Teaching resource for Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson for July 12

Joshua 14 Questions

Ideas and questions for Bible study group members and leaders to study Joshua 14.

First, break the group into pairs.

Second, use the following icebreaker question: Caleb said he was just as strong at age 85 as he was at age 40. Tell the name of your parents and their ages. If they are deceased, what age did they live to?

Section 1: Joshua 14:1–5

1. Who was Eleazar and what was the significance of his being involved in the portioning of the land? He was Aaron’s third son and became high priest upon his father’s death. His involvement indicated that the dividing of the land was not just a real estate matter but a sacred matter.
2. Was the land divided in a haphazard way or was there a plan? There was a plan, and it was God’s plan. 
3. Should we live our lives like pinballs in a pinball machine or follow God’s plan? Which is best? God’s plan is always the best plan. 
4. How can we know God’s plan for our lives? There are general principles in his Word that guide us, as well as prayer, leadership of the Holy Spirit, and the counsel of wise Christians.
5. Why does the writer of Joshua go into great detail about the land in 14:2–4? As was mentioned above, God had a detailed plan.
6. Did the Israelites do as Moses had commanded? Yes. Do we always follow God’s plan for our lives, church, business, etc. Unfortunately, not.

 Section 2: Joshua 14:6–9

1. Who were the Kenizzites? According to Genesis 15:19, they were an indigenous tribe inhabiting the land the Lord promised to give to Abraham and his descendants. At some point they may have been attached to the tribe of Judah. The significance is that Caleb may have had non-Israelite roots, but became a man of great faith.
2. Was it difficult for Joshua and Caleb to be the only two of the twelve spies to bring back an honest report when the other ten exaggerated their report? It’s always difficult to be in the minority even when we are right. Forty-five years later, was Caleb happy that he gave an honest report? No doubt. He was also looking forward to the reward of the land which Moses had promised him.
3. Does peer pressure sometimes keep us from giving an “honest report”? Yes.
4. What did the majority report cause the people to do? Lose heart.
5. On the other hand, what did Caleb say that he had done? He followed the Lord his God completely?
6. Do we always follow the Lord completely, and if not, why not? Of course we do not. Let group members share ideas. One possible reason is that we think that our way is better than God’s way. We are afraid that we will miss out on something if we follow God completely.

Section 3: Joshua 14:10–15

1. To whom did Caleb give credit for keeping him alive the last 45 years? The Lord.
2. Who has kept us alive all these years, whether we are young or old? The Lord.
3. Are there lessons we can learn about health, strength, and longevity from Caleb?  Having a clear sense of purpose for life and a reason for living seem to enhance but not guarantee longevity. The fact that Caleb and everyone in that day walked everywhere may tell us something. 
4. As a follow up to #3, answer the following questions: 
   1. Does the Lord expect us to use common sense and get regular check-ups, including age-appropriate tests and screenings? B. What about diet and exercise? C. What about the use of substances that can harm our bodies and have the potential for addiction?
   2. What else can we learn from Caleb from his statement in 14:12? It was because of the Anakim “giants” that the ten spies said they could not take the land. They were indeed a fierce people, yet the hill country they occupied was the land Caleb wanted. He had great faith and liked a challenge.

Bonus Question: What hymn contains the phrase “whatever my lot”?  It Is Well With My Soul by Philip Bliss, 1838-1876. That first verse goes on to say, “Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.” 

What application do you see to Joshua 14? The assigning of the land was done by the casting of the lots, a common Old Testament way of knowing God’s will. We can assume that each tribe was content with their portion or lot of land.  Should we content with our “lot” in life?