Caleb...a Man of Faith and Courage

One of my very favorite "hero's of the faith" is a man whose story is rather obscure. You only hear about him during two very important times in Biblical history...but his testimony is strong and powerful. The first time you hear about this great hero was during a time of testing during the time of the Israelites wilderness wanderings. He was one of the 12 spies who was sent into the "Promised Land" to spy it out. You remember the story.

In Numbers 13 we see that Moses is choosing the twelve leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel to send them into the promised land just before they had planned to enter in. It had been a long journey since our Hebrew friends had departed Egypt and they were anxious to move in and possess the land that God had promised them. But when the 12 spies returned, their report was far from comforting. Ten of the spies confirmed what God had told them about this great land, that it was indeed a good land...a land flowing with milk and honey...and they even brought back some of the fruit of the land to prove it. 

But then their countenance turned grave as they continued, "Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” (verses 28-29) And they also reported, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” and “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (verses 31-33)

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a different report for they said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” (verse 30) They confirmed everything that God had said was true.

Well, many of you know the story...the wilderness wanderers once again began to murmur and complain, and God sent them back into the wilderness to wander for another 40 year until all of the original slaves that had come out of Egypt died off, except for Moses' family and the two spies who had given a good report... Joshua and Caleb.

Now it is many years later and great battles had been fought and won under the great leadership of Joshua, and all during this time you never hear another word about Caleb, the leader of the tribe of Judah until all of the other portions of land had been conquered and distributed, and now...at last...it was Caleb's time to shine. He had waited patiently even while Joshua had received all the honor as the successor to Moses. He had joined his comrades and seen every other tribe receive their inheritance...and still he waited. But at last, it was Caleb's turn and he spoke up to remind Joshua of God's promise to him. In all those years, Caleb had never forgotten. You will find his words in the book of Joshua, the 14th chapter beginning in verse 6, “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”

Caleb had patiently waited for 45 years until the time was right for the Lord to do in and through him as He had promised, and now...at the age of 85....God had kept him healthy and strong and ready to fulfill that purpose for which he had been chosen. Caleb was the one to inherit and win victory to be able to dwell in the land that became known as the land of Judah...the home of Jerusalem and Bethlehem...the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Friends, let me encourage you today...God has a plan...a destiny if you will...for you too. No matter how long it has been since He promised it to you, no matter what obstacles have stood in your path or how long it has been...if you will stand on those promises and believe in God's Word for your life, you will see that promise come to pass...you can bank on it! Stand on God's Word just as Caleb did, and you too will see the blessings and promises of God fulfilled in your life. God is faithful to His Word. He will NOT let you down! God bless you.