Study Focus:Num. 13:6, 30–32; Josh. 14:6–14; Luke 18:1–5; Josh. 19:49–51; 2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 12:1, 2.
Joshua and Caleb had quite intense lives. They spent their early years as slaves in Egypt. At the beginning of adulthood, they witnessed the mighty acts of God in the Exodus. During middle age, they roamed in the wilderness with the doomed generation who tried to kill them when they stood up against their unbelief. Finally, in their senior years, they crossed the Jordan River to take possession of the land. Their lives encompassed the events narrated in the entire Pentateuch, except for Genesis. These experiences and events shaped the characters of these exceptional men of God. They underwent slavery and freedom, disillusion and hope, delay and fulfillment.
This week, we have the opportunity to reflect on the spiritual success of Joshua and Caleb. Two decisive moments characterize their faith and commitment. The first is found in the return of the 12 spies when Joshua and Caleb try to encourage the first generation to go ahead and possess the land, despite the threats posed by the Canaanites (Num. 13:30–33, Num. 14:5–10). Forty years later, in the second episode, Joshua and Caleb choose land for their inheritance. The unusual aspect of their choice (Josh. 14:6–15) shows why they are marked in the biblical story as examples of faith, courage, commitment, and perseverance. Their legacy remains today, and it can inspire the present generation to trust in God in the most daring situations.
Part II: Commentary
The Perspective of Faith (Num. 13:25–14:10)
In Numbers 13:25–14:10, all the 12 spies agreed on the pure facts of their report. The land was highly fertile. The fruit they brought back was proof that the land was “flowing with milk and honey,” a stock phrase in the ancient Near East describing an abundance of food (see Num. 13:27). This wording is not a coincidence, as the same expression appears in God’s speech about Canaan to Moses and the people (Exod. 3:8, Lev. 20:24). Indeed, the land was extraordinary. God was right. They all also agreed on the military capability of the Canaanites, characterizing them as strong and living in huge, fortified cities (Num. 13:28). Up to this point, Joshua and Caleb were silent, as they could not deny what they had seen.
Disagreement started in the interpretation of these facts. The majority concluded: “ ‘We are not able to go up to the people because they are stronger than us. . . . The land that we went through to explore is a land that eats its inhabitants. . . . We were like grasshoppers in our own sight’ ” (Num. 13:31–33, LEB). In their pessimistic assessment, the ten spies also distorted the facts by affirming that the land “ ‘eats its inhabitants.’ ” Thus, they contradicted themselves and the reality that the land was indeed vomiting out its nations (Lev. 18:26–29), not eating them. The interpretation of the minority (Caleb and Joshua) was completely different.
Ellen G. White vividly describes the effect of the ten-spy report over the congregation: “Their unbelief cast a gloomy shadow over the congregation, and the mighty power of God, so often manifested in behalf of the chosen nation, was forgotten. The people did not wait to reflect; they did not reason that He who had brought them thus far would certainly give them the land; they did not call to mind how wonderfully God had delivered them from their oppressors, cutting a path through the sea and destroying the pursuing hosts of Pharaoh. They left God out of the question, and acted as though they must depend solely on the power of arms.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 388.
In contrast to the cowardice and faithlessness of the ten spies, Caleb insisted: “ ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it’ ” (Num. 13:30, NKJV). In concert with this positive exhortation, Joshua, tearing his clothes in dismay, reaffirmed that they had no reason to fear if the Lord was on their side (Num. 14:8–10). Directly contradicting the unbelieving report about the land, Joshua affirmed that its inhabitants would be food for Israel, not vice versa (Num. 14:9).
Right Choices
If life is made of choices, choices also reveal character and define our future and legacy. At the end of Joshua and Caleb’s lives, they made unusual decisions regarding their retirement places. These choices show that time had not changed their total commitment to God’s plan and that they lived to glorify God, not themselves.
Mount Hebron
Caleb asked Joshua for permission to inherit Mount Hebron (Josh. 14:12). But why Hebron? True, the place had historical significance. The place was also known as Kiriath-Arba and was one of the oldest inhabited regions mentioned in the Bible (Gen. 23:1, 2). Furthermore, Abraham himself had dwelt there and was buried with Isaac in the region (Gen. 25:9, 10; Gen. 35:27–29). However, this was not the reason for Caleb’s choice. Because Caleb was 85, he could have been looking for a place with easy access. But access was not the reason either, because he was asking for a mountain, after all. Nothing makes the reader believe that Mount Hebron was a good retirement state, with agricultural opportunities, excellent infrastructure, or decent security.
