Give Me This Mountain

Scripture

A Day for remembering and a day for patriotism

1. Remembering those who have fallen in battle.
2. Remembering all loved ones who have died.

A text from a book of battles.

1. After Moses, Joshua became the leader.
2. The land divided among the tribes of Israel.
3. The area given will have to be conquered and developed.

Caleb: “Give me this mountain”

1. Asks the most difficult task

Who were the Anakim? They were the strongest among the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Palestine. They were used as a comparison to stress the size of other people groups in the area, because every one knew who they were.

Numbers 13:33 states that the Anakim came from the giants. Scholars believe that this means that this people group was a direct descendant of the Nephilim race (which, from what we can see in Genesis 6, were half demon and half human)

So… everyone knew who these people were, and everyone knew who these people came from. These were some bad dudes . But we see that Caleb asked to take them on. He knew that God would have his back. He told Joshua, “Give me the mountain. Let me go onward to the higher ground.”

2. What motivated Caleb to press on to higher ground? Let’s take a few minutes to discuss what exactly motivated Caleb to go for this fight.

The Meat and Potatoes

He remembers God’s promise to him (v6-7)

Caleb the spy (Num 13:2-6)

The passage goes on and lists out the rest of the men that went to spy out the land, but we can see in verse 6 that God calls Caleb. The Bible says that rulers of every tribe were sent. Even at this point in Caleb’s life, he was a strong, godly ruler in Israel, specifically in the tribe of Judah.

1. Sent by Moses 40 years earlier to spy out the land. Caleb did not complain when he was sent to spy out the land. He was not fearful of the inhabitants of land. Caleb simply followed the instructions and commands that God had given him through Moses.

Before it was even time to go, Caleb could have backed down. Before they even knew of the giants in the land and the great tall fenced cities, Caleb could have said no. He could have worried about the journey. He could have worried about being away from his family. He could have worried about losing his immediate leadership position in the tribe of Judah. But we see that he didn’t. Caleb went willingly.

Are you willing to follow the command of the Lord in your life today? If it was to cost you your job, or the companionship of your family, or the comfort of your own home, would you be willing to do it? Caleb was.

Far too many of us today are afraid to go into the unknown. And I don’t mean all of us traveling to a foreign land to proclaim God’s Word to the natives. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, broaching a spiritual conversation with a family member. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, voicing a godly opinion in the workplace. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, pulling away from our comfortable traditions.

Caleb was sent away from all that was familiar to him, by the command of God. God knew there was somewhere that Caleb needed to go and some things that Caleb needed to see that involved Caleb removing himself from all that was immediately around him in the tribe of Judah.

Where was God taking him to?

1. The fruit of the land, flowing with milk and honey The land which Caleb had to spy out was a great land that was full of good things. The Bible says in Numbers 13:23 that a single cluster of grapes had to be carried by two men. The land was fruitful and bountiful. However, the land was also full of giants. It was full of pagan nations. The influence of demons themselves abounded in the form of the sons of the Anak. The cities of the land were strong and fortified.

So we see all land that was full of challenge but was also full of opportunity. We see a task that would be of great struggle to accomplish, but of great reward to receive.

As I thought about this, I couldn’t help but think of the Christian walk in the life of a believer today. Jesus had something to say about the path we must take in this life if we are to follow Him.

The way is narrow folks. It isn’t easy. But if you follow it , it leads to life everlasting.

This past week my younger brother left home for the first time to spend the summer serving at the Wilds in North Carolina. It made me stop and think about the time I spent when I was there years ago. When I was a counselor at the Wilds in the summer of 2022, we had two hikes we could take the kids on. The hike to 1st Falls was easy. It was simply a little nature stroll downhill. The hike to 4th Falls was quite difficult. You had to scale rocks and use ropes to climb up and over things. There were parts of the trail where it was so narrow you had to go one by one. The mosquitos and snakes wanted to eat you alive some days. It was long and hot. However, unlike the 1st Falls hike, the waterfall at 4th Falls was HUGE and there was a lake that you could swim around in at the bottom. Getting to the end and seeing that magnificent waterfall felt like such an accomplishment. 1st Falls, while pretty, never gave me that feeling.

The task to hike to 4th Falls was much harder, but the reward was much greater. Each time after the first, when I took the 4th Falls hike, I knew in my mind what was going to be waiting for me at the end. I kept my sights on that end goal of seeing that amazing waterfall, and it made the trip that much better. Seeing beyond my present circumstance when I was in the middle of the arduous hike kept me going. Thinking of that waterfall waiting at the end made the entire journey worth it.

1. But Caleb saw beyond this to Hebron, where Abram met God The spies went to Hebron, which, as we saw from our reading earlier, was the place Caleb eventually asked Joshua to have.

