Joshua 14:10 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 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.
For a couple of days now we have been talking about the inheritances received by the children of Israel. Chapter 13 lays out the land on the wilderness side.Chapter 14 lays out the land divided on inside Canaan land. We've come now to the inheritance of Caleb. Caleb was the only other spy who came back with a good report besides Joshua. Because of Joshua and Caleb's faith and willingness to conquer the land they were the only two people over twenty years old who survived the wilderness wanderings. God promised them that they would see the land.
Deuteronomy 1:36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.
Caleb had not forgotten the promise of God from forty five years ago. He was still holding to the old promises. That same child like faith, that still believed that God would give him the land, is the same faith that would cause a 85 year old man to say give me this mountain. I am in awe of the faith, zeal and courage of Caleb but it is important to realize the source of his zeal. It was the promise of God that gave Caleb such courage and willingness to attempt great things for God. The same is true for us friend, if you'll examine the lives of men who accomplished great things for God you'll find that they first had to attempt great things for God. Like Caleb of old believed the old promise we to have many promises in His Word that are just waiting to be believed and applied by faith. Now, faith doesn't validate or strengthen the promises given in God's Word but they are practically useless to you if you never have enough faith to exercise them. Faith is only as good as what it is relying on and in the case of the Bible believer that is very good news. The point I want to make is this, Caleb's faith in the promise of God and God of the promise was enough to move him to action. James told us that faith without works is dead. Caleb's promise would have been rendered useless had it never motivated him to take the mountain and expel the giants that lived there, which he did according to Judges 1:20. Many people are amazed at the age of Caleb but I want to focus on a faith that emboldens a 85 year old man to fight on to keep conquering. You do realize Caleb inherited a fight don't you? His inheritance was a mountain full of giants but it seems it didn't even discourage him in the least.
Do you believe that with God all things are possible? What about I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me? Have those promises ever embolden you to do what God has asked you to do? If not then I don't know who much you really believe them. The promises of God are yea and amen, and you can believe them and not only believe them but exercise them and not only exercise them but attempt and accomplish great things for God with the courage and zeal of Caleb. Notice Caleb never once ascribed any credit to himself. In his short speech He said the LORD kept me alive, the LORD spake this word to Moses, the LORD spake, the LORD will be with me, as the LORD said.
He proved that his zeal and courage was rooted not in self reliance but in the promise of God and The God of the promise.
God's promises are there to strengthen and embolden you for the work of God. Will you render them practically useless in your life because of unbelief? Or will you attempt and accomplish great things for God through the promises of His Word?
Trust and Obey for there is no other way!!
Onward Christian Soldier!!