GIVE ME THAT MOUNTAIN

Joshua 14:6-12

Israel entered the Promised Land and conquered it. Joshua, chapters 13–14, narrates how the land was divided among the tribes. In Joshua 14:6, we see Caleb approaching Joshua with a request. His request is recorded in verse 12: “Give me this mountain.” The actual translation is “give me this mountainous region,” because Joshua was not referring to a single mountain but to the mountainous region around Hebron.

Hebron was a large city before Israel arrived there. The name of this city was Kiriath-Arba, which means "the city of Arba." Arba was the great-grandfather (Joshua 15:13; 21:11) of all the Anakites, the giants. Arba's children might have been "giants" in body, but in reality, they were pygmies. Caleb was the true spiritual giant; he triumphed over them. There is a proverb that says, “It is not the “size of the dog” in the fight, but the “size of the fight” in the dog.

What was Caleb doing looking at that mountain? Why did he want that place? He wanted the highest mountain. That was his mountain. Hebron was where Abraham built his first altar, it was where Abraham offered Isaac, and it is the place where David would later be anointed king.

We know that the physical mountain Caleb speaks of is an analogy for the spiritual mountains that arise in our lives. We are not facing physical mountains. We understand that a mountain is a challenge in your life. We understand that a mountain is anything that is a demanding task in your life that requires special effort or dedication. Everyone has mountains.

All these mountains are not from Satan. Often, when we have to climb a high mountain, God is at work. I believe that God puts mountains in our lives for growth and maturity. If God is dealing with your life, you will have mountains.

God declared that the people would wander in the wilderness for 40 years until everyone in the nation of Israel over the age of 20 died. But then he makes a surprising statement in Numbers 14:24: “But my servant Caleb because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him into the land where he went, and his descendants will possess it.” Of the entire nation of Israel, only Joshua and Caleb were saved.

Remember, Caleb and Joshua were twenty-five years older than everyone else. They were the great elders. Joshua was now eighty-five years old, and Caleb was about the same, but the rest of the army was young in comparison.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO START

How do you feel about getting older? Many of you hope to retire one day, but we don't expect the health challenges that old age will bring. How will aging affect your service to the Lord? Will you continue to faithfully serve God in whatever capacity you can, even in your old age? Caleb had faithfully endured the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and the 5 years it took him to conquer the Promised Land (Joshua 14:10). What sustained him during those 45 years was his faith in the promise God made to him.

Caleb is a great example of a servant of God who continues to serve God with enthusiasm and faithfulness even in his old age. He had no intention of resting on his laurels and withdrawing from his service to the Lord. On this occasion, he said to Joshua: “I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me; As my strength was then, so are my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in” (Joshua 14:11).

I have great appreciation for older brothers who continue to hold on to God's promises and faithfully serve God even in old age, whether as preachers, teachers, counseling the younger generations, or helping to clean the church building. Sometimes all they can do is simply attend services, but they encourage others with their faithfulness and faith (Hebrews 10:24–25). Still others are shut-in and physically unable to attend services but continue to serve as “prayer warriors” as they encourage others in their prayers. Please take the time to encourage our older brothers, like Caleb, who continue to faithfully serve the Lord.

Never say, my career came to an end, not that time anymore. Caleb said there will be no giants that can stop me; there will be no mountain that can intimidate me. Caleb raised his flag of victory (14:10–11). More impressive than his physical strength were his spiritual strength and his conquering spirit. It is true that it is pitiful to see an old man who wants to do something, but cannot due to his age and health, but it is more pitiful to see one who, having strength and health and being young, has no enthusiasm for anything.

Caleb did not appear before Joshua demanding his retirement. He didn't use his age as an excuse to fold his arms. He also did not ask for the mountain dislodge of his enemies to be handed over to him. He said he felt strong, he wanted to go to the front of his army, he wanted to conquer that land, and he wanted to enjoy the fruit of his efforts.

The truth is that we are only stopped by the self-limitations that we impose on ourselves and not so much by the limitations of life. There are many who always talk negatively: about people, about the injustices done to them; they talk about problems, about impossibilities. Many live defeated, failed, and depressed, and then wonder why. What you have to do is get out of that circle of self-pity and change your environment.

WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO CALEB'S SUCCESS?

Caleb was one of the twelve spies that Moses sent to spy on the Promised Land. While ten of them brought news that discouraged the people, Caleb and Joshua brought positive news. They all saw the same thing but the difference was in their attitude. Joshua and Caleb talked about how good the land was and how, with God's help, they could conquer it. Caleb wanted to have the satisfaction of dislodging the enemies who were there.

