Title Caleb
Content 24. Caleb
Even if the world's fame ends in vain, this is not the case with the people of God. For “the path of the righteous is upright; the upright Lord makes straight the path of the righteous” (Isaiah 26:7). Caleb's name means "every heart." In his character, Caleb lived up to his name. And his fame spread like a fragrant and beautiful flower.
His life did not end in a cold disappointment, but rather, he bid farewell to a more wonderful and beautiful history. He followed God “honestly”. And it was rewarded abundantly. This was a precious and blessed life as a man of God. Here, we will take a look at the following:
1. His personality shows that
(1) He was honest.
“Moses… … He sent me to spy out the land, and I reported to him what was faithful in my heart” (v. 7), and his heart was with God. So Caleb lived for God in these circumstances and spoke as he did. Solomon said, “The heart of the wise makes their mouth prudent” (Proverbs 16:23). Because his heart was so upright, and he trusted in the Lord, he had no fear or fear of the evil world (Psalm 112:7-8).
Hypocrites are people who have no sincerity.
Those who are pure in heart see God (Matthew 5:8).
(2) He was full of love.
“My brethren, who went up with me, melted the people’s chatter” (v. 8), but in spying his friends gave a bad report, but he is still called “my brethren.” The people's hearts melted and the glory of God was obscured by their bad comments, but Caleb does not mention such things.
Love is patient and full of generosity. And love is not easily broken. Moses exclaimed, “You rebels” (Numbers 20:10). But these words prevent Moses from entering the Promised Land.
(3) He was dedicated.
“Because I followed the Lord my God completely” (verse 8), Caleb had a different attitude in it (Numbers 14:24). He followed the Lord precisely in the same way as we ought to follow. This is the basic attitude we should always follow. When we trust in the Lord and follow his word, and when we depend completely on him and have a longing heart, he reveals his will and makes us aware of the deep revelation. Luther had said this: “Without God’s help, nothing can be done.” So God takes care of all of us.
Without God's help, we cannot live in the world or do anything.
2. His beliefs show that
(1) He recalls the promise.
“In that day Moses swore, saying, ‘Because you have followed the LORD my God completely, the land on which your feet have tread will be your inheritance and your descendants forever” (verse 9). This was the result of amazing faith. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Disbelief is rebellious and does not last long. But faith makes the word of the Lord long remembered. This is because it is itself a product of God's grace.
(2) He believes the word.
God's promises become not only a memory, but also a reliance. When we are with him, God makes the staff we have a staff of power, and even the branches we are holding become staffs of power that can do amazing things. The question is what kind of relationship we have with God.
By faith we must see what we cannot see with our eyes, and there we can know the wonderful things of the spirit world of God.
It is not an act of faith that is sufficient for what we see with our eyes.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
(3) He claims blessings.
“Give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke in that day” (verse 12).
condition was fulfilled. And he is now in the stage of owning the company. This is not a rash act, but an act of blessing to share in the promise. And it is the privilege of the honest and faithful man of God to demand such a thing. Now he is not suffering, but enjoys these blessings with a smile and a happy heart.
Those who depend on God's Word and live according to His will have the right to enjoy these blessings when the time comes. Caleb is one of those people.
3. There Is His Evidence
“I am going to preach Jesus.” This is a phrase we often hear. I depend on Jesus and try to live by his words. someone's proof Such things show that he himself has faith. Here, Caleb gives a wonderful testimony about the God he relies on. This evidence comes from a place of conviction and is therefore the hope of those who have enjoyed the wonderful blessings of God.
Therefore, the evidence we see here brings joy to our hearts in many ways.
(1) His testimony testifies to God's faithfulness.
“Now see… … These forty-five years in the wilderness, just as the Lord had said” (verse 10), he testifies of 45 difficult years in the wilderness. It was a period of time that fully revealed what Jehovah's help was and, therefore, revealed his greatness. Caleb remembers that time and says:
During this period, all the people turned away from God due to unbelief, but God kept and protected them even under these circumstances.
Now, God's work of salvation, which has been preserved by this grace, has been clearly revealed, and they have taken possession of the promised land. He is faithful. People break their promises from time to time, but God keeps his promises thoroughly.
He testified according to the measure of his faith.
This is an important lesson for us as well. We must “must” testify according to the measure of our faith.
(2) His evidence shows the mercy of God.
“My strength was then and now is common” (v. 11). When the joy of the Lord is my strength, there is no reason for us to weaken in it. Those who have lost their first love will also lose their first strength. The trees that Jehovah plants and nurtures are always juicy. A healthy and fruitful tree is good evidence of the gardener's wisdom and observation. Strong and healthy members of the church are lasting evidence of the riches and mercy of the Lord and Savior.
Caleb gives evidence of this through the course of his faith.
Evidence is alive and always brings results.
(3) His evidence shows the power of God.
“If the LORD is with me, I will surely drive them out, just as the LORD has spoken” (verse 12). This attitude made him carry out God's work from a different angle.
This evidence is true and true. Our victory over our enemies is not in our wisdom or strength. Rather, it is in God with us. Caleb knew that only God could give him the power to break the chains (Psalm 18:32-34).
The people of God depend on the power of God, not on the power of men. “In God we will walk with courage, for he is the one who will tread down our enemies” (Psalm 60:12). “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57), and it is not surprising to know that after this witness, Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him an inheritance.
“Joshua for Caleb the son of Jephunneh… … inheritance” (verse 13), and absolute trust in God allows us to enjoy these wonderful blessings.
God gives infinite blessings to those who depend on Him and not on other people.