"Give Me This Mountain!"

Sometimes when we read the Bible, we can gloss over a story that seems outdated or historical and not realize it could mean something to us today. That is how I must have treated the story of Caleb in Joshua 14 because I know I’d read Joshua, but I didn’t remember that story. If you had said, “Give me this Mountain!” I would have had no idea where that is in the Bible or what it meant. But now…now it is so beautifully relevant to my life today, and the lives of those in Botswana. I truly believe it will be worth your time to read this!

The first time I really remember hearing or reading about the “Give me this Mountain!” passage in Joshua 14 (where Caleb takes the mountain city of Hebron) was in the context of missions in Botswana, specifically Gaborone (the capital city). The Youth for Christ National Director, E.J., had emailed me back in 2009 before I came to Botswana, suggesting that perhaps I should switch the focus of my upcoming mission work to re-starting the YFC ministry in Gaborone. He said that it would be difficult, but I should see it as a challenge, like Caleb did at age 85—instead of choosing the “move-in ready” plains for his inheritance in the Promised Land, he chose the mountain city of Hebron where he knew he’d have to drive out the giants who still possessed it. Caleb triumphantly cried, “Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14:12) and drove out the giants with God’s help.

Soon after E.J. emailed me that, I found a book in my room that I hadn't yet read (The Missions Addiction by David Shibley)and came across where it mentioned, “I’m committed to being part of the Caleb generation that says, ‘Give me this mountain!’” It was in the same section of a chapter where it mentions Youth for Christ and David Livingstone (pioneer missionary in Botswana)!

Over the next few months, I came across the "Give me this mountain!" passage in three other books that I had in my room but hadn't read yet! Just before I left for Botswana in 2010, the “Give me this mountain!” passage was clearly linked to Botswana and fighting AIDS! As I sat down to look at some books at a bookstore, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson fell open on my lap.

My glance fell straight on the spot where it started talking about the AIDS crisis in Botswana, and how dedicated warriors are rising up to attack that giant! --

“The next generation of African leaders is going to rise up from these millions of orphans as Dreamers who will slay the great Giants of the continent.
But time is running out. In Botswana, just three hours north of where we live, four out of every ten adults are dying of AIDS. Churches, agencies, and willing families in the region cannot keep up with the need.
Still I believe we are going to see one of the greatest miracles in modern history. Why? Just look at the size of our Giants! And dedicated Warriors are rising up and attacking them.”

Then the author proceeded directly after that to share the story of Caleb driving the giants out of Hebron—“Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14)!!

Then immediately after that, I looked in another book I had selected to browse. I came across the very same passage about Caleb pointing to the mountain stronghold, still occupied by the giants, and proclaiming, “Give me this mountain!” When I saw these things, it was like something knocked the air out of me…I was so amazed and breathless. Mind-blown!

Then just minutes later when I went to put those books back on the shelf, I noticed a book right next to them called One Year Life Lessons from the Bible. I picked it up and, literally, right where I opened the first time was to this page, the one day set aside to talk about Caleb…and about his courage in Joshua 14 nonetheless!!

I moved to Botswana a month later, and within the first 2.5 months in Botswana, I happened to open up 3 books (one in a library and two in a bookstore) to the “Give Me This Mountain!” passage about Caleb and Hebron! I wasn’t looking for the passage; each time I only had a few minutes to browse and that had been the first or second book I’d picked up!

In those months, I was learning more of the history of missions and Christianity in Botswana. I read more about the pioneer missionary David Livingstone, who was the first to bring the gospel into Botswana.

David Livingstone teaching from the Bible

I also discovered notes I had taken from a missions book about Botswana (Double Vision by Robert Parrott). Missionaries to Botswana from Michigan (my home state) in the 1980s had visited the ruins of David Livingstone’s mission near Gaborone and remarked how the early influence of Christ that Livingstone brought (and the people of Botswana came to embrace) had diminished in Gaborone and greater Botswana:

“As Ron Willard and I stood on the ruins of the old London Missionary Society mission that Livingstone built, we realized that the teeth of the gospel had lost their grip on the nation of Botswana...

The influence of Christ and the church is scant [not very much anymore] in Botswana…Today, Botswana shows little of its Christian heritage...

From the ruins of the Livingstone home, a verse of Scripture became an encouragement for us--(Isaiah 58:11-12):
“…Your sons shall build once more the ancient ruins, And old foundations you shall raise again; You shall be called the repairer of ruins, The restorer of wrecked homes.” (38-39)
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In those same months, I learned that Hebron is where Abraham had lived and built an altar of worship to the Lord (Gen.13:18). The name “Hebron” signifies friendship or fellowship with God. However, with time, the Anak giants had taken over the city. In Joshua 14, Caleb was reclaiming Hebron and driving out the giants who had come in since it was last taken. It is as if David Livingstone and the first Christians in Botswana “took Hebron,” but in the meantime, the gospel lost influence as “giants” crept in (including AIDS). Now we are the Caleb generation crying “Give Me This Mountain!” to see Gaborone transformed again by the gospel, just as Hebron was transformed into a City of Refuge and a Levite (worship) city after Caleb retook it.

