Caleb son of Jephunneh - A model of Faith

Text Joshua 14 Time 25 10 20 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We come this week to Joshua 14 and to the wonderful example of faith found in Caleb son of Jephunneh. Chapter 14 begins the allotment of the Promised Land the inheritances ... assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, west of the Jordan as the LORD had commanded through Moses. This is explained in the first five verses of the chapter.

Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them. Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. Don't miss that - this was a matter of obedience to what Moses had dictated. Obedience is always necessary and it is often beneficial. The lands also were allotted - some apparently random means was used to assign the areas, a lottery. But remember (Proverbs 16:33) The lot is cast into the lap but its every decision is from the Lord.

Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest, for Joseph's descendants had become two tribes - Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. So the Israelites divided the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

With this introduction the chapter goes on to concentrate on Caleb son of Jephunneh (the phoenix of his age Matthew Henry calls him) who acts as a model of faith - for the Israelites then and for Christians today. The section 14:6-15 forms the first bookend for another two bookends. Firstly, a second bookend can be found in Chapter 19:49, 50. Here Caleb's inheritance is dealt with and there Joshua's. These are the only two, remember, surviving from Moses' generation and surviving because they were the only two spies of twelve who returned confident they could take the Promised Land. The other ten all said it was impossible. This is why a whole generation spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness until they all died except these two. The story is in Numbers 13 and 14.

A second nearer bookend can be found for Joshua 14:6-15 at the end of Joshua 17, in verses 14-18, where we read of The people of Joseph complaining to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the LORD has blessed us abundantly." And Joshua replying that if they are so numerous and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for them to go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites. They are not placated, however, and complain that all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel. Joshua pacifies them by saying that they should have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well. If they Clear it ... its farthest limits will be theirs even though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, as they can drive them out. The lack of faith in Joseph contrasts with Caleb who fair oozes with faith and is a marvellous example to us of how we should be.

Let's focus then on verses 6-15 and let's observe four elements in this man's wonderful faith and learn to imitate him.

1. Observe Caleb and learn to imitate the wholeheartedness of his faith

We read in verses 6-8 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.

Caleb comes with the people of Judah and so one presumes he is from that tribe but Kenizzite would suggest that he was not an Israelite by birth. Caleb recalls what happened when he and Joshua were sent as spies into the Promised Land. Caleb brought back a report according to his convictions, but his fellow Israelites who went up with him made the hearts of the people melt in fear. He, however, followed the LORD his God wholeheartedly. It is a reminder that if you are faithful you may well need to take a stand. It can be lonely if you are wholehearted in faith. Caleb is a hero now at this point but it cannot have been easy at the time falling out with everyone else except Joshua. Faith calls for that sort of courage.

We talked this morning about Martin Luther and nailing his 95 theses to the door of the castle church. That took some faith but much more difficult again was when he was later hauled before the Diet of Worms and asked to defend his writings in 1521. He had to ask for extra time to think it over but in the end he spoke those famous words

"Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen."

According to tradition, he then said, "Here I stand, I can do no other," and "God help me. Amen." It is disputed but whether he said it or not that is what he was doing and what we all need to do in one way or another.

2. Observe Caleb and learn to imitate the anchoring of his faith

In verses 6-12 we see where Caleb's faith is anchored. I remember reading a short story once by Joanna Trollope called Faith. I don't remember much about the book but I do remember being rather disappointed with it because what she meant by faith and what I mean are quite different. If I remember rightly by faith she means a positive and active outlook that can give you the strength you need in difficult times. For many people faith simply means staying strong. If we are Christians, however, we know that what makes faith so important is where it is placed rather than the faith itself.

Now if you read verse 6 again and verses 9 and 10 you will see where Caleb's faith is, what is anchoring his faith, where it is rooted.

In verse 6 Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to Joshua You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. What the LORD said was that they would enter the Promised Land and not die with the rest. It was a promise.

He speaks similarly in verses 9 and 10 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 for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! Look, he says, this is the result of a promise. This is why I'm still alive. Indeed, he could say (11) I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

And then in verse 12 in the same spirit he says Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. We know from Numbers 13:22 that the spies 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.) We do not get a record of the specific promise but no doubt this is how it arose. Caleb is standing on the promises.

We can think of the whole Bible as a book full of promises, cast-iron guarantees given by God. All we have to do is to believe them.

Spurgeon used to talk of the Bible and its promises it as “the cheque book of the bank of faith” – all ready signed, we simply have to fill in the amount. We used to sing a hymn in my home church ‘Standing on the promises of God’ – are you standing on the promises?

Bunyan’s slough of despond in Pilgrim's Progress had a way out - steps that stand for the promises of God. Bunyan has Help say

there are, by the direction of the Lawgiver, certain good and substantial steps placed even through the very midst of his slough; but at such time as this place doth much spew out its filth, as it doth against change of weather, these steps are hardly seen; or, if they be, men, through the dizziness of their heads, step beside; and then they are bemired to purpose, notwithstanding the steps be there: ....

Get to know the promises in God's Word and believe them. God says that he so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Do you believe that? Are you living your life on the basis of that promise? He says to those who believe never will I leave you or forsake you? Again, do you believe that and are you acting upon that truth? When he says that those who honour him, he will honour, do you believe that?

Every promise God makes will hold good. They are all ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ in Christ. God’s Word cannot fail. One writer has written ‘You cannot starve a man who’s feeding on the promises of God.’ Look at Caleb here and believe it.

3. Consider Caleb and learn to imitate the perspective of his faith

We can go on to speak about the perspective of Caleb's faith. As we have seen, he remembers what happened in the past very clearly. 9-11 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 for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

It prompts him to say (12) Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said. He is not afraid of giants. Why? Because of all the ways God has helped him and blessed him in the past. He would identify with the lines that say

Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I'm come

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure safely to arrive at home.

True faith sees the blessings of the past and look forward to the blessings of the future.

4. Consider Caleb and learn to imitate the energy of his faith

In verses 13-15 we read Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, notice that word again wholeheartedly. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.

If we look at verse 12 again perhaps there is something more to learn. He says Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said. The sheer difficulty of the task appears to appeal to him and draws out his faith. It is that but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out however, that makes the difference. As Dale Ralph Davis observes, he was confident but not cocky.

There is a story told of John Wesley how he was talking to a man who was full of doubts and fears. “I do not know what I shall do with all this worry and trouble” he said. Just at that moment they were walking past a cow looking over a stone wall. Wesley said to him, “Do you know why that cow is looking over the wall?”

“No,” said the man who was worried.

Wesley replied, “The cow is looking over the wall because she cannot see through it. That is what you must do with your wall of trouble - look over it and avoid it.”

That is what Caleb was doing - looking over the wall not at it.

The first two missionaries to the New Hebrides or Vanuatu as it is now were killed and eaten by cannibals the day they arrived. After that the LMS who sent them from Scotland found it difficult to find missionaries. But then a young man called John G Paton agreed to go. Well-meaning people in the church tried to dissuade him. One elderly man warned him that he would be eaten by cannibals. Paton replied, “I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.” After fifteen years of fruitful ministry, a large number of people on the island of Aniwa, where Paton ministered, were converted and the place was transformed.

He had a Caleb sort of faith - cannibals? Well, let's see if they eat me.