His name was Caleb.
And he was old, eighty-five to be exact.
Yet he still longed to serve his God!
Still had a little “fight” in him, too!
Here’s the story, from Joshua chapter 14 anyway, a great example of faith.
“Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and CALEB the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD MY GOD. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I AM THIS DAY FOURSCORE AND FIVE YEARS OLD. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: IF SO BE THE LORD WILL BE WITH ME, then I SHALL BE ABLE to drive them out, as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh HEBRON for an inheritance. 14 HEBRON therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.” Joshua 14:6-15
What a man, Caleb.
Songs have been written about him.
Sermons preached.
Verses applied to his life of steadiness for the Lord. Psalm 92:13-14 come to mind as I sit here and type, for example. “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still BRING FORTH FRUIT IN OLD AGE; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Wow!
Be sure and read the whole Paragraph above, the Joshua Text.
What a life, dedicated to the Lord God Almighty!
What an impact for “good!”
Oh, did I tell you?
The name “Caleb” literally means “dog” in Hebrew!
The root word is “keleb,” meaning “to yelp, bark … or attack!”
Yes, “dog!”
My point today being … God can use an old “nobody,” just a “dog” in the eyes of the world … and do with him (or her) great things!
In fact, we are all (who have believed in Jesus) simply “sinners” … but now “saved” by Grace!
Once wild dogs, craving vomit … but now (miraculously) transformed into sheep, lambs … eagerly following our Shepherd to lush, green pastures and clear, still waters!
Dogs!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell