Exhortation Station

While reading in the book of Joshua recently, I was inspired by the description of Caleb’s faithfulness. In Joshua 14, when the land of Canaan was being divided among the tribes of Israel, Caleb the son of Jephunneh requested a specific piece of land which had been promised to him 45 years prior.

Joshua 14:6-10,13
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 YHWH spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. ⁷ I was forty years old when Moses the servant of YHWH sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. ⁸ Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed YHWH my God fully. ⁹ 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 YHWH my God fully.’ ¹⁰ Now behold, YHWH has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that YHWH spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today… ¹³ So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.”

As you recall, Caleb and Joshua were the only two men of their generation to enter the promised land. The rest of the men who came out of Egypt, from 20 years old and upward, died during the 40-year wilderness wandering because they did not obey Yahweh when first commanded to take possession of the land (Num 14:26-29). While most of the Israelite spies brought a bad report of the land, fearing its fortified cities and strong inhabitants (Num 13:25-33), Joshua and Caleb had an entirely different take on the situation.

Numbers 14:6-9
Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If YHWH is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹ Only do not rebel against YHWH; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and YHWH is with us; do not fear them.”

Caleb and Joshua weren’t looking at the size of the giants. In their minds, the only criterion for victory was whether Yahweh was pleased with them. A few verses later, we read…

Numbers 14:24 (Yahweh speaking)
“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.”

Because of Caleb’s faithfulness, he was promised the land on which he had set foot (Deut 1:36). 45 years later, at 85 years old, Caleb got to see that promise come to fruition.

Don’t conform to the crowd. Have a different spirit. When you’re under pressure, imagine yourself at 85 years old. Wouldn’t you like to look back at 85 and say, “I followed Yahweh my God fully”? May it be so.

Psalm 147:10,11
He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. ¹¹ YHWH favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.

(Bible passages NASB; Hebrew transl. added.)