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Ärende: LESSON 2 - Caleb: Living With the Wait
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LESSON 2
*October 2 - 8
Caleb: Living With the Wait

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study:

Numbers 13, 14; Joshua 14; Judg. 1:12-15.

Memory Text:

"My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say,
more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for
with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption" (Psalm
130:6, 7).
 He saw the best of times and the worst of times. Caleb knew what slavery was
like. He had been there when the Lord had led his people out of Egypt with a
mighty hand. He had seen the sea open before Israel and swallow the Egyptian
chariots and army. He had been with Israel at Mount Sinai and had seen Moses
descend from the mountain with God's law. He was one of the first to see the
land of Canaan. And through no fault of his own, he had to spend his best years
wandering in the desert with the Israelites. He watched all of his generation
die there too. At last, as an old man, he is able to enter into the land of
Canaan. Even then he shows courage and faith in God.

Caleb is a leader who seems to work more behind the scenes than in front of the
audience. This week we will learn from his gentle leadership style. We will get
to know a great leader willing to take risks and to lead by example; someone
who is generous and encourages leadership in younger people. But beyond the
many positive character traits of Caleb, we will study a story relevant to us,
who live at the end of earth's history as we wait to cross over into the
heavenly Canaan.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 9.
SUNDAY
October 3

"The Facts"

About fifteen months earlier, Israel had left Egypt. Tents dot the desert of
Paran, close to the border of Canaan. Everyone is excited to know about the
land that is soon to be their home. At God's direction, 12 explorers are
chosen. Caleb is to represent Judah as one of the 12 who will conduct a
fact-finding mission to Canaan. The spies spend forty days exploring the land,
and finally they return and prepare to give their report.

Read Numbers 13:26-14:2. What lesson can we learn about living by faith and not
by sight from this account?

The spies bring along something that they can see, smell, and taste. Although
the twelve spies were all exposed to the same facts, they come to very
different conclusions.

Ten of them interpret the fertile land and great cities to mean that they are
doomed, that there is no way these wandering ex-slaves can take the land.
Conveniently, they seem to forget that they would not be standing on the border
of the Promised Land if it were not for the miracles of the plagues in Egypt,
the crossing of the Red Sea, the water from a rock, and the daily manna that
they received for more than a year. God did all these things for them, and now,
for some reason, they fail to trust Him and His promises, going by what they
see instead of what God has promised. How easy for all of us to do the same
thing!

What we see, and how we interpret what we see, can have very direct personal
consequences. Our interpretations of "facts" form the building blocks of our
daily decisions, and these "facts" so often interact with our emotions. The
idea that we can believe whatever we like without those beliefs affecting who
we are and what we do is a myth.

Facing the "facts" without God's Word will lead to interpretations that point
away from God and toward faithlessness. Facing the facts with God will lead to
evidence that will help us to trust God and strengthen our faith in Him.
Why is it so easy to live by sight and not by faith? When was the last time you
faced something similar to what we have read today? How did you respond, and
what did you learn from your response and all that followed afterward about
trusting in God and in His promises, despite the "facts"? 
MONDAY
October 4

Standing Tall When It Counts

It is not always easy to stand out and stand tall. Group pressure is a
tremendous force. The sheer power of thousands of people cheering in a stadium
for the home team carries an energy that is very intimidating to opponents. Not
many of us would be foolish enough to shout for the opposing team or wave the
other team's colors in the middle of the opposition. This is the reason why
supporters of opposing teams, such as in soccer, often are kept apart during
games. When they do meet, reason steps aside and violence often results.

For the Israelites, though, this was no game. Their future and their survival
seemed to be threatened, and they all wept. To witness thousands of people
weeping together must have been very moving. And here Caleb, who normally seems
to be in the background, steps forward.

Focus on Numbers 13:30. What can we learn about Caleb and about trusting in
God's promises from what he said? 
The same information can be conveyed in many ways. How we say something is as
important as what we say. Caleb shows a lot of character by not arguing with or
insulting the faithless ten spies in public and not remonstrating with the
people for their lack of faith. Instead, Caleb talks courageously and calls for
trust and action. However, the people do not want to hear this. They have made
up their minds and try to stone Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.

