The Courage and Faith of Caleb

I actually forgot to write a blog post yesterday. 

And I don't think I have ever done before. 

I finished reading Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua this week. These books include very familiar territory for me, as I've taught through them all  in my Sunday school within the past year.

I noticed Caleb's story more this time as I taught his story and as I read about him when I started into Judges. Once of the first times he is mentioned is when the 12 spies are commissioned by Moses to search out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13). We know Caleb's from the tribe of Judah--the tribe from which Christ would later come--and he's the son of Jephunneh. Moses sent out the spies, and the majority of them came back terrified. Ten of them were sure they'd be devoured by the inhabitants. Two men had faith and clung to the promise that God would give them their Promised Land immediately, but they were rejected by their fellow Israelites. One of those two was Caleb. He tried to calm the people and persuade them to trust God, but they just decided to try and stone him (and Joshua) instead, thus sealing their consequence of wandering for 40 years in the desert. Caleb had faith in the yet-to-be-fulfilled promises. 

Because of his faith, he was one of the only two who were allowed in the Promised Land from that generation. "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it." (Numbers 14:24) He feared and trusted the Lord fully. His fear was the opposite of the terrified fright of the Israelites, rather it was a reverence and courage in the God he had followed for so long. 

And now after the initial conquest of Canaan, we find Caleb again in Joshua 6. He steps out in faith to ask Joshua for his inheritance. He reviews the history of his life so far, reminding Joshua and the Israelites that though the previous generation had lacked faith in God, he had fully followed the Lord. He tells them that he has remained strong physically and spiritually, and that the Lord has kept him alive because of his faithfulness. So, before Joshua divides the rest of the land between the tribes, Caleb asks Joshua for the hill country called Hebron. Hebron was the first city they spied out, and it was later captured by Joshua. This place held much history for the Israelite nation, for Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were buried here. But not only were their forefathers buried here, but this place was now home to the Anakim's--a generation of "giants" known for their height and greatness, along with their intimidating presence. But Caleb wasn't afraid. He said, "give me this hill country...It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said" (Joshua 14:12). And he says this at 85 years of age.

And because of Caleb's courage, and because of God's promise to provide Caleb an inheritance for him and his children, the Lord granted him this land through Joshua. Joshua divided the land among the rest of the tribes and commanded them to destroy the remaining Canaanites, but most of them didn't. The Canaanites remain in the land in certain areas and plagued the Israelites and led them into false worship time and time again. But Caleb obeyed. He drove out the Anakim's and their descendants, just as he said he could because God was with him.

Caleb's faith, courage, and boldness was passed on to the next generation, for his daughter, Achsah, also exercised these traits when she asked her father for a portion of land. Caleb blessed her and gave her the land. Like father, like daughter. Caleb had chosen that his house would serve the Lord, and he lived it out, causing it to be passed on to the next generation. [Caleb's younger brother eventually became one of the judges who brought temporary peace to the Israelites (Judges 3:7-11).]

And though the writer of Hebrews "ran out of time" to list all those who lived by faith, I think Caleb is indirectly included in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:27-40). He left Egypt by faith. He would have celebrated the first Passover, watched the Egyptians drown in the Red Sea, wandered the deserts and mountains, seen the walls of Jericho fall, and acknowledged Rahab's faith. He would have crossed the Jordan on dry land, and he would have been there when the sun stood still. He helped to conquer the kingdom of Israel. He enforced justice. He was a mighty man of war, and he put foreign armies to flight. And he obtained promises. The promise of the land of Canaan, and the promise of his inheritance. And he lived with the knowledge of a future Savior, a promise that he would not see fulfilled. But he was saved by faith. A faith that is assured of things hoped for, and has the conviction of things not seen. Caleb walked by faith, literally and figuratively.