7. Joshua and Caleb: Gangsters for God

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JOSHUA AND CALEB

Gangsters for God

Andthewallscamea-tumblin’ down. The lyrics of this lively spiritual say it all. The stronghold of Jericho is taken by Joshua, his small fighting force—and God. Indeed, Joshua is the recipient of more military miracles than any other warrior in the Bible. The first real military strategist and commander, he courageously leads his men into battle. Abraham led no more than a small militia, and Moses was not directly involved in warfare at all.

Joshua had grown up a slave in Egypt with no apparent preparation in the art of warfare, though he may have observed the highly trained professional Egyptian army. Like Moses, those who lead the way into the Promised Land and carry out God’s plans appear to be a most unlikely and hapless lot. They sometimes possess remarkable courage and faith, but little more. They appear on the surface to be the least probable candidates for greatness.

Caleb is also a key player in this drama, but he is eighty-five when he begins his undercover career. None of the other spies except Joshua are worth their salt. Rahab will lend her support, but she’s a harlot. What is God thinking? Where are the lean, muscular, disciplined young men? Where is the taut, handsome specimen of humanity like Alexander the Great?

And from a strategic perspective, the timing seems off. Wandering in a wilderness eating manna for forty years does not equate with normal preparedness for major military campaigns. The incredible defeat of the Egyptians would seem to have served as a much better launching pad for conquest than decades of complaining, defying, rebelling, and the consequent harsh punishments meted out by God.

But God’s timing does not necessarily correlate with humanity’s, nor does his choice of leaders. Indeed, the underlying theme relating to great heroes of the faith like Joshua and Caleb is, yes, they have courage, but God is the one pulling the strings. God gets things done and oversees the entry into the Promised Land.

The occupiers—or enemies—in Canaan are not a cohesive population that is easily differentiated from those followers of Moses and Yahweh. The term Hebrews was a term of derision, often referring to social outcasts; it sometimes included the Canaanites themselves, and of course it included those entering the land with Joshua. Later the term would be associated almost exclusively with the people of Israel. But the Israelites would intermarry, and among them would be many outsiders, including Rahab, a Canaanite, and Caleb, a Kenizzite (a Canaanite people partially absorbed by the tribe of Judah).

Notwithstanding all of Joshua’s victories, vast numbers of those who had occupied the land would remain and cause problems in the generations to follow. In fact, some three hundred years later King Solomon would force large numbers of non-Israelites into slave labor.

There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land—whom the Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.[1]

Joshua: Successor to Moses

It is the first skirmish of his military career. He’s in a valley at Rephidim in the heat of battle. The enemy is ferocious. These Amalekites, a warring nomadic tribe, have ambushed the Israelites from the rear. But Joshua and his fierce fighting men have the upper hand. Then, in the blink of an eye, with no obvious explanation, the Amalekites are crushing them. What’s happening? What did he do wrong? How did they so quickly gain the advantage? But suddenly, again for no apparent reason, the tide turns and his men are triumphing over these vicious warriors in hand-to-hand combat. But it doesn’t last. Soon the enemy is again prevailing, and it goes back and forth until his men finally gain the advantage and hold it through the afternoon. By nightfall they have thoroughly trounced the enemy.

Another thing is clearly seen in God’s preparation of Joshua: Joshua was reminded of the interplay between the seen and the unseen worlds. There is no vast chasm between them; the unseen world is right here. The unseen world is always immediately present, not far off. Above everything and overshadowing everything is the reality of God in his glory. It undoubtedly stood Joshua in good stead many times for him to understand that God was close at hand, that he is the god who exists and who is “here.”

Unbeknownst to Joshua, when Moses raises his hands, his men prevail, but when Moses tires and lowers his hands the Amalekites are winning. Only with the assistance of Aaron and Hur is Moses able to hold up his hands until sundown. A strange military strategy, but it works.

