Most people think retirement means one thing. You worked hard. You did your part. Now you’re done.
No more battles. No more pressure. No more responsibility.
But the Bible doesn’t tell it that way.
Some of the most important moments in Scripture happen late in life. Not at the beginning. Not in the prime. But after years of walking with God.
Joshua is old when we meet him here. He has led the people. He has fought the battles. He has watched God keep His promises.
And if this were our story, this would be the moment to slow down. But that’s not what happens.
God speaks to Joshua and says something unexpected. Not, “Well done, you’re finished.” But, “There is still work to be done.”
That line should get our attention. Because most of us assume that faith works like a checklist. Finish enough steps, and God is done asking things of us.
Joshua’s story says otherwise. And that’s where we’re going.
Trust the Lord Patiently
God Is Faithful Even When The Work Is Unfinished
Joshua is old now. The years have passed. Battles have been fought. Promises have been kept.
And the Lord speaks.
“You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.”
God is not angry. He’s not disappointed. He’s honest. The work is not done.
This should not surprise us. Long before this moment, God told Israel that He would give them the land little by little (Exodus 23:29-30). Not all at once. They needed time to grow.
Joshua now stands in the land God promised. But he also stands in unfinished work.
That does not mean God failed. It means God is still working.
Psalm 92 says the righteous still bear fruit in old age. Joshua is proof. God is still speaking to him. Still guiding His people. Still faithful.
The New Testament says the same thing. Philippians tells us that when God begins a good work, He finishes it. “Work begun” does not mean “work finished.” It means God’s not done yet.
Hebrews looks back on Joshua’s day and says there remains a rest for the people of God. Joshua led them into real rest, but not the final rest. God was always leading His people forward.
And here is the key truth.
THIS STORY didn’t end with Joshua. It was just getting started.
Discussion
- Joshua had entered the land God promised, yet God said there was still much land to occupy. Where do you see that same tension in your own walk, real progress, but work still remaining?
- When you notice unfinished work in your life, what do you usually assume about God? And what might this passage invite you to assume instead?
- Why do you suppose we’re so quick to assume God is disappointed when progress takes time?
Key Takeaways
- God is not surprised by unfinished work. He named it plainly in Joshua’s life, and He names it honestly in ours.
- Slow progress does not cancel God’s faithfulness. God often gives what He promises little by little, as His people grow into it.
- God keeps leading His people, even when the work isn’t done yet. His presence does not depend on how finished we feel.
But here’s the tension. The same unfinished work can lead people in very different directions.
Some, like Caleb, keep trusting God and moving forward. Others hesitate, focus on obstacles, and begin to pull back.
So the question becomes not just whether the work is unfinished, but how we respond when it is.
That’s where the story takes us next.
Don’t Let Fear Decide
The Same Promise Can Produce Very Different Responses
Read Joshua 14:6-12 and Joshua 17:14-18 (ESV)
Two groups hear the same promise. They stand in the same land. They face real obstacles. But they respond very differently.
First, Caleb. Caleb remembers what God said. He remembers the promise made forty-five years earlier.
Time has passed. His body is older. The Anakim (giants) are still there. The cities are still strong.
And Caleb says, “Give me this hill country.”
He sees the giants. He doesn’t deny the danger. He doesn’t minimize the challenge. He simply trusts that the Lord will be with him.
Scripture says Caleb wholly followed the Lord. Not perfectly. But faithfully.
Now listen to the tribes of Joseph. They talk about how numerous they are. They talk about how blessed they’ve been.
But when it comes time to take more land, they focus on iron chariots. Strong enemies. Hard terrain.
They ask for more space. But they hesitate to step into difficulty.
Joshua’s response is clear. “You’re strong. Go up. Clear the land. You shall drive them out.”
Same promise. Same God. Different response.
This passage shows us something honest.
FAITH doesn’t ignore obstacles. FEAR lets obstacles decide.
The question isn’t whether the land is hard. The question is whether we trust God enough to move forward anyway.
Discussion
- Caleb and the tribes of Joseph stood in the same land, with the same promise and the same God. What do you notice about the difference in what they focus on when they speak?
- Caleb names the danger (giants), but still steps forward. The tribes name the danger (chariots) and hesitate. Where are you most tempted to let obstacles decide your next step instead of trust?
Key Takeaways
- God’s promises do not remove obstacles. The land was promised, but it was still hard to take.
- Faith and fear can look at the same situation and reach different conclusions. Caleb saw God’s faithfulness. Others saw iron chariots.