Caleb himself explicitly declared the reason for his choice: “ ‘For you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified’ ” (Josh. 14:12, NKJV). He wanted the giants’ refuge! One well-known Anakite was Goliath from Gath, the only place in the land where these people were still left (Josh. 11:22). Goliath was 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) tall. Caleb wanted to conquer one of the most challenging spots in the land. But why would Caleb, at 85, desire to overthrow such a place? All those years since Kadesh Barnea hadn’t erased his faith or his way of seeing facts from the perspective of faith. Likely, his request had three objectives: to inspire faith in this new generation, to prove that his generation was wrong, and to exalt God’s name. An old man who trusted in God’s power could overcome what terrified an entire nation.
Joshua’s Inheritance
Likewise, Joshua’s choice was not driven by personal gain. Both Joshua and Caleb exemplify the true essence of leadership: to serve others rather than oneself. Although little is mentioned about Caleb, Joshua’s trajectory—from being Moses’ assistant (Josh. 1:1, NKJV) to becoming a servant of Yahweh (Josh. 24:29)—is relatively straightforward. How, though, did Joshua develop his character as a leader?
First, Joshua learned under the shadow of a great leader. Throughout Joshua’s appearances in the Pentateuch, he was under Moses’ authority. For example, in Exodus 17:8–13, Joshua’s victory on the battlefield relied on Moses’ holding his staff high. In Exodus 32:17, 18, Joshua was seen following Moses on the top of the mountain. As a clear sign of authority over Joshua, Moses changed his name (Num. 13:16).
Still very young (naar), Joshua was selected to follow Moses (Exod. 33:11), and, during all his adult life, he was closely connected to him. Second, despite his initial lack of experience, he was chosen by God because he was a spiritual man (Num. 27:18). Consequently, his life was not driven by any earthly ambition for self-aggrandizement or personal satisfaction. Seeing things from a spiritual perspective, Joshua lived for God’s glory, prioritizing what was truly important. Finally, Joshua learned from his own mistakes. After Moses’ death, Joshua was still a leader in training. This idea is evident in the episode of Ai (Joshua 7) and the incident with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9). In fact, learning leadership is a lifelong journey of training, growth, and transformation.
The life of these two spiritual giants, Joshua and Caleb, teaches us at least five valuable lessons. First, the facts of life matter less than how you perceive them. In a fallen world, facts are often harsh, but the divine revelation provides the right glasses to see them in their actual, and temporary, perspective. Second, faith does not ignore facts; it simply offers a different angle of understanding. Third, instead of complaining, we are called to trust and submit ourselves to God’s plans, which are always better than ours. Fourth, blessings come to those who wholly abide in the Lord. In the spiritual realm, many people find their faith dwindling over time, as they lose their “first love” (Rev. 2:4). However, such a loss of love and faith was not the case with Joshua and Caleb, who maintained their faith and total commitment to God’s plan throughout their lives. Finally, life in all its dimensions should be lived according to the plans established by God, not motivated by greedy and selfish ambition. The lives of Joshua and Caleb exemplify the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Therefore, whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God” (LEB).
Part III: Life Application
What Is Your Perspective?
When people have the chance to fly on an airplane or climb a high mountain to see a city from above, they realize how small the buildings appear from a distance. However, when they walk through the same town, they realize how small they are in comparison to these structures. What changed? Only the perspective, the point of view from which they were seeing things.
When faced with life’s challenges, we can view them from the perspective of doubt or faith. As someone once said: “Doubt sees the obstacles. Faith sees the way! Doubt sees the darkest night, Faith sees the day! Doubt dreads to take a step. Faith soars on high! Doubt questions, ‘Who believes?’ Faith answers, ‘I!’ ”—Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, 1996), p. 404.
Consider the following stories and think about the role of doubt and faith in them:
Abraham, at 100, trusts in God’s promise of numerous offspring (Gen. 15:1–6, Gen. 17:1–7, Gen. 21:1–7).
Elisha prays to have his servant’s eyes opened to see God’s army around them (2 Kings 6:17).
Jesus explains to His disciples that, through the blind man, the works of God would be revealed (John 9:1–7).
