People of Courage: Joshua and Caleb
Icebreaker: How did you or your children/grandchildren find the courage to leave the security of home and start kindergarten?
Numbers 13:1-3, 17-20, 26-27
1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” 3So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. . . . (Verses 4-16 skipped) 17When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) . . . .
26They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.
1. What were the 12 spies asked to do?
2. What was the significance of the food they brought back?
Numbers 13:28 – 14:4
28But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Numbers 14 1That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
3. What did the spies discover that negated the good news of bountiful food?
4. What did the people fear? (Numbers 14:1-4) What giants are we afraid of today?
5. What are some things we blame or make excuses about to avoid the “giants” and challenges in our lives?
Numbers 14:5-9
5Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
6. What did Caleb and Joshua report? (Num. 13:30; 14:6-9)
7. Why do you think Caleb and Joshua warned the Israelites not to rebel? (James 4:17)
James 4:17 (NIV) 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Summary of Joshua 14:10-19: The people wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb for wanting to put their trust in God’s promise. This angered God because of their unbelief. Moses pleaded with God to spare them from his judgment for the sake of His glory and great love and patience. God agreed.
Numbers 14:20-25, 30-35
20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 22not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— 23not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. a ”
30Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”
8. Why do Caleb and Joshua get to go into the promised land? What was the consequence for those who didn’t trust God?
Forty Years Later: Everyone who was over twenty during the refusal to enter the promise land has died, except for Joshua and Caleb. God makes Joshua the leader and calls him to lead Israel into the promised land. God also encourages Joshua and the people to be strong and courageous.
Joshua 1:6-9
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
9. When the Israelites were ready to inherit the promised land, what did God command them to do? And for what reason? (Joshua 1:6)
10. What are some of the promises of God that we can focus on? (Ephesians 1:13-14, Phil 1:6, 1 John 1:9) There are many -what are some other promises?
Ephesians 1:13–14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
11. How are strength and courage developed? (Joshua 1:7-8)
12. How does the presence of God keep us from fear and discouragement? (Joshua 1:9)
13. What are your next steps to develop strength and courage to face your giants today?
Whatever your giant is,
…Whatever you need the courage to do
… We can be strong and courageous!
Focus on God’s Promise
Obey God’s Commands
Trust in God’s Presence