Read Numbers 14:1-10, 20-24. What do we see here as an end result of rejecting
God's Word and thus coming to a faulty interpretation of the "facts"? 
Caleb must have been bitterly disappointed. He had seen the good land. He was
faithful and ready to enter. But now he must wander in the desert for 40 years
because of everyone else's fault. Caleb, however, has a strong sense of
community and realizes what it means to be part of a whole. He leads by example
and encourages. Caleb does not break away and start a new movement. The spirit
of simply leaving when there is trouble or lack of faith may be a current
phenomenon, but it is not biblical. In Caleb we see a man who stays on, even
during the punishment years, without a spirit of "I told you so."
In what ways have you suffered from other people's bad choices? How have you
handled yourself in these situations? 
TUESDAY
October 5

Claiming God's Promises

Forty years have passed. The Israelites have crossed over the Jordan into the
Promised Land. Like hungry people eyeing a table loaded with good food, they
gaze toward the Promised Land. Campfire discussions center on what the best
sections of land are and who is going to get them. Long before entering the
Promised Land, Moses already had recognized the potential for in-fighting and
left directions for the division of the land. The division of the land is
touched on in Joshua 14.

Read Joshua 14. What request does Caleb make, and why do you think he made it?
What does this tell us about him and his faith? 
Amid the dividing of the land, Caleb steps forward and, surprisingly, asks for
land. This is not to be land for his tribe but rather for him personally. At
first glance, this meeting between Joshua and Caleb, the two oldest men in
Israel, seems a little out of character. Even though Caleb insists that he is
strong and ready for battle, first and foremost he wants to claim a promise
given to him by God.

Caleb obviously is unafraid to claim God's promises. Caleb's request is not
motivated by selfish ambition. The principle of "getting to give" is deeply
entrenched in the old man. Caleb does not make claim to the nicest, most lush
areas; rather, he chooses the area inhabited by the sons of Anak--giants. That
is, the land he is asking for isn't yet conquered. These very giants had made
the Israelites so afraid forty years earlier (Num. 13:33).

Caleb, perhaps, is eager to see that the current generation does not make the
mistakes of their forefathers. Now Caleb demonstrates his faith in God by
choosing the most challenging, instead of the easiest, territory.

Once again, Caleb is leading by example. In the process, he is living an object
lesson. He is in effect saying: "If God can use one of the oldest men to drive
out the giants, then the rest of you need not fear. God can and will give the
victory." Joshua 15:13, 14 records Caleb's victory over Sheshai, Ahiman, and
Talmai, the descendants of Anak. What had terrified a whole nation was
conquered by one old man who trusted in God's power.
Read Joshua 14:14. What does it mean to serve the Lord "wholeheartedly"? What
kind of things in our lives, if not constantly put down, will make this
difficult for us to do? 
WEDNESDAY
October 6

Passing on the Legacy

In some cultures, old age is highly respected, and older people are well
integrated into society and looked to for advice and wisdom. In other cultures,
senior citizens are seen as being no longer productive and are ignored and
marginalized. The latter view seems to be growing worldwide. Caleb gives a
wonderful example of the positive use of one's old age.

Caleb avoids the extremes normally associated with the senior years. He does
not allow himself to be intimidated by others because of his years. He does not
simply give up on life and withdraw. He does not use his age as an excuse for
not being involved in his community. Neither does he hang on to his position
and see all attempts of younger people to lead as personal threats.

What does Psalm 92:12-15 say about old age? 


It has been said that God has no grandchildren. As long as God remains the God
of my fathers, He has nothing to do with me, personally. Caleb knows that every
generation must have its own experience with God. The Israelites, collectively
and individually, could not live off the miracles of Egypt, or even the
wilderness experience of their parents. Caleb sees it as his duty to create an
environment for the younger generation to take their first steps of faith.

What sort of experience is Caleb facilitating in Judges 1:12, 13? How does he
do this? 


