#DailyDevotion Does Your Faith Believe God’s Promises Like Caleb and Joshua’s Does?
Easter Week 6 Saturday
Read Num 13:1–3, 17–33
Num 13:30-31 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (31) Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”
The people of Israel were on the border of the Promised Land. Moses had sent spies. One man from each tribe of Israel was chosen. And they spied out the land and the land was good. There was only one problem. The people of the land were many and many of them were giants. This was not going to be easy. It might seem impossible. Indeed, the people heard it and feared as well as most of the men who spied and reported back to the people what they had seen.
Caleb alone speaks out, though we know from other biblical reports Joshua, son of Nun also speaks with Caleb. Both of these men are prepared to go and conquer the land and seize from the inhabitants were there. They were not afraid of their great number, their might, or their height. But why not?
Because these two men had heard the Word of the Lord and they believed his promises. But what promises could the Lord have given to make them have such courage in the face of overwhelming odds? The other day we read, Num 11:23 “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” Perhaps they remembered, Gen 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Certainly they remember this promise: Lev 26:6-8 “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. (7) You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. (8) Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.” With such promises Caleb and Joshua were certain of Israel’s victory over the people of Canaan.
And you have promises from the Lord Jesus Christ just as encouraging. Mat 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Luk 24:46-47 “and [Jesus] said to them, ‘Thus it is written… that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” John 14:2-3 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”And finally, 2Pe 3:13 “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Heavenly Father, grant us such faith in all your promises that like Caleb and Joshua we may have courage to face all obstacles that try to prevent us from our inheritance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.