When I was a teenager, my Dad was a preacher of the gospel. I remember some of his sermons, but not all of them. One of my favorites was his lesson on Caleb. Through Dad's sermon, I came to know this great man of faith. Caleb was the son of Jephunneh. He was of the tribe of Judah and he was one of the twelve men chosen by Moses to go and spy out the land to bring back a report to the people to see if they could take over the land God had promised them. We also know that he was a ruler in his tribe -- one of the heads of the children of Israel. We know this because that was God's requirment when he told Moses to select these men.
You know the story. We can read it in Numbers Chapter 13 and 14. The twelve men did as Moses commanded them. They searched out the land and brought back sample of its bounty. They brought back a branch with a cluster of grapes, and pomengranates and figs. (13:24) When they got back to Moses and Aaron all twelve of the spies described the land as one that flows with milk and honey.
Yet when they started describing the cities, 10 of the 12 spies said they would not be able to overtake the people there. They said the cities were walled and the people were too strong to over power. I find it sad that these men were rulers of Gods people. Shouldn't these powerful men have had more faith in God? How much had He already done for them? It amazes me to think that anyone who walked through the Red Sea on dry land could doubt God's power. Perhaps it was just difficult for them to shake the slave mentality of the past years in Egypt.
After hearing these men, Caleb spoke up: "And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." (Numbers 13:30-31) Can you imagine Caleb's surprise and disappointment in the others? He had complete faith in his God to give them the land, for that is what He (God) had promised them. Caleb believed that promise -- counted on that promise.
Numbers 14 goes on to explain that the people would rather believe the negative reports of the 10 than the positive faithful reports of the other two (Joshua and Caleb). They wept and they murmured against Moses and said they would have been better off if they had stayed in Egypt. Mob mentality can get a little crazy sometimes, I guess. Joshua and Caleb tried again to convince the people that with God's help they could overtake the land. However, the Israelites refused to believe them.
Their lack of faith caused God to be angry. He told Moses that he was going to smite them a pestilence and declared that none of the people above 20 years old would be allowed to enter the promised land- none that is except Caleb and Joshua. All of the rest of them would fall in the wilderness. God said particularly of Caleb in Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereunto he went; and his seed shall possess it."
What a wonderful reward for Caleb! He loved God and believed in Him. He declared his faith in front of the whole nation of Israelites -- and in the face of great danger. If it had not been for God stopping the people - they would have stoned Caleb and Joshua that day. (14:10) But God saved them and promised them their inheritance. All the other people would die while wandering in the wilderness. So Caleb and Joshua had to wait for their reward.
So they waited - and held stedfast to their faith. Caleb and Joshua never gave up - never stopped believing that God would keep His promises. I can't imagine all they went through during these years of waiting. It must have been difficult for them, yet they did it. Joshua was given the task of leading the people after Moses died. And I have no doubt that Caleb faithfully supported Joshua every step of the way!
Finally after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and another five years spent conquering the land, it was time for Caleb to recieve his reward. This story is told in Joshua 14. In verse 6, Caleb reminds Joshua of God's promise so long ago. In verse 7 we learn that Caleb was 40 years old when he was sent to spy out the land. I know this is running long, but please listen to Caleb's words - listen to his bold declaration of faith and love for the Lord. Joshua 14: 10-14 - "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out and to come in. Now, therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel."
I loved this story. I remember my Dad talking about how strong Caleb must have been at 85 years old to be so ready to take the mountain of Hebron. He wasn't just still strong physically, his faith was also as strong as it ever had been. Caleb never forgot God's promise all those years. He continued to "wholly follow the Lord God of Israel." His faith never wavered. Caleb did not fail his God - and God did not fail him. How awesome is that?
It is the same for us. If we never let our faith waver, if we wholly follow the Lord, if we keep on serving Him for as many years as He gives us to wander in this wilderness called earth -- then He will take us home to our promised land. We will be with Jesus in all His glory. We will receive the inheritance we are promised!!!
So don't give up. Remember Galations 6:9 - "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Woo Hoo!
Christ above all things,
Robin
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