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Showing posts with label Caleb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caleb. Show all posts

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Wholly Following the Lord

 Caleb--Fully Following God

Book of Joshua Chapter 14

The most important thing we can do after we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior is, to then follow Him.

In fact, you cannot be counted as a Christian if you are not following the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the truth of repentance! We quit traveling the path of sin and start traveling the path of righteousness.

Righteousness is doing our best to do things right and right means according to the Word of God!

As we will see the truth of this man called Caleb, it means "fully following" the Lord.

There is no room for those who just follow the Lord whenever they think it works for them.

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and "take up his cross daily, and follow me".

To follow our Savior is a daily walk with Him!

When we are not following the Lord Jesus Christ, we are then traveling on a road of darkness!

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: "he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life".

Following the Lord Jesus Christ is denying our own will and accepting the will of God as the correct path of life!

Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me".

What is the key to following God? Being in the Will of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ is our example in all things of the "will of God"!

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, "leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps":

We cannot follow the Lord unless we "fully follow the Lord", as did Caleb!

Who was this Caleb?

This Caleb was the son of Hezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah and the father of Hur, as the Word of God is written, to separate him from others named Caleb in the Bible. He is also the son of Jephunneh.

Caleb was a prince of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Hezron, the son of Pharez, and a grandson of Judah

This Caleb was one the twelve spies sent out to Canaan Land by Moses representing the tribe of Judah.

It was this Caleb and this Joshua, who told Moses that Israel could easily take the land of Canaan.

The Lord said that this Caleb had a different spirit than the others.

Num 14:24  But my servant Caleb, "because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully", him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 

Why did Caleb have another spirit? Because he followed God fully!

Obviously, this thing pleased God!

How many of us here today would like to have such a thing said about us?

Caleb had a great testimony.

It can be said of us when it is the truth, when God's will be our own will!

We should strive to have such a testimony as did Caleb.

Israel had already been in many battles and had captured much land on the far side of Jordan.

Caleb had grown old, and Joshua already knew what land that Caleb would receive. 

This land was still under the control of the enemy gentiles.

So let us begin:

*****Jos 14:1  And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. 

Thirty-three kings had now been defeated by Israel.

Those who were to divide the lands of Canaan were Eleazer as son of Aaron, Joshua the son on Nun who God had chosen to replace Moses and the heads of the fathers of the tribes.

The word for "tribes" used in connection with the word "fathers" implies genealogical descent which would be according to the Word of God.

In typology we have the Church, the Head of the government, and the Tribes the Heads of the people.

This is God's way of setting up the government of Israel. 

This is the way God intended for all governments to be set up!

The distribution of the land would be according to the "will" of God displaying no partiality.

The casting of the "lot" was to be the method used where it could be said that every decision was by the "Will of God".

*****Jos 14:2  By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. 

Jos 14:3  For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them. 

The "lot" was a small stone used in the casting of "lots", the method used to determine chances or preferences, or to decide a debate. 

The decision by lot was often resorted to among the Hebrews, but always with the strictest reference to the interposition of God!

Today we would say a thing of "chance". 

Even today ,placing names in a hat and drawing those names out one at a time has the intention of God choosing those to serve Him.

We should understand that there nothing done by chance when God participates in it.

Canaan land was divided between nine tribes plus one half of a tribe as Moses had already given land to two and a half tribes on the far side of Jordan.

God had decided that the Levites would not be given land for an inheritance.

God had said that He would be the inheritance of the Levites.

We always have that question "why"?

*****Jos 14:4  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

Jos 14:5  As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.  

God had chosen the Levites to be the tribe that would serve Him exclusively.

God has His reasons!

Jacob had made this statement:

Gen 49:2  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 

Gen 49:4  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. 

Gen 49:5  Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 

Gen 49:6  O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 

Gen 49:7  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel". 

Simeon and Levi were associate in wickedness, and so the same prediction would be equally applicable to both their tribes. 

Levi had cities allotted to them in every tribe. 

On account of their zeal against idolatry, they were honorably “divided in Jacob”; whereas the tribe of Simeon, which was guilty of the grossest idolatry and the vices inseparable from it, were ignominiously “scattered.” over the Promised Land.

God had chosen the Levites to be His own personal representatives among the people, so they belonged to the Lord.

The Lord was their inheritance!

