Joshua 14

Joshua 14
The Miraculous Works of the Lord

“And now, behold, Jehovah has kept me alive these forty-five years as He said, even since Jehovah spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now, lo, I am eighty-five years old today. 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, both to go out and to come in. And now give me this mountain of which Jehovah spoke on that day. For you heard in that day how the giants were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. If Jehovah will be with me, then I will be able to drive them out, as Jehovah said.”
(Jos 14:10-12)

Remember Caleb? He was one of the two spies O so long ago who entered the land of Canaan and was actually for conquering it. He was also the only person close to Joshua’s age, seeing that everybody else died. He is probably the only other person was a slave in Egypt with Joshua. Finally, here he is at the end of his life, and he is remembering the promise that God made him. Caleb has faithfully served the Lord and now he feels the Lord is calling him to conquer his inheritance. There is one problem, Caleb is 85 years old.

Remember yesterdays lesson? Joshua was old. Therefore those days of conquering were coming to an end. It is the practical works of the Lord. Today we gaze upon the miraculous works of the Lord. Caleb conquering the land was anything but practical. He was already old, therefore he could only slow down the army. He was one of two who had been with Moses for quite a time and experienced Egypt, therefore he probably had great wisdom to impart. They did not want this guy to die. He was a friend to Joshua. If he conquered the land, he did not have much life left to enjoy it. But what did he have to drive him? He had the promises of God. He knew what the Lord had told him, therefore, despite what the world might think, this old critter was going to conquer.

I hope to live a life like Caleb. We do not hear much about his life. What we do know is that when he heard the promises of God, he believed them. God told them to conquer Canaan and so he wanted to conquer. God told him he would have this mountain therefore he was going after the mountain. What promises has the Lord shown you? What promises does he lay down in His Word. The promise that always sticks out most for me is that the Lord is coming back. Wake up, and live with hope in God. The problems before us may seem insurmountable. The practical approach may tell you everything is wrong, however, God works in miraculous ways, and He will keep His promises.

Promises of the Lord:
Romans 8:28
Matthew 5:1-11
Revelation 22:12-14
Hosea 11:1-11
2 Peter 3:9 - “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”