I believe Caleb kept thinking about Hebron in the Promised Land all the 40 years the Israelites wandered around after their disobedience in Numbers 14. Perhaps the time didn’t feel as long for him. The journey maybe didn’t look as arduous. Why? Because he was resting in the promise that he would see then Promised Land again. He would see Hebron again. God had given him a glimpse. All Caleb had to do was claim the promise and live in the light of it.

In the Bible, God has given us a glimpse of the glory that awaits us if we stay the course. Right now we are in the journey, but, if we look beyond our present struggles we can rest in the glory that awaits us in the arms of Jesus in heaven above.

The verses should give us hope in the promise of glory to come, and strength to overcome our daily battles, knowing that the Lord is right by our side.

Caleb “We are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30)

1. The majority had great giants and a little God The world around us has great giants. People battle giants of addictions, abusers, money, greed, pride, sex, envy, and a host of other vices. And they try to fight these giants on their own.

Studies indicate that approximately  40-60% of individuals relapse within 30 days of leaving an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, and up to 85% experience relapse within the first year

Why? Is it just because addictions are hard? No! It’s because many refuse to lean on God to the fullest extent. Many people are looking for a program when they should be looking for their Provider. Many people are looking for the easy fix rather than the Almighty Fixer.

That’s not to discount the demons of addiction. It’s a process, regardless of your level of spiritual maturity, but many people falter simply because they allow their giants to be greater than God in their life.

2. Caleb had a great God and little giants Caleb didn’t fall into this trap. Caleb said “we are able to overcome”. Why? Because his God was greater than his problem . Yes, the giants on the mountain were still giants, but God was still bigger. Yes, Israel would still have to put in the work and sweat to drive them out, but with God on their side how could they lose?

So how was Caleb and Joshua’s mindset different than everyone elses?

2. The majority were problem-conscious, but Caleb and Joshua were power-conscious

They said the Lord is with us . While all the other spies were worried about the problem itself, Caleb and Joshua had made the decision to rest in the one who had the power to solve the problem.

Do you spend your time today focusing on your problems, or on the God who has the power to solve your problems? Are you choosing to shrink in fear from the life that God has placed you in, or are you choosing to stand on the promises?

Caleb will now stand on the promises

1. He will never forget them

40 years went by, and Caleb never forgot about Hebron in the Promised Land. He came to Joshua to remind Joshua. Similarly we must never forget the promises of God in our lives .

God has begun a good work in all of us, and what He has started, He will finish. We must hold fast and faithful to that truth and not forget it when we’re faced with the storms and trials of this life.

2. You will never find him part of the grumbling crowd Caleb didn’t grumble. When the Lord turned the Israelites away from the Promised Land to wander in the wilderness and die, he faithfully followed. He could’ve become bitter. He could’ve become angry. He didn’t though. He chose instead to rest in the promise. Remember… Caleb never did anything wrong . He served God faithfully as a spy. He came back and gave a good report. The Bible says he was almost stoned to death by the people when he told them (rightfully) that they could overcome the giants! Because of their ignorance and disobedience, Caleb lost 40 years of his life that could’ve been spent in the Promised Land.

Sometimes the actions of others hurt us. Sometimes the consequences of their sins affect us. It may affect us a day, or a month, or a year, or our whole lives! But God should still be our God through it all. There shouldn’t be grumbling and complaining. There shouldn’t be blaming. We should follow the example of Caleb.

Why didn’t he grumble and complain?

2. He is on his way to this better land all through life Caleb kept the end goal in mind. He knew that God would bring him home, and he stayed the course, being faithful through all the years of waiting. The desert wasn’t nearly as nice as the Promised Land, but Caleb knew that God had a plan for him that didn’t end with him dying in that desert.

For us today, if you’re saved, know that there is a plan for you that far exceeds and surpasses the goals, plans, and dreams you can want for yourself here on Earth. God’s plan for us doesn’t end with us dying here on this earth. We are here for a time yes, but God has something better in store for us. It is our job while we are here to share His love with others and seek to bring them to the saving knowledge of Him. The plan that he has for us in eternity is so much more than we can imagine here. As we read earlier, we can’t even comprehend it!

Caleb remembers his own commitment to the Lord (v8-9)

1. ”I wholly followed the Lord…” “Wholly” means without any reserve . There was nothing held back. There was no plan B or plan C. It was go Beulah Land or go broke . There was no other option. Is that your attitude today. Can you identify something in your life that would cause you to take a step away from Christ? Is there anything you can think of that would drive a wedge between you and your Savior? If so, it must be addressed. If there is anything in our lives that even has the potential of keeping us from wholly following the Lord , then it must be addressed.

2. Reminded of the time of his full surrender Caleb was surrendered fully to God, He was surrendered to the point to where he was speaking the truth of God at the risk of the children of Israel stoning him. What does full surrender look like to you?