This account introduces the military leader who fights his way into the Promised Land. Joshua, son of Nun, had worked closely with Moses since he was a young man—so close and faithful to the master that he becomes his successor. To Moses, he is loyal to a fault. On one occasion when two men are prophesying in what he perceives to be an unauthorized manner, he runs to his boss: “Moses, master! Stop them!” Moses gently reproves him: “Are you jealous for me? Would that all GOD’s people were prophets.”[2]

Joshua goes with Moses, Aaron, Aaron’s two sons, and seventy elders up to Mount Sinai after the covenant had been ratified. But only Moses and Joshua continue up the mountain. Why was Joshua alone afforded this privilege? Was he Moses’ personal attendant, or was he simply his most faithful lieutenant? While Moses is in the cloud for forty days, Joshua waits. Together they descend the mountain, and Joshua reports to Moses that he hears a noise like the sound of war, which turns out to be the celebration of the golden calf. Joshua is stunned by the brazen display of idolatry.

Before he dies, Moses gives Joshua a charge from God: “Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.”[3]

Now Joshua is hearing directly from God, who commissions him to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. God does not beat around the bush: “Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. . . . I’m giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses.”[4]

Joshua wastes no time. He sends his captains throughout the camp with an order to pack up belongings and begin the crossing in three days. The people promise to follow the command of Joshua to the letter—even as they did Moses (which can hardly reassure him).

Imagine how the young man Joshua felt. Moses had left him and gone beyond. There had been thunder and lightning. Moses came down and had stone tablets in his hands, and on these tablets were words that could be read, words that had been placed there by God himself. Imagine the emotion! Yet when the two men came back into the camp, the people were in total rebellion. Here Joshua learned another truth: the terribleness of sin, especially among the people of God. This was sobering, and Joshua never forgot it.

The first military operation Joshua carries out as leader of the Israelites in his own right is to send two spies to Jericho. They arrive at the walled city in broad daylight, appearing like any other travelers, and ask around for lodging and the services of a prostitute. They are referred to Rahab. Working undercover, they avoid raising eyebrows. But someone is alert, concerned about homeland security. A report comes to the king, who sends word to the prostitute that she must bring these strangers to him. Instead, she hides them and engineers their escape under cover of darkness.

The spies hide in the hills for three days and then return to Joshua, giving him the news he wants to hear. They report that the inhabitants are afraid of the Israelites and are beginning to panic. The next day Joshua prepares the entire company to cross over the Jordan River. From God he receives confirmation of his leadership: “This very day I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel. They’ll see for themselves that I’m with you in the same way that I was with Moses.”[5]

As confirmation of his leadership, Joshua witnesses a miracle fully as spectacular as the parting of the Red Sea. The priests, toting the Chest of the Covenant, dip their toes in the water, and the river stops flowing. It simply “piled up in a heap” until all the people pass through on dry land.[6]

After crossing the Jordan, Joshua, following God’s instructions, chooses one man from each of the twelve tribes. Each of them is to take a large stone from the dry riverbed and carry it to the bank where the camp will be set up for the night. There they will build an altar of memorial stones. Why? “When your children ask you, ‘What are these stones to you?’ you’ll say, ‘The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of the Covenant of GOD as it crossed the Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.’”[7]

Piling up stones is easy. The next event for the Israelites will not be. Under God’s direction, Joshua makes stone knives and then circumcises all the males who had left Egypt and had not been present for the previous mass circumcision ceremony. The men should not have been surprised, since the account of the previous event had no doubt been told and retold. They might have complained loudly, but they have just witnessed Joshua’s access to the power of God. They submit to the surgery, and the place is called Foreskins Hill—another memorial to God.

Having crossed the Jordan, Joshua and some two million Israelites settle down, now eating produce from fields rather than manna from heaven. Then one day, while Joshua is out gazing toward Jericho, he comes face-to-face with his own burning bush—in this instance an angel appearing as a man wielding a sword. Joshua boldly demands whose side he is on—the side of the Israelites or the enemies? The answer is astounding. The angel declares neutrality. He’s on neither side. Rather, he commands God’s army. He might have added: God doesn’t take sides with people; rather, people are compelled to take sides with God.

