Intro. We all face things in our lives that seem insurmountable. Sometimes we face a mountain with Giants! As we face this text, it would do us well to remember that Canaan is the land of Victory, not salvation. The children of Israel belonged to God, even in the wilderness! God was not pleased with them, and because of that, they did not enter into the land of a Victorious life. Hebrews speaks of this: Heb 3:12 "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Heb 3:18 "And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." You will never please God, you will never know true Victory in your life, victory over battles, victory over sin, victory over trials, without faith - it is impossible
Heb 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
I. He Remembered the Conflict - vs. 6 (Numbers 14)
A. The Mission of Reconnaissance- Risked lives to get the information
For 40 days they carefully had investigated the Land that God had promised them.
B. The Mixed Report
1. A Land of Plenty - just what God promised
2. A Land with Problems - Giants, enemy. God has never said that we would have victory without a battle.
C. The Misery of Rebellion - Numbers 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD
1. Rejection of God’s Plan (Complaining and murmuring) Numbers 14:2 "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!"
2. Desire for the Past - The ultimate quitters! Num 14:4 "And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."
D. The Men of Reliance Num 13:30 "And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."
1. Caleb and Joshua stood against the ten and the nation: Nu 14:8 "If the
LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones."
2. Both gave factual reports - 10 saw the the giants, 2 saw their God.
10 saw the problems, 2 saw the promise. 10 found Death, 2 found Deliverance - All were God’s, only 2 pleased God
E. The Result of the Faithless - These were bad counselors! Sometimes we get advice, even from some that are close to us that is WRONG! Just like Caleb.
II. He Made a Request of Faith - vs. 8-9 - Give me the mountain.
A. Born as a slave - He refused to be with those who desired to go back.
B. Beheld God’s Power - Saw the Red Sea, law of God given, manna
C. Believed God’s Promise - He Pursued the Promise of God - vs. 9a
1. God would have done it before - His faith had not wavered in 45 years.
2. God will do it now! He could say with the Psalmist David: Psalms 56:4 "In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me". A humanly insurmountable task, but he served an infinite God.
B. He Requested the Fight - vs. 11-12
1. I am ready - Give me this mountain (not the flat land, or the easy, but the mountain that others feared!)
2. I am able - vs. 12 When I obey, God is with me and I am able!
He acted on the promised God gave through Joshua earlier: Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
C. He Removed the Foe - Joshua 15:14 "And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak."
IV. He Enjoyed the Reward of Faithfulness - 13-14 (I like rewards!)
A. He Pursued the Person of God - Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully,"
B. He Possessed the Promise of God - vs. 13-14
A battle was still involved, but it was his possession before the battle. We have battles, mountains if you will, on this earth, but reward is already mine! Hebrews 10:34 "... knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."
Concl. Caleb possessed the Land because of His Faith, Fearlessness, and Faithfulness. He was a man with a different Spirit, different from the others - Why? He wholly followed the Lord, and God gave him the mountain. His epitaph: "He wholly followed the LORD God of Israel."
Num 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it."
