In
the myriad of godly examples recorded in the Bible's pages, there are
a few who stand out even more than the rest in my eyes. Joshua and
Caleb are two such fellows.
They were born slaves in Egypt. They were almost forty years old when Moses returned to Egypt and the Exodus began. They witnessed all the things the Lord did to rescue His people. Both men were heads of their respective tribe, and Joshua became Moses' protege and eventual successor.
They spied out the Promised Land. The land was rich and plentiful, but the inhabitants were strong—some were even giants. When the other spies caused Israel to fear, Caleb stood up and told them they could defeat the giants. “We're like grasshoppers compared to them!” The spies cried. I guess they forgot what God had done. Somehow they missed the fact that, at best, those giants were like grasshoppers compared to our God.
Caleb faithfully lead Judah and fought under Joshua. After entering the Promised Land and fighting five years of war, an 85 year old Caleb made his request: He asked for what God promised him and proceeded to conquer Kiriath-Arba, the main city of the giants. Caleb and his descendants received the hill country around the city, whose name was changed to Hebron—what a legacy to leave his children! Caleb then offered his daughter's hand in marriage to the man who conquered the next city. That man was Othniel, a relative of Caleb's.
They were born slaves in Egypt. They were almost forty years old when Moses returned to Egypt and the Exodus began. They witnessed all the things the Lord did to rescue His people. Both men were heads of their respective tribe, and Joshua became Moses' protege and eventual successor.
They spied out the Promised Land. The land was rich and plentiful, but the inhabitants were strong—some were even giants. When the other spies caused Israel to fear, Caleb stood up and told them they could defeat the giants. “We're like grasshoppers compared to them!” The spies cried. I guess they forgot what God had done. Somehow they missed the fact that, at best, those giants were like grasshoppers compared to our God.
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| Caleb vs. the Giants |
What
I admire most about Joshua and Caleb is how faithful they were in
those forty years. They wandered as a consequence of other peoples'
sin, but they didn't complain about it. That's an example all of us
can learn from. All that wandering seemed to me like a real waste of
two godly lives, but they didn't waste those 40 years at all. Joshua
was Moses' protege and Israel's military commander, gaining
experience he'd need when leading Israel and conquering
Canaan.
Caleb faithfully lead Judah and fought under Joshua. After entering the Promised Land and fighting five years of war, an 85 year old Caleb made his request: He asked for what God promised him and proceeded to conquer Kiriath-Arba, the main city of the giants. Caleb and his descendants received the hill country around the city, whose name was changed to Hebron—what a legacy to leave his children! Caleb then offered his daughter's hand in marriage to the man who conquered the next city. That man was Othniel, a relative of Caleb's.
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| (I had way too much fun with the liver spots on old Joshua.) |
At the end of his days, Joshua set a challenge
before Israel to serve the Lord.
"...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
After Joshua died, Israel strayed away from the Lord, and the time of the judges began, with the first judge being none other than Caleb's son-in-law, Othniel.
I haven't commented much on the artwork lately. Since the school year has wrapped up I've been trying to depict each person we talked about with our group in this current style. More on that later.
"...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
After Joshua died, Israel strayed away from the Lord, and the time of the judges began, with the first judge being none other than Caleb's son-in-law, Othniel.
I haven't commented much on the artwork lately. Since the school year has wrapped up I've been trying to depict each person we talked about with our group in this current style. More on that later.
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