The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 295

II. A RF.WARD SOUGHT LITTLE TO DE DESIRED IN THE EYES OF SOME. Hebron "·as a large city, a royal city, but the surrounding hills were the foetnesses of giants, who must be attacked and driven away. Before the owner coukl settle clown on the, estare he must dislodge the former proprietors. No easy conquest was to be anticipated, yet the courageous soldier said, "Give me this mountain. Others may choose quiet resting-places, let me go to the high places of the field." Is there not here an example worthy of imitation .1 Who will be the advanced f:;1Ulrd of the Christian army to attack the fortresses of Sin and Satan? An -infnsion of Caleb's spfrit would do much to reconcile us to what we mourn ovei- as the l,a,1·dships of our lot. We should take a different view and regard them as our reward, increasing the honour put upon us by God. One man has to struggle in business against fearful odds, another is plagued by a wretched temper, a third is ~orely tempted to murmur under a heavy bereavement. God intends these various trials as discipline and as honours. The troubles are the Anakim, who must be cheerfully, bravely encountered. How deep-felt will be the joy of triumph I :Ko soldier ought to lament when placed by God in the forefront of the battle. V1lien Jesus drew near His hour of suffering He exclaimed," Now is the Son of man glorified.'' Caleb believed that s11ecial power had been given for special work. He appealed to facts as indicative of Jehovah's intention respecting him. Not for indolence had he been "kept alive these forty and five years," and his strength preserved, his strength "for war both to go out and to come in" (vers. 10, 11). This principle admits of wide application. The gifts of God are various. To one is granted money, that institutions may be supported and en~erprises co=enced. To another the power of speech, that be may "speak to the people all the words of this life." To another a persuasive manner, a winning smile, the grace of hos- pitality. These are so many talents of which the Master will exact an account. Nor will the question turn so much on actual accomplishment as on the ratio of abilities to results. III. A..'! ACKNOWLEDGllENT OF DEPENDENCE UPON THE HELP OF Gan. Hi~ speech would sound like the utterance of self-confidence and presumption did there not mu through it a tone of devout thanksgiving, which removes the charge of boastfulness and reveals the source of his assurance. The Lord had kept him alirn, and if the Lord were with him he would soon drive out the giants from their ~trongholds. When David essayed to fight the Philistine ue reasoned from past experience. "The Lord that delivered me . . . bear, wiil tlc,~ver me from . . . Philistine." The same succour is assured to all Christian war:iors. We want this mingled dependence and confidence. " If God be for us, who can be against us? " The commission, " Go therefore, preach the gospel to all nations," was preceded by the announcement, " All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Can we complain of tribulation and distress? "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors;" they do but heighten the victory we gain, " through Him that loved us."-A. Ver. 13.-.A true man. Consider Caleb-the companion of Joshua in early" enterprise, constant faithfulness, Divine reward. From the epithet Kenazite, con- stantly applied to him ; the fact that one of the "dukes of Edom" bears the name Kenaz; and the expression," Unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah" (eh. xv. 13), which suggests that though settled amongst them he was not really of them, many have, with considerable probability, concluded that Caleb was a proselyte. One of those who, like Heber the Kenite, threw in bis lot with Israel-perhaps a Midianitish youth who attached himself to Moses-and by force of faith, energy, and wisdom commended himself for any service of special diflieulty. Whatever his origin, he was one of the twelve prominent men chosen to survey the land and report on the best method of invasion. The result of that expedition was, unfortunately, a unanimous testimony to the excellence of the land, but an all-but unanimous testimony to the impossibility of taking it. Ten out of twelve declared its conquest impossible. Two only-Caleb and Joshua-asserted its prac- ticability. They were too brave and too believing to yield to despaiY. They un. xn. 1-15.] THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 241