The Lodestar

Claiming the city of Hebron was an important phase of the conquest of the land for many reasons. Historically, the history of Israel would not have been complete without Hebron. It was the main link between the nation's founding mothers and fathers and the people who came out of slavery in Egypt.

Abraham pitched his tent there during his sojourn while exploring the land the Lord had promised him. He made an altar and worshipped God (Gen 13:18). Though he was a nomad, he bought a small patch of land there to bury his wife, Sarah. Later, it became the resting place for his son Isaac, daughter-in-law Rebecca, grandson Jacob, and wife Leah.

The report that giants lived in Hebron frightened the people on their march to the promised land (Num 13:25—33 ). They did not want to move forward, though Joshua and Caleb encouraged them. But they had to pay for their lack of faith by wandering in the wilderness until they all perished.

But now, after forty years of wandering and the death of the rebellious generation (except Joshua and Caleb), they are in the promised land. Joshua’s campaign humbled the giant Anakims (11:21), but they might have reasserted themselves when Caleb laid his claim. At eighty-five, Caleb was determined to repossess the land sacred in their memory.

Caleb ventures on the task with faith that “the LORD will be with me.” He reaffirms this by saying, “I shall drive them out just as the LORD said.” Caleb was not setting out for a mere adventure; it was a faith venture to claim what the Lord promised them.

He was determined that the Lord's promises must be fulfilled in full. While others were happy with what they got, Caleb was not.

That is called adamant faith, faith that never forgets divine promises in our lives, waiting for them to be fulfilled and being bold enough to do our part in realising them. While claiming the Lord’s promises for your life, ensure that you have claimed all of them.

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