THE LIFE OF CALEB
Caleb was a true man of God. From the start to the end of his life, he was faithful to the Lord. It is no wonder that when God tested a whole generation, he was one of only two men who passed. It is therefore of great value to reflect on his life and seek to emulate him.
Spy to Canaan - A Man of Faith and Obedience
(Numbers 13)
The Scripture first mentions Caleb as one of 12 spies commanded by Moses to spy out the Promise Land. Caleb at this time was already a leader of the tribe of Judah. He together with fellow leaders of the other tribes of Israel did as they were told and accomplished the mission in 40 days. The number 40 speaks of trials and tests. When God gives us a call, assignment, or ministry, we shall be tested by it. Tests reveal men’s hearts and determine who qualifies. They sift the saints. The spies all went through the mission and were tested by it. But only two passed, Caleb and Joshua, because only they had the right responses to the mission.
The test divided the spies. It revealed who was for God and who was not. The incredible thing about this is that they were tested when they were already leaders. That the 10 spies were chosen alongside Joshua and Caleb meant they were esteemed of similar standing as the two. They were already leaders yet they were still tested and yes, they failed. What they did not realize was that this was their last test in some sense. It was the last test that determined their inheritance. From here, there could be no turning back. At each stage in our walk with God, we will be tested and we must always seek to pass because how well we do in our tests determine our course.
What separated Caleb and Joshua from the rest of the 10 spies and made them pass? All 12 did as they were told. It was not as if the 10 were found wanting because they did not obey the instruction. It was not as if the 10 failed because they did not finish the assignment. All 12 did as they were told. But what separated Caleb and Joshua from the 10 were their faith and attitude. We can all go through a test but unless we have the right attitude towards the test and we put our faith in God to whom nothing is impossible, we will not pass.
Here are some of the qualities Caleb displayed at this point in his life. He had an excellent disposition. He had courage and a healthy optimism. He was not discouraged by what he saw nor by the responses of his fellow spies. In Numbers 13:30, he declares his faith that they will overcome.
Caleb inherits Hebron - A Man of Vision
(Joshua 14:6-15)
Fast forward to 45 years later and finally Caleb, together with the Israelites, have already entered the Promised Land. This is a great testimony on the faithfulness of God. He did as He promised to Caleb and Joshua. Joshua is now dividing the land for the tribes to conquer and take as possession.
The tribe of Judah then went before Joshua and Caleb spoke with these words:
Caleb was not non-committal to the promises of God. He was not passive towards the promises of God. He did not take the word of God with an attitude of “if it happens great, but if not, it's okay, too.” He took the promises of God to heart and lived by them no matter how long they took to be realized. This we know because together with his tribe he came before Joshua and asked for his inheritance. He did not simply wait for the promise to fall on his lap. He positioned himself to receive. He aligned his life to the promise. To proactively wait upon the promise and position one’s self to receive the promise means to take steps that can prepare you to receive the promise of God. Work to prepare yourself for the ministry even if no door has yet opened. When we are convinced that something will happen, we prepare for them. For instance, if a friend tells you he is coming over for dinner, wouldn’t you take your friend’s word and start cooking dinner even if he has not arrived yet? Why? Because you believe his word that he will come. If you were not convinced he was coming, you will only start cooking dinner when he has arrived. Has God given you a promise? Are you convinced of the promise? Are you positioning yourself to receive the promise? Are you aligning your life to the promises of God?
According to Joshua 14:9, God gave Hebron to Caleb because he was a man who wholly followed the Lord. Caleb was a man highly favored of God. Of the millions of men who were in the wilderness with him, he was one of two who qualified to enter the Promise Land. God also favored him to grant him his own inheritance and win his battles for the inheritance. Here is the key to the favor of God on Caleb’s life. He wholly followed the Lord.
While time may have passed God kept the strength of Caleb.
As a true man of vision, Caleb went on to ask specifically for the very mountain he was promised years back. His preference did not change. He was promised Hebron, the very place he stepped into 45 years ago, and this remained to be his desire. Caleb had a clear understanding of his call. He was content and determined to get not what seemed good in human eyes, but what God had for him even though it meant taking over a mountain which was under the giants, the greatest of them, in fact. He was not discouraged by the Anakites and waged war with them. As a result, he got hold of Hebron - a mountain of great and fortified cities. How excellent our inheritance is is indicated by how great the enemies are to be defeated to claim them. So if you are in intense battles today, take heart. You have a a great inheritance before you. And in the end, Caleb indeed pursued his enemies in Hebron and prevailed.
Caleb gives Achsah to Othniel - A Father
(Joshua 15:13-19; Judges 1:10-15)
As Caleb fought for his inheritance, he posed a challenge to the tribe of Judah. He asked who would be willing to attack Kirjath Sepher. As reward, he will give his daughter Achsah. Othniel took the challenge and conquered Kirjath Sepher. So to Othniel, Caleb gave his daughter Achsah. But Achsah made a request to his father. He asked his father for springs to sustain the land his father gave her. Caleb gave her both upper and lower springs.