In early 2010, I also re-read notes I had taken from a book that I’d come across a few months earlier about the same “Give me this Mountain!” passage and Hebron, in the section entitled “Cities Transformed”:

“Caleb, a man of faith and courage, was used to transform the stronghold of the greatest giant to a place where people ran to find safety and sweet fellowship or communion with God. Can God do this again today? Can our cities and nations be so thoroughly transformed? Yes, unless God has changed in the last 3,000 years! That is, if He can find some Calebs…” (from Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets).

Here is an excerpt from my journal from 7 May 2010 (bear in mind that Gaborone, the capital city, is called “Gabs” for short):

Hebron was where Abraham lived...then it was overrun and occupied by Arba/Anak giants...but after its conquest by Joshua and Caleb, it became a city of refuge and set apart as a Levitical city – may Gabs be set apart as a city of refuge and place where the faithful gather and pray, standing and ministering before the Lord day and night, as the Levitical priests did of old. House of prayer established here and drawing people to the refuge found in the Lord…

David was anointed king in Hebron and ruled from there for 7.5 years...may future leaders be anointed by Your Spirit here in Gaborone...set apart for you at a young age, anointed for important roles in Your kingdom.
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The next day, 8 May 2010, I received a book in the mail about David Brainerd, a pioneer missionary to the Native Americans in the 1700s. The number “88” popped in my head, so I flipped to see what was on page 88. It mentioned Hebron!! It seemed like a confirmation that, indeed, the connection I made the night before between Gaborone and Hebron was on the right track.

Later that month, I actually read The Dream Giver in its entirety. [This was the book that had fallen open on my lap in January 2010 and my glance had fallen right on the part about Botswana and fighting AIDS, with Caleb/Hebron/ “Give me this Mountain!” on the following page].

The book is an allegory with the main character Ordinary who is pursuing the Dream that the Dream Giver [God] put in his heart. It describes it as the journey through the wilderness, over the Jordan River, into the Promised Land. On his journey, he came upon an old, Wounded Warrior who was dying:

[Wounded Warrior]: “Tell me the Name of your Dream.”
After Ordinary did, the Warrior was quiet for a time. Then she spoke. ‘That is the Name of my Dream, also,’ she said. ‘I fought Giants ahead of you. You will fight more after me. But we have the same Big Dream.’

He thought about her dying words. And he became certain that he would not have got this far on the path to his Dream if his friend had not gone before him. (p54-55)

In reflecting on that passage that night, I wrote this in my journal:
*David Livingstone comes to mind…and the other missionaries to Botswana before me; other Batswana Christians before me

A month and a half later, I browsed through David Livingstone: The Truth Behind the Legend by Rob Mackenzie, and here are some things that stood out:

“David Livingstone died without seeing the fulfillment of his vision…”

David Livingstone addressing students at Cambridge:

“I beg you to direct your attention to Africa: I know that in a few years I shall be cut off in that country, which is now open; do not let it be shut again! I go back to Africa to try to make an open path for commerce and Christianity; do you carry out the work which I have begun? I LEAVE IT WITH YOU!” (196)

Missionary to Botswana, Miss Shaw, recalled how a very old man described the time he first saw Livingstone: “There was love in his eyes, he was not fierce. He made a path through our land, and you his followers have come, God’s Light-bringers; and more come today.” (374)

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I bought a Setswana bible in mid-2010, and the first night I opened right to where it was mentioning Hebron. Hebron in Setswana is “Heberone” (Heber-oh-nay). In Setswana, “g”s are pronounced like guttural “h”s, so “Gaborone” sounds like “Habor-oh-nay.” When pronounced, they sound very similar. Each time I share this story, I simply say that Hebron is spelled “Heberone” in Setswana, and I hear gasps of amazement—as people make the connection to Gaborone.

But it gets better! I was just sharing about this on 14 September 2013 to a pastor from Gaborone who has studied Hebrew. He told me that the Hebrew “h” is actually a guttural “h”!! This means it is the same sound that starts “Gaborone”! He told me that Robert Moffatt translated the Setswana bible directly from the King James English version. Therefore he was translating from the English “Hebron” to get the Setswana “Heberone.” However, had Moffatt been translating from the original Hebrew, he would likely have translated it Geberone (preserving the guttural “h” sound)!! Here is a link to a native Hebrew speaker saying the word “Hebron.” For those who are from Botswana or familiar with Setswana, you will hear it is the SAME way we start “Gaborone”!!! http://www.forvo.com/languages/he/tag/pei/by-popularity/

It has come up in many more amazing ways, but you’ll need to read the next parts for that.

One thing I’ll note in the conclusion of this part, is that it has been awe-inspiring to see that other Christians in Gaborone and Botswana are also focusing on that “Give Me This Mountain!” passage. The Assemblies of God church in Botswana had a 50th anniversary conference in March with the theme “Give Me This Mountain!”

I was also invited to speak at another church conference in July with this theme: “Let the Caleb and Joshua generation arise and take their position”!

To be continued in the page "Living Stones - Part 1"... :)