Caleb

(Joshua 14:10,11 NASB) And now, as you see, the Lord has kept me safe these forty-five years, from the time when the Lord said this to Moses, while Israel was wandering in the waste land: and now I am eighty-five years old. And still, I am as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out: as my strength was then, so is it now, for war and for all the business of life.

This week we are looking back to Look Forward, by looking back at old messages that will help equip us for current situations

By now we know that Abraham waited 25 years for the manifestation of his promise (Isaac), but this morning I a excited to introduce you to a man that waited even longer. What is interesting is that he did not have to wait because he did anything wrong. He was one of only two people (within millions) that were ready for the promise 45 years earlier, but since the rest of the nation of Israel wasn’t ready he had to wait. What is amazing is that he maintained a good attitude while he waited for all the unbelievers to die off in the wilderness. We will see that even after 45 years he was still joyful and excited about receiving the Promise of God. His name is Caleb. I like to call him “Courageous Caleb!”

His story really begins when he was selected as one of 12 spies to perform a reconnaissance mission in Canaan. Of the 12, only two (Joshua and Caleb) had the faith required to believe God for the land. Here was the situation: God promised them the land, but it was inhabited – not just by anyone, but by giants. So for the Israelites to receive their promise they were going to have to fight for it! Caleb was ready to fight at 40yrs. old and here we see that he still had a fighting spirit at 85. Let’s look at his attitude 45 years later:

“Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the LORD spoke 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 word back to him as it was in my heart. “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully. “So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.’ “Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. “I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. “Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.” So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully” (Joshua 14:6-14 NASB).

So what does this mean to you? There is much to learn from here, but all I can say today is that: 1) you must maintain the proper attitude while you wait on God and 2) God will be faithful to His promises, even though it might take longer than you would like.

Father, I wait on You with my whole heart and while I wait – believing You for the manifestation of Your promises – I wait with Joy and Peace in Believing. I keep the proper attitude. I have the courage of Caleb and I remain ready to fight the fight of faith. I will not lose hold of the grasp that I have on my belief, faith, confidence, and expectation. I am a believer and I have a bulldog-tenacity when it comes to believing. I won’t give up, I won’t lose heart, I won’t throw in the towel, no matter how long it takes. I keep believing and I know that I will see Your goodness come to pass! I have the excitement of Joy and the serenity of Peace operating in my life while I wait on You! In Jesus’ name. Amen!