Fight for your inheritance like an animal (This is My story: Caleb)

My name is Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. I am a Judah-ite (or what you call today a Jew); and this is my story.

Today's Reading: Joshua 12 - 16

I had known the cruel whip and harsh shouts of the slave masters of Egypt and for years labored as a slave. My lot at that time, was nothing but survival and no rest. Then Moses came and delivered us, rather finally the God of our fathers rescued us.

But the desert lands of Arabia and the southern Levant left us little respite, cold at night, scorching heat in the day and even the ground was pale and hard; yet we had water that glistened like a million crystals gushing forth cold and fresh from the Rock; and the food, the manna that tasted of the finest honey. So well supplied where we in the desert, we did not even feel the need to make new clothes. Even our now increased possessions, our flocks and cattle, thrived. All we did was walk occasionally and move our camp; but our real joy was simply worshiping Yahowa, singing His praises and delighting in the sacrifices - somehow I always thought those offerings spoke of something deeper than just tasty barbecues.

So though the desert life was good and such a rest as we had never experienced compared to our lives in Egypt, we longed for The Land, Ha Eretz in my tongue, even before we had ever laid eyes on it. For a reason we were not so attuned to, we desired this country, the land promised to Abraham so long ago. And so long as we did not dwell in it, our hearts felt broken and sad. 

O to belong there and enjoy its pastures, the olive and the fig, the pine and cypress, it's rolling hills and gentle shores and soft fields! Of course, this is what the fathers told us of our inheritance and we could only dream and imagine how it would be.

When Moses called us to go into the land to spy it out from our desert tents, I was thrilled. I found Joshua my good friend and together we trekked over the Jordan. I remember the feel of the boulders, soft and slippery with algae. And as we crossed it I felt like a man anew. The barley and wheat and even the weeds, the rocks and the deep brown soils, it all felt as home.

We passed through olive groves the sun glistening through silver leaves, grape vineyards with clusters as big as our heads and fruit gardens whose aromas evoked long forgotten legends in our hearts. It was not long before we saw that beautiful hill of Hebron, Karyat Arba as the giants called it. Yes, the Anakim were there and the smallest ones, twice our height. The descendants of the Nephilim, the unholy offpsring of the fallen angels and daughters of men. 

But I did not care. I laid my hand on Joshua's shoulder and said, "Look, Joshua, these are the ones who have polluted our land with every kind of evil under the sun and inexplicable bloodshed. Remember, the words of the ancient prophet Enoch? This is our land, it is God's land and His good pleasure to give it to us."

[Related post: Four resaons why today's Israel is not the same as Ancient Israel]

I was desperate for my home, my land, my earth. For this rest. I cared not for the pests that were there and I told the Lord I wanted that hill. 

When we came back, it was only Joshua and I who spoke well of the land. The rest cowered in fear and because of that unbelief I had to wait another agonizing four decades till finally I returned. During the wait, I also dreamed of that land, playing the lute wistfully and singing to God, my heart broken yet hopeful. They told me to forget it, that it was a land so polluted by the Anakim so as to be beyond redemption, but I could not no matter how much I tried. It was the mountain God had promised me, the one He took His time to create for me. How could I forget even the tiniest grain of sand if it was His gift for me? 

The rest of my sad people were content and many of our friends died in the desert. They died easily and restfully and died sad because they had been too fearful to dream of greater things for themselves. 

And then we entered the land. We crossed the Jordan and took up the 12 boulders from the Jordan Rivers and placed them in Gilgal, perhaps they were the same ones Joshua and I swam over and stood on while crossing that river many years on our mission. 

[Related: The Secret of the 12 Stones]

When Joshua finished leading Israel and settling them in their lands, I reminded him of God's promise to me. And there I was 85 years old and for the first time I entered my home. I still had work to do, for the Anakim were there. But for 45 years my heart burned to be there that it gave me great strength to defeat them all and purge my land from the monsters. 

Many of our people could not do the same. I always felt they did not value the land enough. Did they not understand how precious a gift it was? Forget the rocks and trees, this was a gift of Yahowa to us and they could not hold it in high enough esteem to fight?

I fought for my land like a dog. Afterall, that is what Caleb means, dog. And like a dog I cared not if it was only crumbs from the Lord's table, if it was God's gift to me I was well with it. 

Fight for your inheritance brothers. Your inheritance was purchased with the blood of the Slain Lamb. You can not afford to be like my fallen friends. It's time you conquered your inheritance, it's time you rose to greater things. That is your calling.

If you missed some of this year's readings and accompanying devotionals click here.

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David Roiel

The Green Leaf Blog-Discover your inheritance!