What role does obedience play in Caleb's success against the Anakim?

◄ How does obedience aid Caleb's victory? ►

Setting the Scene

Joshua 15:14: “And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.”

Caleb’s Obedient Heart

• Numbers 14:24—“My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly.”

• Deuteronomy 1:36—Caleb will receive the land “because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

• Joshua 14:8-9—Caleb: “I… followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.”

Wholehearted obedience means:

– Trusting God’s word over majority opinion (Numbers 13:30 vs. 13:31-33).

– Rejecting fear of giants.

– Remaining faithful through 40 years of waiting.

Obedience Remembered and Rewarded

1. Preservation—Caleb will live to enter the land (Numbers 14:24).

2. Possession—he will own the hill country he scouted (Deuteronomy 1:36).

3. Power—God will enable him to expel the Anakim (Joshua 14:12).

Obedience in Action

1. Claiming the promise: “The LORD has said… the LORD helping me, I will drive them out” (Joshua 14:12).

2. Acting on the promise: “Caleb drove out… the descendants of Anak” (Joshua 15:14).

3. Completing the command to dispossess the land (Numbers 33:52).

Giants Fall, Promises Stand

• Joshua 1:7—Obey the law, prosper wherever you go.

• Deuteronomy 28:1-2—Obedience brings overflowing blessing.

• Hebrews 3:18-19—Unbelief blocks rest; Caleb’s obedience secures it.

Obedience channels God’s power; disobedience forfeits it.

Takeaways for Today

• Obedience may isolate you from the crowd but aligns you with God’s truth.

• Obedience waits with unwavering confidence in God’s timetable.

• Obedience steps forward when the door opens, trusting God’s strength.

• The God who honored Caleb still empowers obedient believers to topple their “giants.”

Caleb’s victory over the Anakim stands as living proof that obedience is the key that unlocks the fullness of God’s promises.