The people of Judah are taking possession of their land. The tribes of Judah
and Simeon cooperate and work together in faith in order to make good on God's
promises. But on coming up against the fortified city of Kirjathsepher (vs.
12), they face a tremendous challenge. We know from archaeology about the often
elaborate design of Late Bronze Age fortification systems in Palestine.
However, instead of focusing on the walls, Caleb sees this challenge as an
opportunity for growth. Here someone can claim God's promises and have the
victory. Although it may sound strange to us, Caleb offers a wonderful
incentive. Whoever conquers the city would become his son-in-law. Othniel,
Caleb's nephew (Judg. 1:13), takes up the challenge, and God gives him victory.
Through  Caleb's nurturing, a new hero is born. Caleb's investment would pay
rich dividends in later years. God would use this young man as Israel's first
judge and deliverer (Judg. 3:7-11).
As you have matured, how have your attitudes changed? What have you learned
simply by having more years of experience? How can you avoid letting the years
simply entrench you even more deeply in wrong habits and attitudes? 
THURSDAY
October 7

Giving Freely

Read Judges 1:14, 15. What more does this tell us about the character of Caleb?

Inheritance was very important to the Israelites. Owning land to pass on to
your heirs was seen as a way of ensuring that your legacy would not die out. As
a matter of fact, this was so important that detailed laws were given to
provide for an heir if a man died childless, so that someone would take the
deceased's name and continue his legacy (see the Levirate laws in Deut.
25:5-10).

At Caleb's age, he would have been thinking seriously about his own
inheritance. The later genealogical records show that Caleb had sons. He would
have been eager to leave them as much as possible. Although Acsah was his
daughter, any land that was given to her would effectively leave Caleb's
immediate family and become part of her husband's property. We do not know
exactly what prompted the Acsah's request for land, but we do know that
refusing her request would have been acceptable and in line with the social
norms of protecting one's own inheritance.

The surprising thing is that Caleb not only gives her the field but then also
gives the springs of water, too. And not just one spring of water but both the
upper and lower springs.

Generosity works both ways. Proverbs 11:25 states that "a generous man will
prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (NIV). When we are
not ready to give freely, it is perhaps a sign that we have not yet received.

What implications does this story have for our spiritual life in, for example,
the area of forgiveness? Read Matthew 6:15 and 18:21-35. 
We can give only what we have. If we are unable to forgive, then it is a sure
sign that we have not claimed God's forgiveness for ourselves. Caleb had
received blessings from God and was happy to share them. He showed a generosity
way beyond the social norms of his time.
How generous are you with what you have? Do you find that the more you have,
the more willing you are to share with others, or do you tend to hoard? How can
you learn to be more willing to give of yourself for the good of others? 
FRIDAY
October 8

Further Study:


"Caleb's faith now was just what it was when his testimony had contradicted the
evil report of the spies. He had believed God's promise that He would put His
people in possession of Canaan, and in this he had followed the Lord fully. He
had endured with his people the long wandering in the wilderness, thus sharing
the disappointments and burdens of the guilty; yet he made no complaint of
this, but exalted the mercy of God that had preserved him in the wilderness
when his brethren were cut off. Amid all the hardships, perils, and plagues of
the desert wanderings, and during the years of warfare since entering Canaan,
the Lord had preserved him; and now at upwards of fourscore his vigor was
unabated. He did not ask for himself a land already conquered, but the place
which above all others the spies had thought it impossible to subdue. By the
help of God he would wrest his stronghold from the very giants whose power had
staggered the faith of  Israel. It was no desire for honor or aggrandizement
that prompted Caleb's request. The brave old warrior was desirous of giving to
the people an example that would honor God, and encourage the tribes fully to
subdue the land which their fathers had deemed unconquerable."--Ellen G. White,
Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 512, 513. 
Discussion Questions:

  As Christians we are constantly bombarded with "facts" that are interpreted
in ways that contradict our faith. Notice, the key word is "interpreted." What
are ways that we can confront these challenges without making fools of
ourselves and yet at the same time maintain our integrity? 
 Dwell more on the idea that how we interpret "facts" isn't always correct. For
instance, we look at matter and see it as solid; yet, in reality, matter is
almost all empty space. We look at the ground and judge it to be unmoving, even
though it is moving very quickly through space. We can be in a closed, empty
room and hear nothing, even though the air in the room is filled with radio
waves carrying all sorts of sounds that we, left to ourselves, can't hear. What
lessons can we draw from this about what it means to live by faith and not by
sight? 
  Drawing on the life of Caleb, how can we nurture new believers, young people,
and children to fill positions of leadership and responsibility in our church? 
 Caleb stuck with his people, even amid their gross sins and mistakes. What
lessons does this have for us, today, as Seventh-day Adventists? 

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