The Levites were replaced by the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim which will also take us back to Jacob who is Israel and his favorite son Joseph, who is also a type of Christ as we studied in the Book of Genesis.

The two branches of Joseph’s house, Manasseh, and Ephraim, forming each a tribe, would have made Israel’s family to have been thirteen to have divided Canaan, had not Levi been separated to the Lord: and Reuben and Gad, with half the tribe of Manasseh settling on the other side of Jordan.

It was at this time, before any land had been given that Caleb the head of the tribe of Judah spoke up.

*****Jos 14:6  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. 

Jos 14:7  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. 

You see God never breaks a promise!

Forty-five years earlier Caleb had a promise from Moses as the spies had returned from spying out Canaan Land.

Num 14:24  But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 

Moses spoke as the Word of God was given to him.

We know that Joshua also stood as Caleb, but he is not named because he was no longer in the ranks of the people and was the constant companion of Moses until Moses died and was now the leader of all of Israel.

Caleb was under the influence of the Holy Spirit and did not fear what this world could do to him.

This is the way we should live today.

Out of those twelve spies only Caleb and Joshua had stood by the Lord.

*****Jos 14:8  Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 

Jos 14:9  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. 

You see we cannot just follow the Lord when we feel like it!

We must follow the Lord no matter our feelings.

Our relationship with the Lord is not about feelings!

Our relationship with the Lord is about "the truth" of God!

We must do exactly what God (Jehovah) has commanded us to do.

The Word of God has never been a book of suggestions!

We must execute the Word of God just as it is written, "rightly divided"!

There is the promised inheritance of the Lord that can also be to every believer, but obedience is absolutely essential to receive it.

Obedience is the only proof that the Lord has that we genuinely love Him!

It will take courage, duty, and commitment and our faith, to achieve the goals that the Lord has placed upon us!

We will see that Caleb had all these traits.

We will need these traits if we are to "wholly follow the Lord".

Though the world disagrees it is our Heavenly Father who keeps us alive!

It is Jehovah who holds the power of life and the power of death!

It is Jehovah who keeps the promises He has made to us just as He would to Caleb.

Before the first lot is cast, Caleb reminds Joshua of the promise made to him by Moses who spoke according to the Word of God.

Caleb was totally convinced that Jehovah would give the power to His people to claim victory in the Promised Land.

We have this same promise today!

Our victory is still the fulfillment of the true Promised Land which is not upon this earth.

Moses had sworn that Caleb would inherit the land focused upon by the other spies.

Num 14:24  But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Deu 1:34  And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, 

Deu 1:35  Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, 

Deu 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.

What drove Caleb to wholly follow the Lord was the fact of the promises of God would be fulfilled!

As a young man of 40 years old was sent out as a spy, from that point on Caleb strived to obtain the promises of God.

Caleb is the truest example of a Christian in the Old Testament!

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

It takes a wholehearted commitment to the Word of God and the knowledge that the Lord will never break a promise He has made to us!

*****Jos 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. 

Jos 14:11  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. 

Jos 14:12  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.

Caleb had a willingness to face the enemy who stood opposed to the Children of God.

Why? Because Jehovah had already claimed the victory!

If we are willing to study the Word of God, we can see that God has still proclaimed victory for the people of God!

Caleb praised God that He had kept him alive long enough to see the truth of God and the reality of "Victory".

The war was not yet over.

There were great giants that stood before him.

You see even our physical strength comes by the Lord.

Caleb was just as able at eighty-five years old, to face the enemies of God as he was when he was a spy sent out by Moses.

We need to understand Caleb made a request for the promise made to him even while the enemies of God's people still controlled that land and many of them were of a race of gigantic people that will be mentioned for many years in the Old Testament.

We should understand that if the average male or female stood in the midst of a professional basketball team, they would think they were amongst giants.

These giants mentioned by the Bible are just real people who are larger than normal.

Caleb may have been up in years, but he was not about to retire before his work was done.

As Christians we should feel the same way today!

God will tell us when our work is done, and He will then take us home.

Unless the "rapture" of God's people takes place, our work will not be complete till the Lord takes us home to the true "Promised Land" which is Heaven, the New Heaven where the Lord has prepared us a place.

The army of God is to remain busy until that time!

God has given us our marching orders and has never said to stop but rather to stand on the Word of God.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The army of God needs more Caleb's today!

