SEPTEMBER 4, 2016
CALEB’S MOUNTAIN
INTRODUCTION:
1. The success of two major campaigns, one in the south and the other in the north, had given Israel mastery over the majority of the land of promise. Although there were yet many battles to be fought and additional territories to conquer, it was now time for Joshua, who was well stricken in years, to turn his attention to the important matter of dividing the land among the tribes.
2. In the preceding chapter we saw how this work began with the dividing of those regions on the east side of Jordan which had first fallen to Israel. Due to provocations by Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, God had given them into the hands of His people. Their massive kingdoms, having been promised to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh were divided to them according to Joshua’s word. (Ch. 13:15-32)
3. In this chapter Joshua begins the process of dividing the land that lay on the west side of Jordan among the remaining nine and a half tribes, beginning with the tribe of Judah. However, before dividing to Judah as a whole, special recognition is given to Caleb, who was not only the elder statesman of that tribe, but the oldest living Israelite, and one of only two that remained of the former generation – Joshua, of course, being the other.
I. WE HAVE FIRST THE METHOD AND PROCEDURE BY WHICH THE DIVIDING WAS DONE. (VRS. 1-5)
A. GOD HAD DETERMINED THAT EACH TRIBE WOULD HAVE ITS BORDERS, AND EACH FAMILY, IT’S DWELLING PLACE.
1. The Israelites, for the most part, had never known any way of life other than close encampment together in a body, but now they shall be dispersed as tribes.
2. Within the borders of each tribe, every family of that tribe would have its own dwelling place. How joyful the people must have been. God had from the very beginning of their occupation of the Promised Land put a premium on, not only tribal, but family inheritance. He had long before this established laws to safeguard against any permanent forfeiture of their God-given inheritance.
B. GOD HAD ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE TRIBES WOULD RECEIVE THEIR PORTIONS BY ALLOTMENT. (VERSES 1, 2)
1. Each tribe might not go and settle wherever it pleased. God had determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation (Acts 17:26), which determination would be revealed to them according to the casting of the lot. The same rule applies to the families as well.
2. The procedure was to be managed exactly as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses. (See Num. 34:16-29)
3. It is a great comfort to know that God has appointed for His people what He has determined to be best for them. Let us not therefore fret or be envious of the lot of others, but rather, learn to be content in the place and with the life that God has determined to be best suited for us.
C. THE PARTICULAR TRIBES THAT WERE TO RECEIVE THEIR ALLOTMENTS WERE THOSE NINE AND A HALF TRIBES THAT WERE TO INHERIT WEST OF JORDAN. (VERSES 2b, 3)
1.The other two and a half tribes had made their choice, and had received their portions accordingly. Considering what has just been noted, that God’s choices for us are best, were they wrong in making this choice based on personal interest as they did? (See Num. 32:1-5)
2.We must consider that the land east of Jordan was indeed well suited to them, and it appears that God intended it for them. We know that it was God that hardened the hearts of Sihon and Og, so that they provoked Him to wrath, and thus brought about their own destruction. (See Deut. 2:26-3:17) We also know that God delivered them into Moses’ hand, and gave Israel possession of their lands. (See Num. 21:21-35) Surely, He intended that their rich lands were to be occupied, and who better suited to occupy them than the two and a half tribes?
3.Some have argued that they were separated from their brethren, and therefore, in danger of becoming isolationists. Yet, all that separated them from their brethren was the Jordan River, and only certain times of the year would its waters necessarily keep them apart.
D. ALTHOUGH THE TRIBE OF LEVI WOULD RECEIVE NO INHERITANCE, THE NUMBER OF THE TRIBES WOULD BE KEPT AT TWELVE. (VERSES 3b, 4)
1.Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. “For the children of Joseph were two tribes,” That is, they had the portion of two tribes. (See Gen. 48:5)
2.Therefore, though Levi was excluded, there remained nine and a half tribes as was said in Verse 2.
E. THE RULE BY WHICH THE DIVISION WAS DONE WAS THE LOT, AS BEFORE DETERMINED. (VERSE 2; NUM. 26:55)
1.The method appointed for the dividing of the land is deeply interesting. Two distinct principles were involved. The first principle had to do with the numerical size of the tribes. (Num. 26:53, 54) The size of the section allocated was to be determined by the numerical strength of the tribe to which it was given. However, a second rule was given immediately after: “Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes.” (Verse 55) Thus the disposition of the inheritance was to be determined by the sovereign will of God. (Psa. 47:4; Prov. 16:33)
2.The larger tribes would obtain the biggest sections, and the lot would specify their particular situation and placement in the land.
