5 Lessons We Can Learn about Faith from Joshua and Caleb
- Becky Harling Author
- Updated Oct 25, 2022
The story of Joshua and Caleb is one of the most powerful and provoking stories found in the Old Testament. It is filled with lessons that we can learn about faith and put into practice today.
What Is the Story of Joshua and Caleb?
The story of Joshua and Caleb is found in Numbers 13:1-33. God had promised His people the territory of the promised land. When the people of Israel were camping out in the wilderness, the Lord told Moses to send some men into the land of cannon to explore. God had already made a covenant with the people the land of Cannon would be theirs. He was simply instructing Moses to send spies so that they could report back to Moses what the land was like.
Moses chose leaders from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and instructed them to go and report back about the people, the soil, the crops, and other details.
The spies went up and stealthily entered the land of Cannon and began their exploration. For a full forty days, they explored and gathered information. They even cut a branch that had a huge clusters of grapes on it. The grapes were so luscious and big that it took two men to carry the branch back. They also brought back pomegranates and figs.
When the spies returned, they went before Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly of Israelites to report on their findings. However, that’s when the problems began. After showing Moses and Aaron the fruit they went on to report that the people living there were very powerful and their cities were very fortified. Ten of the spies believed that the Israelites should not attack the people of Cannon even though God had already promised them victory.
Joshua and Caleb, however, had a completely different perspective. Joshua and Caleb believed with all their hearts that they should go up against the Canaanites because they believed that God would give them victory. However, the people of Israel became so angry with Joshua and Caleb that they talked about stoning them. In their anger, the Israelites grumbled against the Lord and against Moses, complaining that they should have stayed in Egypt. God was angry with the response of the people. All the men who were sent into the land to spy, “were struck down and died of a plague” (Numbers 14:37), except for Joshua and Caleb. God told the Israelites that as a consequence for their grumbling they would wander in the desert for 40 years.
As we reflect on this story, there are several lessons we can learn about faith from Joshua and Caleb.
Here are five lessons we can learn about faith from Joshua and Caleb:
1. Faith Involves Risk
Faith trusts God and His promises, but it always involves risk. God had told the spies to go and explore the land He was giving to the Israelites. However, trusting God and obeying involved risk on the part of the spies entering the land. They had to risk their safety in order to do the thing God commanded.
Faith still involves risk today. When God calls missionaries or church planters to go to a country closed off to the gospel, it involves a risk. It could cost that missionary their life. When God calls us to partner with Him in adoption, it’s a risk. The adoption could fail or the child we’ve adopted might not bond with us. When God calls us to witness to a family member or neighbor it involves risk. We might get rejected or shunned. Friend, faith always involves a risk because you are putting your confidence in God who you cannot see. Yet, scripture tells us “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
2. Faith Can Be Costly
For Joshua and Caleb, their faith was costly. The entire assembly of Israel turned against them and wanted to stone them. I imagine they lost many friends that day as the vast majority of the people believed the other spies were correct in their fear.
In the early 1950s, five missionary men who felt God had called them to minister to a tribe in the Amazon, were killed by that same tribe. Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming and Roger Youderian, were all murdered as they ventured to make contact with the Huaorani people. Elizabeth Elliot, wife of the late Jim Elliot, went on to write 24 books after her husband’s death. Elizabeth had a profound understanding of the cost of faith and obedience and often wrote about those subjects. In our age of indulgence we need the reminder that faith is costly and Jesus actually said it would be costly. He instructed us to take up our cross and follow Him (Luke9:24-25).
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3. Faith Looks to God
Joshua and Caleb saw the same people and circumstances the other spies saw. Yet, they had a different response. Why? Joshua and Caleb had their eyes focused on God’s almighty character rather than the challenges. The other spies focused on the challenges rather than God’s character. As a result, they spread negativity all through the camp.
The lesson for us is that when challenges are great we need to shift our focus off our problems and fix it firmly on the Lord. Every assignment from God has challenges. However, if that’s where you fix your focus you’ll be overwhelmed with fear. Instead, fix your focus on the almighty power of God.
There was an old song sung many years ago written by Charles Wesley. It has been sung through the years by many a missionary following God’s call.
“Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees
And looks to God Alone;
Laughs at impossibilities
And Cries: It shall be done!
And Cries; It shall be done!
And Cries: It shall be done!
Laughs at impossibilities
And cries: It shall be done!”
We need the faith of Joshua and Caleb, that looked to God alone and cried out, it shall be done!
4. Faith Often Requires Waiting
After spying on the land and giving a faith-filled report, it took another 40 years till God allowed Joshua and Caleb to enter the promised land. 40 years must have felt like a long time! I wonder how they nurtured their faith during those years. Their waiting was the result of the sin of the other 10 spies who did not believe the promise of God. However, often God uses waiting to refine His instruments and to set the stage for His glory.
At age 85, 45 years after they spied on the land, Caleb asked Joshua to give him the land that the Lord had promised Him for His family. Even at age 85, He trusted the Lord would use him to drive out the Anakites.
The lesson for us is that even when God has promised something, it might take a long time for us to see the promise fulfilled. However, in the waiting, our faith can be strengthened. Like Caleb we can remain trusting the Lord even into our old age.
5. Faith Results in Fruitfulness
Moses’s words to the Spies before they were sent out were, “Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” While the spies brought back fruit all but Joshua and Caleb lacked faith. God had made a covenant with His people that they would enter the promised land, yet, 10 of the spies lacked the courageous faith necessary to act on God’s promise. As a result, they didn’t get to enjoy the fruit of the promised land. Joshua and Caleb, however, not only enjoyed the literal fruit of the land, they also experienced the fruitfulness that comes in our spiritual lives as we walk with Jesus faithfully over time. Joshua rose up to leadership behind Moses, and Caleb enjoyed living with joy and resilience even into his old age. At 85, he requests, “give me this mountain.”
We now live in the new covenant. And the fruit that God has promised are the fruits of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). We want those qualities but that means we have to step out in courageous faith to receive them. We must walk out our faith with courageous trust and active obedience, only then will we see the long-term fruitfulness we desire.
The story of Joshua and Caleb has many lessons for you and I and how we live out a life of faith. May we remember that faith involves risk, faith can be costly, faith looks to God, faith often requires waiting and yet, faith results in fruitful living.
Lord God, may we rise up in this moment in history with the faith and courage of Joshua and Caleb. Fill our hearts with resilient certainty as we seek to live a life of trust. May we walk in obedience to Your will and enjoy the fruitful life You intended for us.
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