Joshua’s response is instantaneous. He falls on the ground and worships, and only then inquires what he should do. The angel, in words eerily reminiscent of God’s words to Moses from the burning bush, tells Joshua to take off his sandals because he is standing on holy ground.

The destruction of the walls of Jericho

Now Joshua is ready to face Jericho head-on. With God’s detailed plan, he orders seven priests with trumpets and all his soldiers to march around the walled city. On the surface this is hardly a sound military strategy. But they follow God’s orders and march around the city one time each day for six days. On the seventh day they march seven times. As they march, the priests blast their ram’s horns. On the final march on the last day, all the armed men, on command, scream at the top of their lungs. With that, the walls collapse and the soldiers rush in and kill everything alive, both humans and animals.

Joshua then orders the city to be burned, but not before looting all the precious metals they could find as well as rescuing Rahab and her family. This incredible victory over Jericho brings Joshua widespread fame as an army general to be feared.

But there is sin in the camp. Achan and others appropriate valuable items from Jericho for themselves, thinking they will not be discovered. But when the Israelites attack Ai, the army is soundly defeated.

So beside himself is Joshua that he tears his clothes and flings himself on the ground, throwing dirt on his head, a ritual imitated by others as well. He cries out to God in anguish over the decision to cross the Jordan and settle in hostile territory. God is not moved by his groveling. Israel deserves the defeat. Play by God’s rules or suffer the consequences.

On orders from God, Joshua then calls each tribe, clan by clan and family by family, to appear before him for inspection. Everyone is searched. Anyone found with pilfered goods is to be burned to death along with the valuables. When Achan is called up, he admits his wrongdoing, confessing he had stolen a priceless robe along with silver and gold, all of which he has buried in his tent. The punishment is severe. Joshua takes the valuables and then orders him and his family and all their livestock and possessions to be removed to the Valley of Achor. There he and his family are stoned to death.

With the punishment over, Joshua, again under the command of God, sends thousands of soldiers to sneak back toward Ai to lie in wait for an ambush. Joshua arrives in the light of day ready for battle. The whole city comes out for the fight. But he and his men make a hasty retreat before the battle can even begin. As the enemy army chases after them, the hidden army ambushes the empty city and sets it on fire. When Joshua and his men see the flames, they turn around to face the enemy, with the remainder of the army attacking from the rear.

Everyday Life

Warfare and Weapons

Joshua is the first great Israelite warrior and military commander of the Bible. His career profile is filled with war stories and victories—victories engineered by God. Indeed, the Hebrew people, after hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt, were no match for their enemies, many of whom employed iron weapons. The Philistines in particular manufactured weapons that were far more advanced than anything Joshua and his men would have had access to.

The armies of ancient Israel often fought in hand-to-hand combat against their enemies. The commanders or kings might be in the midst of battle on a horse or in a chariot, but foot soldiers made up the ranks of the fighting force. Their weapons were sometimes no more than farming implements. On the other hand, a well-supplied militia would go to battle with swords, spears, javelins, slingshots, and bows and arrows. Defensive gear consisted of everything from shields, breastplates, and helmets to full body armor—sometimes carried by an armor bearer. In later years David for a time served as one of Saul’s armor bearers.

Though the history of war is not the history of the Old Testament, we cannot understand the Old Testament without reference to war. It may be too much to claim that one can find war and conflict on every page of the Hebrew Bible, but not by much. War was almost a daily part of ancient Israelite life, primarily because of that nation’s size and location. Here was a nation no larger than the state of Vermont located in the strategic Syria-Palestinian corridor—and all the surrounding nations coveted it. Egypt in the south and various Mesopotamian empires in the north-northeast saw that territory as a buffer zone to protect themselves from encroaching armies bent on conquest and pillage.

Joshua, with his javelin held high, commands the day-long attack. The twelve thousand inhabitants of the city are slaughtered, including the king, who is taken alive but later hanged. With that accomplished, Joshua builds an altar and worships God.