3.In considering the Divine purpose in this division and allocation, we should well consider also the Divine law respecting the safeguarding of the real estate of the Children of Israel, so that their inheritance might never be permanently sold or lost to the rightful owners. (Lev. 25:23-28)
4.How happy we are when we are given grace to yield to the Divine will in all such matters.
“Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go,
For who am I that I should choose my way;
The Lord shall choose for me, ‘tis better for I know;
So let Him bid me go, or stay.”
II. NEXT WE SEE PRIORITY GIVEN TO THE MATTER OF CALEB’S INHERITANCE. (VERSES 7-15)
A. THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH CAME WITH CALEB TO LAY CLAIM UPON HIS PROMISED INHERITANCE. (VERSE 7)
1.While Joshua and the rest were consulting together about the division of the land, then came the children of Judah unto Joshua in Gilgal. They came along with Caleb, the elder-statesman of their tribe. They came with Caleb not necessarily to intercede for him, since the matter had already been decided by the promise of God, but rather as a show of honor and support for him in his desire to have this mountain for his inheritance.
2.Hebron and the hill country surrounding it had already been assigned to him, and therefore, there was no determination to be made by lot. But more importantly, he was worthy of the preeminence not only because he was the elder statesman of the tribe of Judah, but his faithfulness had earned him this honor. (See Num. 14:23, 24; Deut. 1:36; Num. 13:22)
3.The elderly in the church are due special courtesy and respect, and those, like Caleb, who are such examples of strength and godliness are worthy of double honor.
B. CALEB APPEALED TO JOSHUA’S RECOLLECTION OF THE OCCASION AND THE PROMISE THAT WAS MADE TO HIM FORTY-FIVE YEARS BEFORE. (VERSES 7-9)
1.As one of the twelve spies sent by Moses, he had faithfully done his job, and had returned with a report that was true to God, faithful to His promise, and meant to encourage the people to trust in the Lord in laying hold of it. (Verse 7)
2.He had maintained his position of trust in God even when ten of the twelve men contradicted his report and confidence, and caused the hearts of the people to doubt. (Verse 8)
3.In spite of the terrible disappointment that he had suffered, Moses assured him personally that the land that he had trodden would be given to him to inherit. Caleb had clung to that promise through these many years. (Verse 9)
C. FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF WAITING HAD NOT CHANGED HIS MIND, NOR HAD OLD-AGE WEAKENED HIS ZEAL FOR CLAIMING THE PROMISE. (VERSES 10-12)
1.The portion that his heart longed for was Mount Hebron, which he simply refers to as “this mountain.”
2.He had scouted out that area, and it appealed to him very much at the time, and nothing had happened since to change his mine.
3.He saw that it was inhabited by “the Anakims,” who were giant sized ferocious mountain men. (Num. 13:33) Their size and ferociousness had not frightened him forty-five years ago when he was forty years of age, nor does it now at the age of eighty-five.
a) His physical strength had not diminished, for which he gives all credit to God, Who had not only kept him alive, but had kept him strong.
b) More importantly, his faith in God was not diminished at all. “Now therefore,” says Caleb, “give me this mountain…if so be that the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them (the Anakims) out, as the Lord said.”
c) Though Caleb was in great physical health, and as strong as ever he was, clearly his confidence was not in his ability, but in the Lord’s faithfulness and power. ( 4:13)
D. JOSHUA BLESSED HIS FELLOW PATRIARCH AND HONORED HIS REQUEST BY GRANTING HIM HEBRON FOR HIS INHERITANCE. (VERSES 13-15)
1.The petition is granted. (Verse 13)
2.God gave Hebron to Caleb as a reward for his unwavering faithfulness. (Verse 14)
3.The great conquest was dedicated to the Lord in a very special way. (Verse 15)
a) It had been named for the great man of the Anakims. “The city of Arba.”
b) The name was changed to Hebron, which later became a city of refuge, and also dedicated to the children of Aaron the priest. ( 20:7; 21:13)
c) God is still able to turn the strongholds of Satan into cities of refuge, and that by the power of the Gospel.
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