There is a very important truth that we see from this part of Caleb’s life. He was not content to receive his own inheritance but he also made sure that his children gained theirs. By seeking for a man who will have the courage to fight the battles against Debir, he was seeking a man who will be a rightful husband to his daughter. It is interesting that Debir, the place Caleb asked Othniel to attack means “sanctuary.” He was seeking for a man who had vision and courage himself. He also sought to prepare a man who will have his arms strong for the wars ahead. Othniel eventually became the first judge of Israel. He fought battles for the Israelites and delivered Israel from its enemies. By granting Achsah’s request of springs, he was ensuring that his daughter and her family will be adequately sustained in their inheritance.
A faithful man of God will do the same as Caleb. He will lead others to their own destinies in the Lord. He will prepare others to conquer their own inheritance and step into their calling. He will prepare others who will wage war in the spiritual realm against the enemies of the sanctuary of God. Caleb demonstrated the Father’s heart. Thus, he bore good fruit.
Caleb had a life well lived. He was called, chosen and faithful. As a spy, he was faithful in his preparation. As an old man, he was faithful in stepping into the promises of God for his life. As a father, he was faithful in bringing others into their inheritance.
He demonstrated such wholeheartedness in following God all his days. His fervor to obey God when he was young was just as much when he grew old. He did not waiver. Thus, he was a man who received commendation from the Lord no less. What a privilege to have God Himself say of Caleb in Numbers 14:24:
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Spy to Canaan - A Man of Faith and Obedience
(Numbers 13)
The Scripture first mentions Caleb as one of 12 spies commanded by Moses to spy out the Promise Land. Caleb at this time was already a leader of the tribe of Judah. He together with fellow leaders of the other tribes of Israel did as they were told and accomplished the mission in 40 days. The number 40 speaks of trials and tests. When God gives us a call, assignment, or ministry, we shall be tested by it. Tests reveal men’s hearts and determine who qualifies. They sift the saints. The spies all went through the mission and were tested by it. But only two passed, Caleb and Joshua, because only they had the right responses to the mission.
The test divided the spies. It revealed who was for God and who was not. The incredible thing about this is that they were tested when they were already leaders. That the 10 spies were chosen alongside Joshua and Caleb meant they were esteemed of similar standing as the two. They were already leaders yet they were still tested and yes, they failed. What they did not realize was that this was their last test in some sense. It was the last test that determined their inheritance. From here, there could be no turning back. At each stage in our walk with God, we will be tested and we must always seek to pass because how well we do in our tests determine our course.
What separated Caleb and Joshua from the rest of the 10 spies and made them pass? All 12 did as they were told. It was not as if the 10 were found wanting because they did not obey the instruction. It was not as if the 10 failed because they did not finish the assignment. All 12 did as they were told. But what separated Caleb and Joshua from the 10 were their faith and attitude. We can all go through a test but unless we have the right attitude towards the test and we put our faith in God to whom nothing is impossible, we will not pass.
Here are some of the qualities Caleb displayed at this point in his life. He had an excellent disposition. He had courage and a healthy optimism. He was not discouraged by what he saw nor by the responses of his fellow spies. In Numbers 13:30, he declares his faith that they will overcome.
Numbers 13:30He also wholly followed the Lord. He was given an instruction and he sought to keep it and encourage others to do so. He sought to obey God and convince others to do the same. He warned the people against rebellion.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Numbers 14:9He had remarkable faith. He was not intimidated by the giants who dwelt in the land because he knew that his God was far bigger and stronger. He also knew that the key to winning the battle was the delight of the Lord and not his own strength.
"Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
Numbers 14:8On the other hand, the 10 others spies were fearful because they kept their eyes on the enemies and themselves and not on God. It revealed what they trusted on. Their trust was on themselves. When we put our dependence on people or things, we are kept from knowing the grace of God.
If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.'
Numbers 13:31-33As a result of the attitude of the ten other spies, they gave a negative report that caused the hearts of a whole nation to sink and choose to disobey God. It is an awesome thought that how we respond to our tests can affect the way others respond to theirs. This test determined their fate. Caleb advanced with Joshua into the Promise land but the 10 other spies and the rest of their generation died in the wilderness.
But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “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.”
Caleb inherits Hebron - A Man of Vision
(Joshua 14:6-15)
Fast forward to 45 years later and finally Caleb, together with the Israelites, have already entered the Promised Land. This is a great testimony on the faithfulness of God. He did as He promised to Caleb and Joshua. Joshua is now dividing the land for the tribes to conquer and take as possession.
