“Know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em”

Jan. 20

Read: Joshua 15:14-17

“Know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em”

“And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” (v.16)

After faithfully standing by God Most High’s promises for 40 years in the wilderness, Caleb enters the land and he slays giants. At 85 years of age, Caleb went to war with the Anakin - the “sons of Anak” and conquered them handily by the power of the Lord in him. This was the very same “land of the giants” mentioned in Numbers 13, where the spies brought back a bunch of grapes so huge it had to be carried on a pole between two men! Caleb returned to that very same land all those years later and faithfully carried out the mission God had given him.

Then something crazy happens: Caleb continues on to face the people of Debir… in a way he picks a fight. (v. 15) What is odd is this, he asks someone else to go and conquer this city of Debir (aka. “Kiriath-sepher”) Why would he do this? Why would Caleb “outsource” a fight with this city? I think in our minds, we jump to the conclusion that he was not able to conquer them… maybe he was too old… or too weak… or too tired. Maybe we presume he is afraid of them? Does this make sense though? We just read that Caleb has been given supernatural vitality and strength from the Lord. He was the only courageous and trusting spy to enter the land and for forty years kept the faith. He just finished defeating THREE different clans of giants! Do we really think that now… all of a sudden… he becomes a scaredy-cat?! DO we really think that Caleb is a “quitter” like that? Let me propose another way to look at this:

Caleb knew God’s promise to him was “the land his feet had walked upon.” (v. Josh 14:8) What if Debir was simply not a place he had “walked upon” in his original trip into the land? As a result - it would not have been a place the Lord had promised him. What if Caleb knew that it simply was not his fight directly, and to go to battle outside of the promises of the Lord would be folly? Caleb recognized the source of his victory and strength (the Lord) and he knew it was not his battle to fight personally. Yet - Caleb was zealous for the Lord and knew the bigger picture of the people of God in the land. Caleb knew that these evil tribes who are active enemies of YHWH / God Most High needed to be conquered. So Caleb uses the tools he does have to continue the battle against the enemies of God in the way that he can. He uses his influence and the relationships around him (including his daughter) to continue a fight in a different sort of way! Here is the truth in this: NOT EVERY “GOOD FIGHT” IS YOUR GOOD FIGHT TO TAKE UP. Not every “good deed” is necessarily your “good deed” to do. Rather, our best life is the one doing what God has called us to do. When we “go to war” or pick up causes that God has not given to us, we end up fighting/working in our own strength. In the end, things done in our own strength - even “good things” - will quickly unravel and fall apart. In the words of the theologian Kenny Rogers, “you have to know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em.” Caleb wasn’t about to go to war to take land that was not promised to him… but he was going to be an ongoing part of fighting on behalf of God by encouraging the next generation to continue to “fight the giants”.

This is the second truth that comes out of this passage. Caleb’s faithful life and actions inspired his nephew and the next generation to courageously trust and continue to battle alongside the Lord. Othniel would step up to the plate, and conquer this enemy city. In doing so, he would take the hand of Caleb’s daughter in marriage and create an even deeper relational connection to Caleb. What a picture of discipleship, seeking to live life as an example, and “passing the torch” to the next generation. Caleb’s faithfulness to the Lord, his courage, and his strength inspired the next generation of believers to follow YHWH God. Caleb knew it was time for the new guard to continue the fight.

I think this is why Caleb called out for someone to come and fight. Not fear, but faithfulness. Not weakness, but understanding where his strength came from. He knew better than to “pick a fight” that God was not calling him to. He knew fighting outside of God’s promises to us would be a disaster. He also knew that cause/mission of God would be carried on by the next generation and had lived life in full view of them in a way that inspired those young men close to him - namely Othniel - to bravely move forward and fight for the Lord. What battles have you picked that are not yours to fight? What promises has God made to you that you need to trust him to keep? Who is the next generation that you are investing in? What are you calling people to action around? Good stuff form our man Caleb! Love you guys. -JDP