Lesson 2: The Faith of Caleb
Scripture to Read: The Faith of Caleb Joshua 14:6-15
One of the great moments of faith in Israel's early
history occurred as Joshua oversaw the division of
the Promised Land after it had been conquered.
Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, approached Joshua
and asked for the portion of the land Moses had
promised to him over forty years earlier as a
reward for Caleb's faithfulness to God. Caleb
and Joshua were the only two of the twelve
Israeli spies who believed God would give them
Canaan despite its fearsome inhabitants
(Numbers 14:6-9).
Caleb had believed Israel could take the land
back in the days of Moses, and now he had
complete confidence to claim his share of
Canaan, despite the fact that he was eighty-five
years old! Joshua granted Caleb his request, and
pronounced a blessing on his old friend and his
descendants because of Caleb's loyalty to God.
Caleb took his land from Israel's enemies and
enjoyed the rewards of his faith in God.
Study Questions
- What does the life of Caleb teach us about
God's faithfulness?
- Was being true to the Lord an easier task for
Caleb when he was a younger man?
- Can a family, or generations of descendants,
be blessed by the actions of one person?
- In Numbers 14:9, Caleb urged the people of
Israel not to be afraid of the inhabitants of Canaan. What effect does fear have on faith?
Something to Think About
Caleb was faithful to God even when almost everyone else around him disagreed, and refused stand with him. Sometimes, following God means you will have to stand alone among your peers, and maybe even your family. At times like these, let us be like Caleb and not hesitate to speak up for God.
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