Give Me The Hill CountrySample

After the death of Joshua, many of the people decided to stop fighting and live the simple life, but others decided to keep pressing in until the job of conquering the Promised Land was finished. Caleb, of course, was one of them.

This story of how he offers a daughter in marriage to the champion who takes the city may strike our modern sensibilities as barbaric. It’s certainly a good thing that women are not offered as war prizes by the civilized world, although in some parts of our planet that kind of thing still occurs.

What is important here is that Caleb, in his cultural context and time, is demonstrating what can happen when a man is noble, brave, and strong. He receives esteem, fulfills his destiny, and “gets the girl.” There was a time when that was viewed as the ultimate happy ending.

It is worth noting that the champion who wins his daughter is Othniel, a young man Caleb clearly would have known because this was his nephew. In some way, Othniel had been influenced by Caleb’s example of heroism and duty and now he begins to sense his own destiny. A happy ending for both the bride and groom, because in those days marrying well was much more esteemed than it is now. 

The Lord is faithful to give us opportunities for good battle, and Caleb’s life demonstrated this repeatedly.

What the people deserve here is death, not removal of blessing. Removal of blessing means we don't get to see the full fruition of what God intended to bring to our lives. That is certainly sad, but it is far preferable to the fate we actually deserve. God is quick to forgive when people repent. Praise His name for that. But we can't operate as though we have the right to demand things from Him or feel unduly put out because He removes blessing from our lives. It is a loving gift from a Heavenly Father who cares for us to be disciplined. As for Caleb, it comes full circle for him.

He proved himself in the danger-wracked crucible of faithful service with a willingness to trust the Lord no matter what, and now he gets to hear his reward pronounced in front of the assembly. He alone among the multitude was possessed of a "different spirit." He and Joshua will go on to inhabit the land, and they will be the only two of their generation.When it comes our time to be tested, may we be found worthy of it by having hearts locked in to our King, awaiting His orders.