Though a capable military leader, Joshua uncharacteristically allows himself to be deceived by the Gibeonites. They convince him they have recently moved close by and want only to live in peace. So he makes a treaty with them. He discovers too late, however, that they are up to no good. In the end it is decided that they can be a part of the people of Israel, but must be servants to them—haulers of water and hewers of wood.

Joshua burns the town of Ai

Such treaties terrify neighboring tribes. They form a league to do battle against Joshua and his army, but they don’t stand a chance. “GOD pitched huge stones on them out of the sky.” Indeed, “More died from the hailstones than the People of Israel killed with the sword.”[8]

But another incident during this battle is more spectacular yet. “The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day”[9] until the battle is over and Joshua defeats the enemy. Even those who are on the run are eventually killed or captured, including five tribal chieftains. Joshua himself has the grisly pleasure of hanging each of them on his own tree. More battles will follow, and by the time Joshua is done, his conquest includes virtually the entire southern region.

His work is not over, however. The tribes in the northern mountains and elsewhere are joining together to put an end to Joshua and his army once and for all. But through battle after battle, the region is conquered with the defeat of a total of thirty-one kings. The land now belongs to the Israelites, and Joshua begins assigning a region to each of the tribes.

This is a major undertaking. The road to land division is rocky and there are many potholes along the way. But eventually the allotments are doled out, and Joshua, who is now very old, begins to turn over leadership to tribal elders. When the apportionment is completed he calls the Israelites together and gives his farewell address: “I’m an old man. I’ve lived a long time. You have seen everything that GOD has done to these nations because of you. . . . Now, stay strong and steady. Obediently do everything written in the Book of The Revelation of Moses.”[10]

Joshua bids it [the sun] stay and rest there, in other words, remain above what is called the horizon. In short, the sun, which was already declining to the west, is kept from setting. I do not give myself any great anxiety as to the number of the hours; because it is enough for me that the day was continued through the whole night. Were histories of that period extant, they would doubtless celebrate this great miracle; lest its credibility, however, should be questioned, the writer of this book mentions that an account of it was given elsewhere, though the work which he quotes has been lost.

Joshua’s final message also contains a history lesson from God, beginning with Abraham, who, with his father and brother, worshiped false gods. But then God called Abraham to leave that behind and to journey to Canaan. The narrative moves on to Isaac, Jacob, Esau—nothing about Joseph—and on to Moses and Aaron, where the account becomes much more detailed, as various battles are recalled.

The sermon ends with a challenge. Recognizing that these often-wayward Israelites had many options, he boldly lays the choice before them: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”[11] The people have a choice, but Joshua’s history lesson makes it very clear that if they do not serve the Lord, there will be hell to pay. God had not dealt kindly with those who had strayed off to worship other gods. He is a jealous God, who does not take sin lightly. The people in unison commit themselves to obeying and worshiping God.

Joshua leaves nothing to chance. He lays out a detailed covenant for all the people gathered at Shechem. It is an official set of guidelines they must follow that he designates as the “Book of The Revelation of God.”[12] To mark the occasion, he places a large rock at the base of an oak tree. This, he tells the people, is a reminder should they be tempted to sin against God.

Soon after this, Joshua dies at the age of 110. He has carried out his duties well. He was a warrior and a leader of the people, though not a lawgiver. From beginning to end he has held fast to the law of his master and mentor Moses.

Caleb: Spy with Strong Convictions

He is introduced as a spy. And although he is far more than that—a soldier and Joshua’s most trusted lieutenant—he will always be remembered primarily as a spy. Soon after Moses leads the children of Israel across the Red Sea, he sends out spies to scout out Canaan. It is Moses’ hope that, once the spies return with a positive report, the conquering of Canaan will be the next step.

Twelve spies are selected from each of the tribes, among them Caleb from the tribe of Judah and Joshua from Ephraim. Moses instructs them to essentially exegete the land. They are to examine every angle and gather all pertinent information on encampments, cities, countryside, military might, population statistics, farming trends, produce samples, and anything else that could aid in his plans to conquer the region.

