Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1944-07-07
TAKING POSSESSION OF
CANAAN

LESSON TEXT - Joshua N;s.lA:
Judges leo. 81.
GOLDEN TExT-Thou hast wholly fol-
llewed the Lord.-Joshua iA:s.
Companions In battle usually
means friends and comrades for
life. Joshua, Of whom we studied
list week. had such friend In
CAleb. Together they had faced the
crises Of life.
Caleb Is one Of the characters
about whom the Bible does not say
much. but In every case the word
= one revealing high and noble
character. Consider such passages
- Numbers 1876. 30: 1879. "A. 80:
0:06, a. well as our lesson for
today.
The background for our study 10
The story Of Caleb's courageous
stand with Joshua when the spies re-
turned from their visit to Canaan.
which 10 related In Numbers Is.
Note frst Of all Caleb's
L Perfect Obedience Gosh. IA:
50.
II wholly followed the Lord my
God" Such testimony from a man
like Caleb Is no idle boast, no effort
TO parade his faith and piety before
oIhers. In saying II he was repeating
what God and Moses had both said
shout him. In his heart he knew II
70 BE- true.
Il h Gods will for each Of His
children that they should come to
such 4 place Of simple trust and
complete obedience that in every
circumstance Of life they need
know only one thing-God's will. and
then IN faith to 60 and do It. II is =
lfs beautiful In it, transparent
simplicity and powerful In the
strength Of God Himself.
n. Premlsed Inheritance ". o..
Surely The land whereon thy feet
have troddsn shall be thine inheri-
tanee." Such was the promise Of
God through Moses. Forty-nve long
years had elapsed. but down
through this period Of wilderness
wanderings and he conflict In sub
DUNG Canaan the promise had lived
a Caleb's heart. He knew II would
b fulfilled. and he waited serenely
Sur Gods time.
Such also are the promises Of God
which keep The heart singing in our
hours of trial and sorrow. which
Light up The dark ways. which
Strengthen the heart Of His children.
Learn Cod's promises. cherish them
IN yeur heart. expect God to fulfill
them.
m. Preserved Strength tvv. 10.
I'D.
The Lord hath kept me alive ),
and ! am strong" Here was
man kept Of God, In full vigor In
his eighty-nfth year. like q rock In
= changef,il sea. like . snow
capped peak In . change of cloud
and storm and sun" tMeyer). No
doubt there was here what our fore
fathers liked to call ''the longevity
Of the antediluvians": but even
apart from that. let US recognize
that life and strength come from
God. and that those who walk with
God in holy living may count on
Him for the renewed strength Of
Psalm 1925.
An incidental but extremely i'm
portant lesson we should learn Is
that God has nc age deadline. The
church has frequently sinned against
Him and against His faithful serv-
ants by shelving them" for
younger men. when they would have
brought blessing If the church had
encouraged and used them. The
writer of these lines is a young man.
but he would speak here word of
loving admonition regarding his hon.
ored brethren who have gone on be-
fore to bear the brunt of the battle.
Nv. Powerful Assurance wv. IL,
Is; judy. l:20-2D.
; IF :. the Lord will be with me,
then ! shall be able" Caleb asked
for no easy task He was ready to so
up against the giants OF Hebron.
Read Deuteronomy Sill. and you
will find that there were men In,
those days who needed thirtcen-foot
beds. But Caleb was not afraid. He
counted not on bis own strength.
but on the power Of God.
1t is significant that. while the
other sections Of Canaan we're only
partially conquered. Caleb brought
his formidable adversaries entirely
under control. so that 'the land had
rest from war" ". l0. The verses
in Judges l indicate that Caleb was
as good as his word. He was
doughty. God-fearing 85-year-old.
His faith Is here contrasted with the
shameful unbelief and failure Of Is
raeL
The spiritual application to our
day Is evident ard appropriate.
There are giants In the land. Cor.
ruption social and individual ---.
raises Its brazen head. Drunken-i
ness and vice leer at us with the i'm
pudent suggestion that we cannot
control them.
There are giants within us 80
greed, selfshness, love Of ease, lust.
passion, cruelty" (Blaikie).
Are we to do nothing about them?
n we are 10 meet them In the
4.