Paul, the prisoner, appeals to King Agrippa and his court to become like him (Acts 26:28, 29).
Reflect on the painful, and challenging, realities in the narrative of your own life. How can viewing these things from the perspective of faith give you encouragement and resolution to face them?
Notes
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Key Text: Hebrews 13:7
Study Focus: Num. 13:6, 30–32; Josh. 14:6–14; Luke 18:1–5; Josh. 19:49–51; 2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 12:1, 2.
Joshua and Caleb had quite intense lives. They spent their early years as slaves in Egypt. At the beginning of adulthood, they witnessed the mighty acts of God in the Exodus. During middle age, they roamed in the wilderness with the doomed generation who tried to kill them when they stood up against their unbelief. Finally, in their senior years, they crossed the Jordan River to take possession of the land. Their lives encompassed the events narrated in the entire Pentateuch, except for Genesis. These experiences and events shaped the characters of these exceptional men of God. They underwent slavery and freedom, disillusion and hope, delay and fulfillment.
This week, we have the opportunity to reflect on the spiritual success of Joshua and Caleb. Two decisive moments characterize their faith and commitment. The first is found in the return of the 12 spies when Joshua and Caleb try to encourage the first generation to go ahead and possess the land, despite the threats posed by the Canaanites (Num. 13:30–33, Num. 14:5–10). Forty years later, in the second episode, Joshua and Caleb choose land for their inheritance. The unusual aspect of their choice (Josh. 14:6–15) shows why they are marked in the biblical story as examples of faith, courage, commitment, and perseverance. Their legacy remains today, and it can inspire the present generation to trust in God in the most daring situations.
Part II: Commentary
The Perspective of Faith (Num. 13:25–14:10)
In Numbers 13:25–14:10, all the 12 spies agreed on the pure facts of their report. The land was highly fertile. The fruit they brought back was proof that the land was “flowing with milk and honey,” a stock phrase in the ancient Near East describing an abundance of food (see Num. 13:27). This wording is not a coincidence, as the same expression appears in God’s speech about Canaan to Moses and the people (Exod. 3:8, Lev. 20:24). Indeed, the land was extraordinary. God was right. They all also agreed on the military capability of the Canaanites, characterizing them as strong and living in huge, fortified cities (Num. 13:28). Up to this point, Joshua and Caleb were silent, as they could not deny what they had seen.
Disagreement started in the interpretation of these facts. The majority concluded: “ ‘We are not able to go up to the people because they are stronger than us. . . . The land that we went through to explore is a land that eats its inhabitants. . . . We were like grasshoppers in our own sight’ ” (Num. 13:31–33, LEB). In their pessimistic assessment, the ten spies also distorted the facts by affirming that the land “ ‘eats its inhabitants.’ ” Thus, they contradicted themselves and the reality that the land was indeed vomiting out its nations (Lev. 18:26–29), not eating them. The interpretation of the minority (Caleb and Joshua) was completely different.
Ellen G. White vividly describes the effect of the ten-spy report over the congregation: “Their unbelief cast a gloomy shadow over the congregation, and the mighty power of God, so often manifested in behalf of the chosen nation, was forgotten. The people did not wait to reflect; they did not reason that He who had brought them thus far would certainly give them the land; they did not call to mind how wonderfully God had delivered them from their oppressors, cutting a path through the sea and destroying the pursuing hosts of Pharaoh. They left God out of the question, and acted as though they must depend solely on the power of arms.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 388.
In contrast to the cowardice and faithlessness of the ten spies, Caleb insisted: “ ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it’ ” (Num. 13:30, NKJV). In concert with this positive exhortation, Joshua, tearing his clothes in dismay, reaffirmed that they had no reason to fear if the Lord was on their side (Num. 14:8–10). Directly contradicting the unbelieving report about the land, Joshua affirmed that its inhabitants would be food for Israel, not vice versa (Num. 14:9).
Right Choices
If life is made of choices, choices also reveal character and define our future and legacy. At the end of Joshua and Caleb’s lives, they made unusual decisions regarding their retirement places. These choices show that time had not changed their total commitment to God’s plan and that they lived to glorify God, not themselves.
