites: but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day.14.Only he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of Yahweh, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him.22.The children of Israel also killed Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain.Observations
13:1.Possessed is different from conquered. Although Israel had destroyed the major kings, armies, and cities, there still remained territories to inherit, and pockets of pagans, which the Israelites had the responsibility to remove. God had said He would drive out little by little (Ex 23:27-10) so the wilderness wouldn't take over the land. Israel would continue to experience God's blessings if they obeyed in this matter. Tragically, failure to scrupulously obey ultimately resulted in forfeiture of blessings.
13:6-13.
Note the relationship between God driving them out (Plan A) and the Israelites failing to obey in driving them out (Plan B). Divine plan and human responsibility.
Numbers 33:55 "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell.”
13:22.
records the payback for seeking to bring harm upon God's people.
Application
We must not interpret God's blessing as our blamelessness. A parent might be pleased that their two year old is no longer putting peas in their ears or mashed potatoes in their hair, there is still a lot of growth necessary for maturity.
Prayer
Gracious God, thanks for Your blessings, and Your commitment to my continual growth and maturity. Amen.
Joshua 14 Caleb's Secret of Success
1.These are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them,2.by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses...5.The children of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses, and they divided the land.6.Then the children of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know the thing that Yahweh spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadesh Barnea.7.I was forty years old when Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart.8.Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Yahweh my God.9.Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where you walked shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed Yahweh my God.’10."Now, behold, Yahweh has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today.11.As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.12.Now therefore give me this hill country, of which Yahweh spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that Yahweh will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as Yahweh spoke."13.Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.14.Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day; because he wholly followed Yahweh, the God of Israel.15.Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. The land had rest from war.Observations
14:8.The Book of Joshua doesn't record a lot of biographical notes; Rahab and Caleb are notable exceptions thus far. Here Caleb reveals the “secret” of his success – he wholly followed God, as reinforced in 14:14 (See Caleb a Whole-hearted Believer).
14:10-14.
How many 85 year olds do you know who want to charge up hills and storm great forts to take on giants? However, he might have been leery of librarians; see next chapter.
Joshua 15 Giant Librarians
1.The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward...2.Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward...12.The west border was to the shore of the great sea.13.To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).14.Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak...15.He went up against the inhabitants of Debir/ Kiriath Sepher.16.Caleb said, "He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife."17.Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.18.It happened, when she came, that she had him ask her father for a field. She got off of her donkey, and Caleb said, "What do you want?"19.She said, "Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water." He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.63.As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.Observations
15:13.Kiriath Arba (Hebron, currently under Palestinian rule) is the highest city in the land given to Israel, under the rule of three giants. Because of its elevation, it would also be home to major demons. Caleb took it in stride, because he trusted in the God who was with him 14:12.
15:14.
He faithfully followed through on God's commands to drive out the giants, taking the toughest job himself
15:15-19.
Kiriath Sepher (City of Books/Scribes) aka Debir (Sanctuary), was also giant territory. Possibly because he had an overdue book, Caleb encouraged others to believe and attempt great things for God by offering his daughter Achsah to whomever was brave enough to take on the giant librarians. Based upon the following verses, Achsah was no shrinking violet, and this was a good way to weed out wimpy suitors. His nephew nobly rose to the challenge and lived happily ever after with Achsah and the land and two springs Caleb gave them.
Since Caleb is the kind of person God loves to bless (and literally one in a million) let's review some of his characteristics recorded in these two chapters:
14:7 He had integrity, as was not afraid to go against majority opinion
14:8 He fully followed God, and did not discourage others from doing so
14:9 He remembered God's word (from 45 years ago) and patiently waited for God to fulfill His promises. He submissively asked for permission to take what was his. He was content to play second fiddle to Joshua.
14:10 He was conscious of God's provision for every breath he took
14:11 He recognized that God sustained and strengthened him for His purposes
14:12 He was fearless in doing God's will because he was conscious of God being with Him (which is the result of a clear, obedient conscience)
15:14 He faithfully followed through on God's commands to drive out the giants, taking the toughest job himself
15:16 He encouraged others to demonstrate Hall of Fame faith
15:19 He generously shared God's hard earned blessing with others so they could enjoy God's plan to bless His people. May his tribe increase!
15:63.
The chapter ends on an ominous note (echoed in the next two chapers), with Judah failing to follow Caleb's example of relying on God to do their job of driving out the pagans and their influence.
Application
Model your life after Caleb (and return any overdue library books).
Prayer
God of Caleb, may I demonstrate the same whole-hearted obedience of faithfully and fully following You, and facing and annihilating the giants in my life. Amen.
Joshua 16 Ephraim Doesn't Fully Follow
1.The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel. 5.This was the border of the children of Ephraim10.They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labour.Joshua 17 Manasseh Doesn't Fully Follow
1.This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh,12.Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.13.It happened, when the children of Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out.14.The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since I am a great people, because Yahweh has blessed me so far?"15.Joshua said to them, "If you are a great people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."16.The children of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel."17.Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "You are a great people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;18.but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong."Observation
17:1-18.The children of Joseph focused on their problems rather than on God's promises, and didn't fully follow God. Sigh.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God will bless His people if they do what He says. He will fight and win our battles for us if we do exactly what He says, which will involve obediently facing giants, and swinging the sword, which He energizes.
Us in a nutshell: We limit God's ability to bless us by our half-hearted obedience. We will always experience the inevitable negative consequences of failure to fully follow God. There is no limit to what God can do through those who wholly follow Him.