As a young Pastor/Evangelist I preached about today’s “hero” dozens of times!
Caleb, “who wholly followed the Lord.”
Joshua 14:6-14 tells his story, at least as far as his “inheritance” is concerned.
“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. 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. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: BUT I WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD MY GOD. 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. 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 (85) years old. 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. Now therefore GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims 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. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 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.”
Wow!
I don’t know if the Bible account here needs much comment.
A man of faith, Caleb.
One of the original 12 spies whom Moses send to scout the Land of Canaan. One of the two who “believed” God, Joshua himself being the other.
And now that Israel is being “given” her various Land Grants (Tribe by Tribe, thus family by family) … Caleb asks for a particular place.
A dangerous place, a mountainous place and a (to Caleb) special place!
He, though eighty-five years old, felt (with God’s Help) he could drive away the giants (Anakims) from the immediate territory … and settle there safely!
The man had faith when he was young!
The man still had faith when he is old!
What an example!
I called my Sermon fifty years ago “Caleb Christians.”
I’m quoting our protagonist: “If so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them (the huge enemies) out, as the LORD said.”
Lord God, grant us that kind of faith!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
By the way, the land Caleb settled was soon called “Hebron,” meaning “fellowship!” An association of like-minded followers! A company or band of brothers!
This too, a lifetime of fellowshipping with Almighty God!
Caleb, what a man.