“I Shall Drive Them Out,

As The LORD Said”

Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal; and Caleb son of Jephunneh said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him an honest report. But my companions who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.’ And now, as you see, the LORD has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel was journeying through the wilderness; and here I am today, eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was on the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war, and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day; for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; it may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the LORD said.”

Then Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.

Joshua 14:6-13

Caleb did not allow his advancing age to prevent him from believing that God would still honor His promise given 45 years earlier. Caleb was faithful to God and believed He would help the Israelites conquer the land. Joshua blessed Caleb with his portion of the land, fulfilling God’s 45-year-old promise. Like Caleb, we must not allow age, our personal giants, or yet-unfilled promises to prevent us from believing that God still honors his word to us. Every promise of God comes with His personal guarantee.

Our Daily Bread – November 30, 2007