After forty days of investigation, they return. Standing before Moses and Aaron, they give their report. The good news: “It does flow with milk and honey! Just look at this fruit!” The bad news: “The people who live there are fierce, their cities are huge and well fortified. Worse yet, we saw descendants of the giant Anak.”[13]

Whether true or not, this is the majority report. The people are groaning. Here they are in the wilderness, only to learn that the Promised Land is occupied by giants and dotted by militarized cities. But then Caleb interrupts and demands the people shush. He presents the minority report, introduced with a fight song: “Let’s go up and take the land—now. We can do it.”[14]

But the majority takes the floor, insisting there is no way this land can be conquered. Indeed, the giants in the land are so huge the spies seem in comparison no more than grasshoppers. The people take seriously the majority report and begin to weep and wail, and keep it up all night long. How can they trust Moses? He has led them into the wilderness, and now they have no place to go. They demand a new leader.

Now everything is falling to pieces: the people in an uproar, Moses and Aaron flat on their faces in front of them, Joshua and Caleb tearing their clothes in despair. Joshua and Caleb feel utterly betrayed by the other ten and plead with the vast crowd to consider the fact that God is on their side, which makes all the difference. Besides, they emphasize, the might of the enemy has been grossly exaggerated.

But the people are not convinced. They are scared silly and cannot get the majority report out of their heads. So furious are they with Caleb and Joshua that they begin hurling rocks at them. In the midst of the mayhem the glory of God shines forth. God is livid and says to Moses: “How long will these people treat me like dirt? . . . I’ve had enough—I’m going to hit them with a plague and kill them.”[15]

Moses tries to reason with God, pointing out that killing them would be a bad testimony to the Egyptians. God relents, and the Israelites are condemned to wander in the wilderness for forty years.

After the debacle of the spying expedition and report, Caleb seems to disappear for forty-five years until he is appointed by Moses to assist with the distribution of the land to the various tribes. While performing this task, he and other leaders of his tribe come to Joshua’s headquarters at Gilgal. Caleb is the spokesman. He reminds Joshua of what God told Moses regarding the two of them forty-five years earlier. He was just forty years old at that time when he was commissioned to spy out the land. He recalls how he had brought back an honest assessment (making no mention of Joshua himself), while the other returning spies insisted the enemy was too fierce. Moses had promised him land, so now he is asking Joshua for the hill country around Hebron—the whole mountain, for that matter.

It is true that he was promised the land, but not without his having to put up a fight for it. Populated by fortified cities of the Anakim, Caleb has battles ahead of him. But with God’s help, Caleb promises to conquer the cities and drive the people out of the land. Joshua blesses him and gives the land to him as his rightful inheritance. And Caleb fulfills that promise by conquering the resident population of the hill country that is to become Judah, and he takes over their cities.

What is perhaps most interesting about this encounter between Caleb and Joshua after forty-five years is Caleb’s testimony regarding his own health. He is remarkably fit for eighty-five: “I’m as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I’m as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going.”[16]

Rahab: Prostitute Who Hid Spies

She is a harlot working in the world’s oldest profession, a career considered shameful not just among the Israelites but even in the ancient pagan world. Although prostitutes sometimes gained prestige by being associated with cults, they nevertheless often found themselves on the lowest rung of society and were regarded as morally deficient. Such a stigma was attached to Rahab. She lives in a condo on the massive wall of Jericho, referred to as the “city of palms.” She is not married herself but has family—parents and siblings (no mention of children)—in town. She makes a living by offering sexual services and overnight accommodations. Life is anything but boring.

Strangers coming through town seek her out, and she is not surprised when two undercover agents show up at her door. What transpires after that is not told, but when she learns that the king wants the men turned in, she hides them on the roof under a pile of flax. Not only that; she sends word back to the king that the men had stayed with her but have already left town. She further spins her story: “I have no idea where they went. Hurry up! Chase them—you can still catch them!”[17] All of this after being told they are foreign spies up to no good.

