Joshua chapters 15 and 16 detail the inheritance the sons of Judah and Joseph receive and there was little that initially stood out of great interest. After thinking about these chapters the details of Caleb’s work in the land he was given started to stand out. In Joshua 14 Caleb requested the land that God had promised him when he spied out the promised land. The land was inhabited by the Anakim who Caleb sought to drive from the land if the Lord choose to enable him. In Joshua 15:13-19 we are told that Caleb drove the sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai out from the land. Caleb had success in what he sought out to do, which was a testimony to God’s faithfulness to him and his sons as they sought to obey and honor God.
In Joshua 1:8 it says, “This book of the law shall not depart your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Abiding in God and growing to know Him is the most difficult simple thing we seek to do in out lives. It almost seems abiding happens when I take myself out of the picture and let God take control of my life. There is no strength in me inherently that wants to seek God on a consistent basis but strength is always found in my weakness. Was the same strength found in Caleb’s weakness? My faith in God seems like such a mystery because I am so thankful for it but I am not the one who cultivates it.
At the end of chapters 15 and 16 we are told there were people who could not be driven out of the land. The sons of Judah couldn’t drive out the Jebusites and the sons of Ephraim could not drive out the Canaanites. Why were these people unable to drive them out? Was there a lack of faith and dependance on God? Were these peoples left living as to be a hammer that God would use against the people of Israel in years to come? Why did Caleb have success? I cannot know with any certainty at this point in the text if there are answers to these questions but I look forward to seeking them out as I read through the Bible.
