“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
– Numbers 13:30
The setting behind this verse is critical. God’s people now stand on the brink of the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey, prosperous land that God has promised to his people, that’s why it’s called the promised land. He said, “It’s yours for the taking.” And the spies have gone out to scout out the land, and they’ve come back saying, “It is indeed prosperous. It’s awesome. It’s great land.”
Faith believes the Word of God, faith trusts the power of God, and faith is willing to obey God’s Word. May we be men and women who take God at His Word.
This Verse Emphasizes God’s Power to Overcome
But the majority of the spies are saying, “We can’t take it.” That the people are too big. There’s no way we can overcome them, so we just need to turn around, and that’s when Caleb steps up. He quiets the people before Moses and says, “Let’s go. We can take this land. We are well able,” he says, “To overcome it.”
Now, Caleb is not confident here in himself or in the Army for that matter. Look around. At this point, everybody’s scared to death. He doesn’t have a lot of confidence in them. The point is he has total confidence in God. God has promised this land if they’ll just trust him, they can easily, they’re well able, to overcome the obstacle before them. And so we see a picture of faith in Caleb. Faith believes the Word of God. Faith trusts the power of God, and faith is willing to obey God’s Word knowing that God will show his power on our behalf.
Numbers 13:30 Calls Us to Live by Faith
So, may we be men and women of faith like that. May I be a man of faith like this. May I believe God’s Word over and above everything, my own thoughts, other’s thoughts, ideas, all the obstacles that might stand in the way when we’re considering doing something. Let us look to God. If his word says to do this, may we do it, and trust that when we obey, God will show his power. We are well able to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
I’ll never forget reading this chapter one day, I was wrestling with the decision that I was about to make and I was thinking there were so many obstacles. There are so many challenges that lie ahead, and Heather, my wife, and I were both reading this chapter that day. I’m sharing it with her. I don’t know if we should do this because all these obstacles and all these challenges, and Heather says, “Did you not read your Bible today? Like you’re well able to overcome any obstacle, any challenge when you are doing what God is calling you to do.” So, the question is not what are the obstacles, but what are the challenges? The question is, “Is God calling you to do this? Is this God’s will? Is this what God is telling you to do in His Word? And if so, then go.” If so, then go.
Numbers 13:30 Prays for God to Guide Us
So, God help us. Help us to go. Help us to take you at your Word, to do all that you call us to do, confident in you, not ourselves. God, we don’t have reason for confidence in ourselves, but we have total reason for confidence in you, that when you call us to do something, you will be faithful. You will show yourself strong. God, You will lead us. You will guide us. You will help us to overcome.
There is no obstacle, oh God, that is greater than you, and your power. There’s no one, nothing, that can resist you, and can stop your people when they are walking in obedience to you. So, God, help us to walk in obedience to you. Help us not to shrink back in fear. Help us to step forward in faith, we pray. And in the process, we pray you’d show your power and you’re glory in greater ways than we ever could have imagined, as we are trusting in you.
Oh, God, may that be the story of our lives. Make us like Caleb in Numbers 13, we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