Mount Hebron
Caleb asked Joshua for permission to inherit Mount Hebron (Josh. 14:12). But why Hebron? True, the place had historical significance. The place was also known as Kiriath-Arba and was one of the oldest inhabited regions mentioned in the Bible (Gen. 23:1, 2). Furthermore, Abraham himself had dwelt there and was buried with Isaac in the region (Gen. 25:9, 10; Gen. 35:27–29). However, this was not the reason for Caleb’s choice. Because Caleb was 85, he could have been looking for a place with easy access. But access was not the reason either, because he was asking for a mountain, after all. Nothing makes the reader believe that Mount Hebron was a good retirement state, with agricultural opportunities, excellent infrastructure, or decent security.
Caleb himself explicitly declared the reason for his choice: “ ‘For you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified’ ” (Josh. 14:12, NKJV). He wanted the giants’ refuge! One well-known Anakite was Goliath from Gath, the only place in the land where these people were still left (Josh. 11:22). Goliath was 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) tall. Caleb wanted to conquer one of the most challenging spots in the land. But why would Caleb, at 85, desire to overthrow such a place? All those years since Kadesh Barnea hadn’t erased his faith or his way of seeing facts from the perspective of faith. Likely, his request had three objectives: to inspire faith in this new generation, to prove that his generation was wrong, and to exalt God’s name. An old man who trusted in God’s power could overcome what terrified an entire nation.
Joshua’s Inheritance
Likewise, Joshua’s choice was not driven by personal gain. Both Joshua and Caleb exemplify the true essence of leadership: to serve others rather than oneself. Although little is mentioned about Caleb, Joshua’s trajectory—from being Moses’ assistant (Josh. 1:1, NKJV) to becoming a servant of Yahweh (Josh. 24:29)—is relatively straightforward. How, though, did Joshua develop his character as a leader?
First, Joshua learned under the shadow of a great leader. Throughout Joshua’s appearances in the Pentateuch, he was under Moses’ authority. For example, in Exodus 17:8–13, Joshua’s victory on the battlefield relied on Moses’ holding his staff high. In Exodus 32:17, 18, Joshua was seen following Moses on the top of the mountain. As a clear sign of authority over Joshua, Moses changed his name (Num. 13:16).
Still very young (naar), Joshua was selected to follow Moses (Exod. 33:11), and, during all his adult life, he was closely connected to him. Second, despite his initial lack of experience, he was chosen by God because he was a spiritual man (Num. 27:18). Consequently, his life was not driven by any earthly ambition for self-aggrandizement or personal satisfaction. Seeing things from a spiritual perspective, Joshua lived for God’s glory, prioritizing what was truly important. Finally, Joshua learned from his own mistakes. After Moses’ death, Joshua was still a leader in training. This idea is evident in the episode of Ai (Joshua 7) and the incident with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9). In fact, learning leadership is a lifelong journey of training, growth, and transformation.
The life of these two spiritual giants, Joshua and Caleb, teaches us at least five valuable lessons. First, the facts of life matter less than how you perceive them. In a fallen world, facts are often harsh, but the divine revelation provides the right glasses to see them in their actual, and temporary, perspective. Second, faith does not ignore facts; it simply offers a different angle of understanding. Third, instead of complaining, we are called to trust and submit ourselves to God’s plans, which are always better than ours. Fourth, blessings come to those who wholly abide in the Lord. In the spiritual realm, many people find their faith dwindling over time, as they lose their “first love” (Rev. 2:4). However, such a loss of love and faith was not the case with Joshua and Caleb, who maintained their faith and total commitment to God’s plan throughout their lives. Finally, life in all its dimensions should be lived according to the plans established by God, not motivated by greedy and selfish ambition. The lives of Joshua and Caleb exemplify the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Therefore, whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God” (LEB).
Part III: Life Application
What Is Your Perspective?
When people have the chance to fly on an airplane or climb a high mountain to see a city from above, they realize how small the buildings appear from a distance. However, when they walk through the same town, they realize how small they are in comparison to these structures. What changed? Only the perspective, the point of view from which they were seeing things.
When faced with life’s challenges, we can view them from the perspective of doubt or faith. As someone once said: “Doubt sees the obstacles. Faith sees the way! Doubt sees the darkest night, Faith sees the day! Doubt dreads to take a step. Faith soars on high! Doubt questions, ‘Who believes?’ Faith answers, ‘I!’ ”—Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, 1996), p. 404.
Consider the following stories and think about the role of doubt and faith in them:
Notes