“Give me my mountain!”
How many times have we heard this phrase preached? How many times have we centered on the vigorous desire of an aged Caleb who–after 40 years wandering in the wilderness–confronted Joshua regarding Moses’ promise that Caleb should receive the mountain region of Hebron? Quite a bit, I should say!
What if the mountain is more than a mountain? What if the mountain became a stronghold of giants due–not because of the land itself–but because of what the land harbored? What do I mean? That is the point of this short little post meant to stretch your thinking and provide you food for thought.
Hebron for Inheritance
Joshua 14:6–13 (KJV 1900) — 6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
The mountain that Caleb wanted was none other than Hebron. What’s so important about Hebron?
Genesis 23:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
Genesis 23:19–20 (KJV 1900) — 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
Caleb’s mountain has meaning! It’s tied to his foundational ancestor whose lineage is tethered to covenant and purpose. I think it not a coincidence that giants came to occupy this land. Is this not how strongholds oft develop; on the remnants of past connections to faith, revival, and victory? Thank God for a Caleb who was willing to lay claim–once again–to Hebron! I couldn’t help but think of David, standing in the midst of the Valley of Elah, saying, “Is there not a cause?”
The Cause is Behind the Giant
So easy to overlook, but the giant (amazing that we are once again facing giants) is merely a distraction from something that has been purchased with blood in the past. What is it?
1 Samuel 17:1 (KJV 1900) — 1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
Where were the Philistines gathered? At Shochoh! Don’t miss the key phrase that follows!
“WHICH BELONGETH TO JUDAH”
It’s easy to get distracted by giants and overlook the land upon which the Philistines encamp along the “borders of blood” (i.e. ephes-dammim). Easy for a Benjamite (Saul) to appraise the property as a worthwhile loss if it means not confronting the giant. It is very easy to sacrifice to the enemy what your family didn’t die for, is it not! Yet, a little boy named David from Judah (the least tribe of Judah) enters into the Valley, and is willing to confront a giant to chase the pesky Philistines from property that belongs to Judah. A praiser shows up to claim what belongs to praise!
Have we not learned? Do these texts not teach us that the enemy likes to set itself upon or in the way of things that belong to us? Things that have value, purpose, and history? In the area we are planting a church–just about 3 miles down the road–there is a large building complex that used to house one of the most successful churches in the Portland Metro. Sadly, due to failures, compromise, and infighting there is nothing remaining of a once successful Apostolic church. Now, a Russian Serbian Orthodox church stands there, seldom ever meeting. My city has bones, blood, sweat, tears, and prayers that seemingly have been swallowed up by giants. Well–that is, until we showed up and began to ask, “is there not a cause?”
GIVE ME MY MOUNTAIN!
-Timothy Hadden