The tribe of Judah then went before Joshua and Caleb spoke with these words:
Joshua 14:6, 9Caleb says “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses about you and me...” After 45 years, Caleb has not forgotten the word of God nor did he waiver in unbelief. He waited patiently and believed it. Not only did his faith not waiver but so did his courage. It was not as if after 45 years he will simply walk into the promise of God. He had to still fight for it and yet that did not discourage him nor did his age. He was coming back to the territory far older than the first time he entered it. But he was undeterred. Caleb was a man who had experienced the vision of God permeate his very being. Nothing could take it away from him - not delay, not a giant enemy, and not even his age. How do we respond to delays? Do they make us doubt the Word of God? Do they make us take his Word lightly? Do they make us forget the promises?
“You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea...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.”
Caleb was not non-committal to the promises of God. He was not passive towards the promises of God. He did not take the word of God with an attitude of “if it happens great, but if not, it's okay, too.” He took the promises of God to heart and lived by them no matter how long they took to be realized. This we know because together with his tribe he came before Joshua and asked for his inheritance. He did not simply wait for the promise to fall on his lap. He positioned himself to receive. He aligned his life to the promise. To proactively wait upon the promise and position one’s self to receive the promise means to take steps that can prepare you to receive the promise of God. Work to prepare yourself for the ministry even if no door has yet opened. When we are convinced that something will happen, we prepare for them. For instance, if a friend tells you he is coming over for dinner, wouldn’t you take your friend’s word and start cooking dinner even if he has not arrived yet? Why? Because you believe his word that he will come. If you were not convinced he was coming, you will only start cooking dinner when he has arrived. Has God given you a promise? Are you convinced of the promise? Are you positioning yourself to receive the promise? Are you aligning your life to the promises of God?
According to Joshua 14:9, God gave Hebron to Caleb because he was a man who wholly followed the Lord. Caleb was a man highly favored of God. Of the millions of men who were in the wilderness with him, he was one of two who qualified to enter the Promise Land. God also favored him to grant him his own inheritance and win his battles for the inheritance. Here is the key to the favor of God on Caleb’s life. He wholly followed the Lord.
While time may have passed God kept the strength of Caleb.
Joshua 14:11And it is interesting that Caleb goes on to say that he had strength not only to go out but to come in. He makes it clear that there is a distinction between the two. While the former is the strength to enter into the vision God has given you, the latter is the strength to see the vision through. You need both. Caleb went on to wage war with the Anakites. He expelled all three sons of Anak. He went in and prevailed.
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.
As a true man of vision, Caleb went on to ask specifically for the very mountain he was promised years back. His preference did not change. He was promised Hebron, the very place he stepped into 45 years ago, and this remained to be his desire. Caleb had a clear understanding of his call. He was content and determined to get not what seemed good in human eyes, but what God had for him even though it meant taking over a mountain which was under the giants, the greatest of them, in fact. He was not discouraged by the Anakites and waged war with them. As a result, he got hold of Hebron - a mountain of great and fortified cities. How excellent our inheritance is is indicated by how great the enemies are to be defeated to claim them. So if you are in intense battles today, take heart. You have a a great inheritance before you. And in the end, Caleb indeed pursued his enemies in Hebron and prevailed.
Caleb gives Achsah to Othniel - A Father
(Joshua 15:13-19; Judges 1:10-15)
As Caleb fought for his inheritance, he posed a challenge to the tribe of Judah. He asked who would be willing to attack Kirjath Sepher. As reward, he will give his daughter Achsah. Othniel took the challenge and conquered Kirjath Sepher. So to Othniel, Caleb gave his daughter Achsah. But Achsah made a request to his father. He asked his father for springs to sustain the land his father gave her. Caleb gave her both upper and lower springs.
There is a very important truth that we see from this part of Caleb’s life. He was not content to receive his own inheritance but he also made sure that his children gained theirs. By seeking for a man who will have the courage to fight the battles against Debir, he was seeking a man who will be a rightful husband to his daughter. It is interesting that Debir, the place Caleb asked Othniel to attack means “sanctuary.” He was seeking for a man who had vision and courage himself. He also sought to prepare a man who will have his arms strong for the wars ahead. Othniel eventually became the first judge of Israel. He fought battles for the Israelites and delivered Israel from its enemies. By granting Achsah’s request of springs, he was ensuring that his daughter and her family will be adequately sustained in their inheritance.
A faithful man of God will do the same as Caleb. He will lead others to their own destinies in the Lord. He will prepare others to conquer their own inheritance and step into their calling. He will prepare others who will wage war in the spiritual realm against the enemies of the sanctuary of God. Caleb demonstrated the Father’s heart. Thus, he bore good fruit.
Caleb had a life well lived. He was called, chosen and faithful. As a spy, he was faithful in his preparation. As an old man, he was faithful in stepping into the promises of God for his life. As a father, he was faithful in bringing others into their inheritance.
He demonstrated such wholeheartedness in following God all his days. His fervor to obey God when he was young was just as much when he grew old. He did not waiver. Thus, he was a man who received commendation from the Lord no less. What a privilege to have God Himself say of Caleb in Numbers 14:24:
“But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.”
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