- Trust shows itself in movement, not just words. Caleb asked for the hard place. Others asked for easier ground.
And this raises another question. What does God do while His people are still learning to trust Him? While some move forward and others hesitate?
Joshua shows us something surprising next. In the middle of unfinished obedience, God makes room for mercy.
That’s where we turn next.
Make Room for Mercy
God Makes Room For Mercy While The Work Is Still Ongoing
After all the land talk. After victories and hesitation. After faith and fear side by side.
God speaks again.
And what He gives next is not a command to fight. It’s a place to run. Cities of refuge.
These cities were for people who caused harm without evil intent. People who could easily be crushed by vengeance before the truth was known.
God slows everything down. He provides protection before judgment. Process before punishment. Mercy before final decisions.
And notice when this happens. The land is not fully taken. The people are not fully obedient. The work is still unfinished.
Yet God builds mercy into the middle of the story.
This tells us something important about His heart. God does not wait for His people to get everything right before He makes space for grace.
He knows they are still learning. Still growing. Still stumbling.
The refuge is not an escape from justice. It is a pause. A safeguard. A place where life is protected while truth is brought to light.
And Scripture says these cities were for Israel and for the sojourner. Mercy was not reserved for insiders only.
This is not weakness. This is wisdom.
God knows His people will fail at times. So He builds mercy into the system while the work continues.
That’s who He is.
Discussion
- God establishes cities of refuge while the land is still being settled. What does that tell us about how God treats people while they are still growing and learning obedience?
- The cities of refuge were places to run to, not hide in. Where do people tend to run when they feel guilt or fear, and what does this passage suggest a better place might be?
Key Takeaways
- God provides mercy in the middle of unfinished obedience. Grace is not delayed until we get everything right.
- Refuge slows judgment so truth can surface. God values life, process, and restoration.
- God’s mercy is wider than we expect. It was offered to Israel and the outsider alike.
Joshua shows us a faithful God. Promises kept. Work unfinished. Faith tested. Mercy provided.
The story didn’t end with Joshua. And it doesn’t end with us.
God is still leading. Still patient. Still faithful.
The question isn’t whether there is work left to do. The question is whether we’ll trust Him as He continues to do it.
Something to Sit With
These chapters don’t just tell us how the land was divided. They show us how people live with a faithful God over time.
Promises kept. Work unfinished. Hearts revealed.
Same God. Same promise. Very different responses.
Trust the Lord. Caleb waited decades and still believed God would keep His word. He stepped toward the hard place, not because it was easy, but because God was faithful.
Don’t let fear decide. Others saw the same land and the same promise, but focused on iron chariots and strong enemies. Fear slowed what trust could have moved forward.
Make room for mercy. While the work was still ongoing, God made places of refuge. He slowed judgment. He protected life. He made room for grace while His people were still learning obedience.
These chapters leave us with a few honest questions.
- When progress is slow, do I keep trusting, or do I start pulling back?
- Where has fear shaped my decisions more than faith?
- Do I believe God is patient with unfinished work in me and in others?
- When guilt or failure surfaces, where do I run?
Joshua reminds us that God is still leading. Still faithful. Still patient.
The story didn’t end with Joshua. And it doesn’t end with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the cities of refuge in Joshua 20?
The cities of refuge were six designated cities spread across Israel where someone who caused an accidental death could flee for protection. They were not escapes from justice but safeguards. The person remained there until they could stand before the congregation for a fair hearing. These cities were open to both Israelites and foreigners.
What does Caleb’s story in Joshua 14 teach about faith?
Caleb waited forty-five years for God to fulfill a specific promise. At eighty-five years old, he asked for the hardest territory, the hill country where the giants lived.
His story teaches that faith doesn’t shrink with age or difficulty. Caleb wholly followed the Lord, not perfectly, but faithfully. He trusted God’s promise more than he feared the obstacles.
Why is there still unfinished work in Joshua 13?
God told Israel in Exodus 23 that He would give them the land “little by little” so they could grow into it. Unfinished work was part of the plan, not a sign of failure. Joshua 13 through 21 shows that God’s faithfulness continues even when progress is slow. Philippians 1:6 echoes this: God finishes what He starts.
How do Joshua 13-21 point to Jesus?
The cities of refuge picture Christ as the place of safety for those in need of mercy. Caleb’s wholehearted faith foreshadows the trust Jesus calls His followers to. And the theme of rest that runs through Joshua finds its completion in Jesus, who said, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
This lesson is part of the Encouraged by What’s Ahead series.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.