Take A Stand

”Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.“ ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭10‬

Sometimes taking a stand for what is God’s will is not popular. As I read this passage during my morning quiet time, I thought about how the Israelites had a word from the Lord, a promise of the inheritance of the land which flows with milk and honey. They had been in slavery and were now on the outskirts of obtaining the promise.

Yes, there were giants in the land, but they had seen the Lord part the water and destroy the whole Egyptian army. They had seen God provide for them time and time again throughout the time they had been in the wilderness, manna from heaven and water from a rock. They saw the Lord fight for them and prevail over the enemy. They had also seen the wrath of the Lord as they disobeyed and worshipped a golden calf, when unholy offering was offered, and when they complained about wanting meat to eat.

Despite everything they witnessed and experienced they were not willing to stand on the promise God had given them. In fact, they were willing to stone the two who took God at His word. It was only the glory of the Lord that stopped them from stoning Caleb and Joshua.

Sometimes when we take a stand for the Lord, it will be unpopular. Other people may not see things as we do. Their faith may not be in the same place. It may be that they retaliate against us. However, when God is on our side, His truth will eventually prevail. The only two adults that made it into the Promised Land after forty years in the wilderness were Joshua and Caleb. They were the only two of their generation to obtain the inheritance of the Lord that was promised to Abraham. When we take a stand for the Lord, we can stand on the promise that His word will not return void. We may have to walk through some things to get there, but He will get the glory in the end.

Caleb was given his inheritance.

Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba. (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.) And the land had rest from war. Joshua 14:6-15

Joshua obtained an inheritance.

When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. By command of the Lord they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.

These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land. Joshua 19:49-51

When you take a stand, recognize that you may have to stand alone. You may have to journey long before you see the promise come to pass. You may have to wait to see the promise fulfilled and may have to fight many battles. However, if You take a stand on the promise of the Lord, He will bring it to pass.

Lord, sometimes I know I sit down or back up when You really want me to stand. Help me to take a stand, even if I stand alone when You call me to stand on Your promise.