Caleb never lost sight of God's promise. Many people have a divided heart that never takes hold of God's promises. They doubt the reality of what God has promised, and then pray a prayer with little or no expectation that it will be answered. Throughout Caleb's life, we find that he never lost sight of God's promise.

Notice the several times Caleb mentions the name of Yahweh (the promise keeper). The name Yahweh appears more than 6,800 times in the Old Testament. It appears in all books except Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs.

Caleb was a man who had learned to trust in God's promises and risk his entire future on them. He knew what it was like to have God's help and trusted that the Lord would continue to do so. This is a triumphant and powerful faith before the event. It sounds like boasting, but it is faith boasting of God's power to fulfill his promises.

The most wonderful epitaph that could be written about a person is that: he walked faithfully before the Lord. The Scriptures affirm a simple truth: “According to your faith it will be given to you.” (Matt. 9:29). There is a definite way in which God responds to our faith. The more willing you are to believe in Him, the more willing He will be to act on your behalf. The Bible also reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6).

There is a story of an incident in the life of Napoleon. Napoleon had taken an island in the Mediterranean Sea. After the capture of the island, Napoleon and his generals gathered for a celebration. While they were meeting, they were interrupted by a young officer. Napoleon looked at him and said, “What do you want?” The young officer looked at Napoleon and said, “Give me this island.” The generals began to laugh. They could not believe that he was bold enough to ask Napoleon for what they had worked so hard to earn. They thought within themselves: Who does he think he is?

Someone with the audacity to make such a request to Napoleon was certainly risking his life. But Napoleon looked at one of his assistants and asked for a pen and paper. He wrote on the paper, signed it, and handed it to the young man, leaving his generals amazed. How could you do that? The generals asked Napoleon. “What made this one worthy to receive this great island?” I gave him this island, and Napoleon said, “Because he honored me with the magnitude of his request.” We too must honor God through the magnitude of our requests.

The Bible promises, “and this is the confidence we have in Him…” 1 John 5:14–15. Trust is defined as the firm hope we have in something or someone. Caleb trusted in God and that he would fulfill his promise. All those years that passed did not change his mind; he waited on God no matter the circumstances or time.

Caleb was a person with courage; he was someone with courage and bravery. He was already 85 years old; 45 years had passed since God made him a promise. As if his age was not enough, the obstacle that stood between his promise and him was giants (the sons of Anac); he knew that he had to face them, but that did not cause him fear. The normal instruments of war are spears, swords, and shields. But this would be of no use against the giants. Caleb needed to use the weapons of God…. Faith (Hebrews 11:30; Zechariah 4:6). Hebrews 3:19 tells us that the reason the Israelites could not enter the Promised Land the first time was because of their lack of faith.

THE STEPS TO TAKE

Caleb knew exactly what he wanted. He did not come to Joshua with vague requests. He specifically stated that he was willing to do whatever was necessary to conquer the mountain. Many people pray in generalities rather than asking specifically. If you have a need, clearly identify your need and express it to God.

He focused on what God had promised him. Even though he had to wait 45 years, Caleb never gave up hope for what he was promised. His heart kept beating, waiting for the day when this place would be his. He knew that the promise would be fulfilled because he knew who had made it. If God has made a promise to you, then you have every reason to believe that it will be fulfilled, no matter how long. When God fulfills his promises, you will step forward like Caleb and say, "Now give me my mountain."

Caleb followed the Lord "with all his heart." What a testimony! Three times in Joshua chapter 14, we read that Caleb faithfully followed the Lord (vv. 8, 9, and 14). Caleb's dedication to God was complete, unwavering, and endless. Many times we follow the Lord primarily, or when it suits us. But when things get difficult and we must rely on faith instead of sight, we resist. Fear sets in and we follow our fears instead of our faith. “Now faith is the substance (certainty) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Do not worry about the giant, do not look at his strength or how great his stature is, and do not fear those mountains, no matter how big they are. God tells us: “Don't worry about that problem or its size, worry about following me faithfully.” It is necessary to focus our attention on Christ and do the following:

1. Act decisively. You must take the initiative to get what you want.

2. Have a plan. You will never reach your destination if you don't know where you are going.

3. Trust in the power of God. Phil. 4:13. God is interested in your life.

A giant is anything that stands between you and God's plan for you.  A giant is anything that seems bigger than you and your desire to serve the Lord.

Giants stop the progress of God's people:

1. First, we have “Giants in the earth” (Genesis 6:4).

2. Next thing you know, you have a “valley of giants” (Josh. 15:8)

3. That valley will soon become a “land of giants” (Deuteronomy 3:13).

THE GIANTS DO NOT DISAPPEAR; YOU MUST FACE THEM AND DEFEAT THEM!