Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History - Ch. 9

Chapter 9 - Caleb's Faithfulness

I. Introduction

A. Review - last week

1. Gibeonites deception (didn't call on the Lord)
2. Israelites defeat southern kingdoms

B. This week

1. Defeat of the northern kingdoms
2. Caleb's faithfulness and his reward
3. Israelites failure to follow through
4. How we mimic the Israelites

II. Defeat of the Northern Kingdoms

A. Joshua continues to follow God
B. Israelite armies conquer 5 allied kings of the northern territory

III. Caleb's Faithfulness and his Reward

A. Recall Caleb and Joshua were only two who originally said they could conquer the land (40 years prior)
B. God promised Caleb land for his steadfast faith (Numbers 14:24)
C. Caleb was 40 when he was sent in to spy out the land
D Israelites wandered for 38 years
E. Caleb now 85, thus it has taken them 7 years to conquer the land
F. Caleb again does as God commands, takes the land and wholly destroys the people
G. Caleb asks Joshua for land of Hebron. Joshua grants his request (Joshua 14: 6-15).

IV. Israelites Fail to Follow Through

A. God has commanded they drive out the current inhabitants of the land
B. Israelites instead let the people stay

1. Israelites wanted peace
2. Israelites wanted riches (defeated to pay tribute) (Joshua 16:10, 17:12-13)

C. Israelites stopped short of what they were called to do.

1. Had opportunity to fully participate in God's gifts, but instead chose the easy way
2. Based on the conditional portion of the covenant (which we've discussed before) the blessings stopped. Had received the unconditional gift of the land, but failed to follow through and get 'the whole enchilada'!
3. Read Deuteronomy 12:2-4,28

V. How We Mimic the Israelites

A. We, too fail to follow through on God's promises
B. We accept the unconditional portion of the covenent (eternal life simply by believing and accepting God's grace found in the redemption of Jesus the Christ)
C. Fail in accepting the conditional portion of the covenant
D. Like the Israelites all we want is earthly peace and earthly wealth
E. Holy Spirit lives in us, however we fail to seek the fruits of His presence

1. Read John 14:18
2. Read Galations 5:22-25
3. Read Luke 8:14-15

BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1) Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History, Frances Schaeffer, InterVarsity Press 1975