• Is it simply taking a few hours out of your Sunday morning to come to church? If that’s your idea of being surrendered to God, it isn’t enough .
• Is it just doing a soup kitchen, or refusing to watch soap operas, or only listening to Christian music? These are all good things, but they’re not the main thing .
• Praying before meals? Reading devotionals? Once again… good things, but they aren’t indicators of a heart sold-out to God.

To be fully surrendered to God means you ask three questions to Him:

• Where do you want me?
• When do I go?
• What do you need me to do?

If you ask these three questions to God, placing them at His feet in prayer, with a heart that truly says “ as you say Master I will do ”, then you will be fully surrendered.

2. A man of God, total dedication, committed Caleb possessed this total dedication. He was committed to following God, whether it was following God into battle against the Anakim or following God into the battle of the wilderness.

Do you have that commitment today? Do you posses that dedication? If you prayerful as the where, what, when questions of God, He’ll give you answers. Are you committed enough to follow though as Caleb was?

Caleb remembers how he had stood apart from the crowd

1. Do you remember a day of victory? There are many recognized days of victory . The day we won the Revolutionary War, the day the slaves were freed, VJ Day (when WWII effectively ended). These are seen by many as great days of victory.

There are also days of personal victory. My aunt just recently rung the cancer bell. She went through the Red Devil Chemo and came out the other side. She was able to stand by my uncle, her son and his wife, and her grandbabies and ring that bell. It was a joyous occasion. God is good. He gives us trials sometimes, but, for a child of His, victory is always the end result.

1. What about the day you were saved? Have you experienced the day of Christ coming into your heart freeing you the penalty of sin? Have you experienced the power of Christ healing you from the pain of sin. Have you known the joy of knowing that one day, through Christ Jesus, you will be freed from the presence of sin?

Friend, the victories that God gives us in the battles we face are a testament to His faithfulness in our lives

Caleb remembers God’s faithfulness to him. (v10-11)

God hath kept me alive.

1. Have you thanked God for keeping you alive? The reason you’re alive today is because there’s still a plan God has for you here. The reason Caleb was kept alive was because there was something that God still had planned for him down here on this earth.

Well Sam, what about those who inflict pain and suffering, does God have a plan for them too?

I can’t know the mind of God, but I can know His traits. God is merciful and God is just. In his divine wisdom, part of his plan may be allowing wicked people more chances to come to the saving knowledge of him. It may be using the pain they inflict to draw others closer to Him. With our human understanding, we simply can’t know. We do know that God gives each of us free will.

We also know that God doesn’t plan sin in the lives of people. His plan addresses sin in the lives of people.

1. Except for Joshua, all the rest had died. Caleb had a lonely road to walk. All of his fellow peers, with the exception of Joshua, had gone on. At my age, I don’t think I fully understand the toll it takes to see most of your friends and family go on. I’ve experienced grief. I’ve experienced tragedy. But it wasn’t anything like what Caleb had to feel as friends and elders he knew and looked up to died in that time in the wilderness.

Did he become bitter? Did he become jaded? Angry? No! He acknowledged that the Lord had sustained him.

I am now fourscore and five years old (85).

1. Some senior citizen!
2. Not resting on his laurels At 85, Caleb was preparing to storm the home of the giants! The closest thing I’ve ever seen to that is Brother Frank Shealy (an older gentleman in Trinity Bible Church Charleston ) leaving everything to go join the IDF! That right there is proof that God isn’t ever done using His people. He uses them now just like he used them then. It’s about the willingness that we have in our hearts to serve Him . There’s nothing in the Bible that says and God WOULD HAVE used so-and-so, but they didn’t meet the age requirement .

• David was a shepherd boy
• Caleb was an old man

God had cared for him up to that hour.

”Grace hath brought me safe thus far.”

The song Amazing Grace so beautifully portrays what God does when he sustains those who are followers of His. His grace will bring us to the place that we need to be, and it will do it safely. Safely doesn’t necessarily mean we are without aches, pains, and scars. It means that we will be directly in the center of God’s Will for our lives.

Conclusion

Now, therefore, give me this mountain!

1. Give me your best.
2. Give me your toughest task.

Remembering should challenge us.

1. Ronald Reagan 1982 Memorial Day Speech “ Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the site before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who in return loved their countrymen enough to die for them. Yet, we must try to honor them, not for their sakes alone, but for our own. And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions, we must strive to keep faith with them and with a vision that led them to battle and a final sacrifice. ”

Similarly, words alone cannot repay the debt we owe to Jesus. We’re the actions we take each and every day, we should be striving to keep faith in Him. Each day He should be the one leading us into battle against the Prince of the power of the air, who has been given control of this world in which we live (for a brief time at least). Jesus was the final sacrifice for us. Are you going to accept the challenge to believe in Him and live your life to honor Him?

1. Accept the challenge

Move on to higher ground