Daybreak: Joshua 15:1-63
“Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.” (Joshua 15:19)
A couple of years ago, my nephew’s wife discovered a website where you could research a database to find out if there was unclaimed money that should be yours. She entered her maiden name just for fun — and was amazed to find that there was, indeed, some money awaiting her! An uncle she hardly knew had passed away, leaving her a small inheritance, and the executors of his estate had been unable to locate her. The money was hers — all she had to do was contact the executors and prove her identity.
Joshua 15 shows us God’s faithfulness in bestowing His promised blessings, but it also shows the active part that we must take to receive those blessings. God had promised to give Caleb and his descendants an inheritance in the land of Canaan (Numbers 14:24), and in today’s text, this promise was fulfilled. However, Caleb had to step out in faith to receive his land inheritance. He had to conquer the city of Hebron by driving out the three sons of Anak, and he needed to enlist the help of Othniel to conquer the city of Debir.
As Christians, God has promised us a goodly heritage, but we must be willing, like Caleb, to actively pursue the blessings of the Lord. When God promises us material or spiritual blessings, we must do our part to receive those blessings. We must also be willing, like Caleb’s daughter, to ask boldly for the blessings we need.
The attitude of Caleb’s daughter, Achsah, teaches us to ask for the “best gifts” from our Heavenly Father. Achsah knew that a field alone was no good in that semi-arid region, so she asked her father Caleb for the blessing of “springs of water.” In response, Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
Will your Heavenly Father be any less generous if you ask Him for living water to restore and refresh your soul? Jesus says that He will give His followers spiritual water that shall be “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Ask boldly for the spiritual blessings you need!
Background
Although Judah was the fourth-born son of Jacob, the tribe of Judah was first to receive an inheritance in the land of Canaan. The first twelve verses of this chapter define the boundaries of Judah’s inheritance, described in reference to geographical location.
Caleb, once a partner spy to Joshua (Numbers 13:26-33), and one of the descendants of Judah, began the process of driving the children of Anak from his inheritance, the mountain promised to him because of his faithfulness to God. He progressed as far as Debir, formerly called Kirjath-sepher. There, he issued a challenge — anyone who could conquer this town was to be given the hand of his daughter, Achsah, in marriage. Othniel, a brave and capable warrior, and also Caleb’s nephew, stepped forward to accept the challenge, and revealed his military skills by capturing the city. Later, after Joshua’s death, Othniel became the first judge over Israel (Judges 3:7-11) and played an important role in reforming Israel by vanquishing an enemy army and restoring peace to the land. Thus Caleb’s legacy of faithfulness passed on to the next generation.
Amplified Outline
(Hannah’s Bible Outlines – Used by permission per WORDsearch)
II. The land divided
C. The apportionment of Canaan
3. The assignment to Judah (15:1-63)
a. The dimensions of the apportionment (15:1-12)
b. Caleb’s conquest of his portion (15:13-19)
c. The cities of the apportionment (15:20-63)
A Closer Look
- What was Othniel’s relationship to Caleb?
- Why do you think Caleb was able to drive out the sons of Anak from Hebron, yet the children of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem?
- Caleb and his daughter actively pursued their land inheritance. What blessings are you actively seeking from the Lord, and in what manner are you doing so?
Conclusion
Caleb’s faith in God never seemed to waver, and without making any compromises, he confidently claimed what God had promised. He was not swayed by what others thought or did, but he wholly followed the Lord. We, too, can live victoriously like Caleb if we keep our eyes on God.