How the mothers would hold up their little children in their arms to look at Caleb as he walked down the street! . . . Caleb had the distinguished reward of being put upon the hardest service. That is always the lot of the most faithful servant of God. There were three huge warriors in Mount Hebron; no one will undertake to kill them, except it be our good old friend Caleb. These Anakims, with their six toes on each foot, and their six fingers on each hand, are to be upset and driven out. Who is to do it? If nobody else will offer himself, here is Caleb. Nay, he does not merely allow himself to be sent upon the service, but he craves permission to be allowed to take the place, the reason being because it was the worst task of the war, and he panted to have the honor of it. Grand old man!

Why would Rahab betray her own city? Had she been treated so badly by the townspeople that she wanted to get back at them? Or is she only seeking to protect herself and her family? That night she goes to the roof and tells the men she knows exactly what they are up to: “I know that GOD has given you the land. We’re all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless. We heard how GOD dried up the waters of the Red Sea” and much more.[18]

She is in a panic and ready to bargain. She is saving their lives and expects them to save hers and that of her father, mother, brothers, and sisters. They agree. If she saves their lives, they will remember her when the army of Israel attacks. So she lets them down from her upper-story dwelling. They crawl out the window and down a rope in the dead of night. She advises them to run directly to the hills and hide for three days before getting on the road back to the Israelite encampment.

Rahab concealing the spies

Rahab indulged in venal wantonness as traveling merchants came her way and were housed in her ill-famed abode. Evidently Rahab had her own house and lived apart from her parents and family. Although she never lost her concern for her dear ones, perhaps she was treated as a moral leper. . . . So, high-spirited and independent she left her parents, set up her own apartment with dire consequences. Frequently women like Rahab are more often sinned against than sinners. Man’s lust for the unlawful is responsible for harlotry.

Before leaving, the men give her a red string and instruct her to hang it as a pledge of their agreement. They tell her to prepare for their return. She must gather her family inside her house. When the day of attack comes, they will be safe as long as they display the scarlet cord.

True to their word, the spies, on orders of Joshua, rescue Rahab and her family before the final destruction of Jericho. The story of Rahab does not end here. She marries Salmon, an Israelite (one of the spies, according to rabbinic tradition), and bears a son. This child is none other than Boaz, who as an adult marries Ruth. Rahab’s grandson is Obed, and her great-grandson is Jesse, the father of David. Thus Rahab the harlot finds her way into the genealogy of Jesus. Indeed, she is so heralded that she is not only honored for her faith in the Epistle of James, but also in Hebrews 11, among such great figures as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. There she is mentioned by name; Joshua is not.

Concluding Observations

Although Joshua is not mentioned by name in the Hebrews Hall of Faith, he clearly plays the lead role in the conquering of Canaan. His preparation for carrying out this assignment begins with his sending spies to Jericho, even before the crossing of the Jordan River. Here the spies and Rahab steal the story. The next hurdle Joshua confronts is the crossing of the Jordan, no easy feat with a seemingly endless line of households and all their possessions. But for a mighty miracle, he would have been at his wit’s end. God intervenes and paves the crossing with dry ground.

Following the crossing, Joshua is confronted with a mission far beyond the ability of any mere military commander. But with more miracles he conquers the land. Jericho, in retrospect, looked easy. March around the city, blow horns, and the walls fall down, almost like Humpty Dumpty. From this point on—if not earlier—Joshua surely knows who the real military commander is. Miracles pile upon miracles, and the sun stands still.

In a sense, the hardest work for Joshua is dividing up and assigning the land. No military miracles in this stage of the game. The focus is back on the mundane work of governing an unruly people. In the process, Joshua’s star seems to dim.

Caleb plays a critical role as a spy, as does Rahab in her own way. She alone among those in the initial conquering of the Promised Land will find her way into New Testament genealogy.