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March 26th
The Bible reading for today is in Joshua chapters 12-15.
The reading begins with the counting of all the kings and their people that Moses and Joshua defeated...those on the eastern side of the Jordan and those on the western side of that river...33 kings and their provinces in all...two by Moses in a 2-year span and 31 by Joshua in seven years.
The reading for us is a bit tedious because we are not inheriting any of that land. But for the Israelites, the list meant everything...this was their portion from God...they had anticipated this for a long time. This was the land of God’s promise to them. When they read this list to their children, every ear was attentive to names and stories of the battles fought and won for the land.
This list meant that all of this land belonged to Israel...by the grace of God! Praise was given to God for His victories now given to His treasured ones.
We read of an interesting conversation between Joshua and God. “God calls Joshua old...yet there is much land to be possessed.”
The part that interests me the most is...that even though God knew that Joshua was advanced in years, He still told him about another job that needed to be done.
That conversation begs the question for me: “As Christians, sons, and daughters of the promise...the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ...Can we be “too old” to be used by God...? Can we be “too old” to serve God? Can we be “too old” to participate in the building of Christ’s church...for the sake of the gospel...and the salvation of sinners around the world?
NO! There are not any age limitations in God’s kingdom workforce. AND...There IS still much to do!
When we get to Joshua chapter 14 we read another one of my favorite stories...it’s about God and a man with an unusual name. CALEB was his name. In some languages, Caleb means “dog”. In other languages, Caleb means “all heart”.
Put them together and we get the picture...a dog follows his master...come dirt, mud, and mire for many a weary mile...as the master rides his horse and the dog runs close by...even getting clipped by a hoof from time to time that wounds him...the dog stays close to his master.
That’s “all heart”...and that’s Caleb to his master...never half-hearted ...always a wholehearted servant of his God...come what may. Nothing “lukewarm” about Caleb...he either had a holy heat about him that gave courage to others...or he had the spirit of refreshing that gave energy all around for obeying God.
Joshua and Eleazar were dividing up the land by tribes. Judah would be first. And Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, shows up with a bold request of Joshua. “You know the words that God spoke to Moses concerning me...in Kadesh Barnea
“Moses said that because you “wholly followed” the Lord... ”the land upon which your feet have trodden will be your inheritance and your children's’ forever.”
And it was so.
Caleb was another foreshadowing of Jesus found in our old testaments...revealing our earthly ministering Jesus. Caleb too walked not ahead of the Lord. He walked with the Lord...Like Jesus, his way was not according to his initiative...he was an “all hearted” follower...” he only spoke as the Lord spoke, he only worked as the Lord worked, and he only walked where his Lord walked...Sounds like Jesus in John 5:19.
Wow, Caleb did that for his family...for his nation...Jesus did that for you and me...all the way through the cross...all the way through the burial, the resurrection, his ascension, and one day his coming again.
I appreciate the man with the unusual name...especially because he reminds me of Jesus my Lord!
Have a great day