*****Jos 14:13  And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 

Jos 14:14  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. 

Jos 14:15  And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

Caleb marched his family into the land of giants and gained the promised victory.

A fortified city named Kirjath-Arba again became Hebron now exists as one of the oldest cities in the world.

The truth is we must be totally committed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

This wicked world will do its best to knock us backwards, but the army of God must move forward at all times.

We go backwards when we give up.

When we give up on ourselves then we have given up on the Lord.

We must follow the Lord whole heartedly.

There must be a wholehearted commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 

Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

The term Israel means the people of God.

The true church is the gathering place for the people of God.

We need to be in our place each and every time God calls us to be there.

We must be committed to the work the Lord gave us to do!

We must wholly follow the Lord all our days!

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.


Monday, December 10, 2012

Caleb

Caleb---Fully Following God

Text: Joshua 11-22

Our focus is on Chapter 14

What does it mean to follow God and who is this Caleb?

In the Book of Hebrews we learned that in these last days we are to listen to the Son of God and Jesus was His name here on this Earth.

The Son of God says:

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, [and few there be that find it].

This verse does not say that this straight gate is hard to find, it says that only a few will find it!

There is only one way to find this straight gate:

Rom 12:2 And [be not conformed to this world]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Then to follow the Lord is too:

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

To follow the Lord is to be like Him, and to be like Him is to be a true Christian:

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

To be a Christian is to be different from those of this world we live in:

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. [And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch].

So who is this Caleb?

I may be mistaken but I do not believe you can find anything in the Bible that is bad about Caleb.

We first meet Caleb when Moses sent out the 12 spies. Only Caleb and Joshua give a good report to Moses in fact Caleb's words were these:

Num 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; [for we are well able to overcome it].

Why was Caleb this way?

Num 14:24 [But my servant] Caleb, [because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully], him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

"Because he had another spirit and followed God fully"!

What a testimony!

Because of this testimony, Caleb, who was born a slave, who had been one the twelve spies and had "faith" in the Word of God was given his land by privilege!

Caleb had "faith to forget the past.

Caleb had "faith" to face the facts.

Caleb had "faith" to face the future.

So let's begin:

*****Our text

Jos 14:1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

Jos 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe

The 9 and 1/2 tribes will possess their land by the drawing of the lot. Why was it done this way?

It had to appear that the division of the land was not brought about by men, and their private settlement of it; but by the "providence of God".

Those men chosen to oversee this process were to witness the fairness of the casting of the lots.

(get picture of map)

How does this relate to the "Born Again" believer"?

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him [who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will]:

*****Jos 14:3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

Jos 14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

Jos 14:5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

Under the laws of inheritance and the rites of the first born child, which was allotted to Joseph by Jacob, the two sons of Joseph each got an allotment.

It was Levi who was the ring leader of the selling of Joseph and he was left out of the drawing but still provided for by God Himself.

The Levites belong to the Lord:

Num 3:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Num 3:12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

The Levites were assigned 48 cities but these cities were scattered throughout the other tribes. They were also given an area around those cities that are called "Suburbs". This would be the open land near those cities that could support the livestock that belonged to the Levites. There would be no owner of this land but grazing land only.

*****Jos 14:6 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.

Caleb had wholly followed the Lord since escaping from Egypt.

The Lord had made a promise to Caleb and now Caleb was reminding Joshua of that promise.

Deu 1:35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,

Deu 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.

*****Jos 14:7 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.

More than 40 years had passed by in the life of Caleb and he was now over 80 years old and he knew the challenge that laid before him to fulfill this promise of the Lord.

When we study the Old Testament we are to learn from it. The exodus of Israel is in fact a "type" of the Christian, trials and tribulations in our walk of "faith".

The lesson to learn here is that we are to be encouraged in our pilgrim journey and we can claim every promise that the Lord has made and every spiritual blessing that is available from the Lord.

To the church the Bible says:

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Caleb was more than 80 years old but he was not looking for a handout. The land he had been promised was still occupied and the occupants were the giants that all the other spies had been afraid of.

Caleb knew his strength was in the Lord and there was no doubt he would have the victory after all a promise had been made.

**A lesson we need to learn in this class is that "we are never to old to do a work for the Lord".

There is no retirement from "trusting in the Lord"!

*****Jos 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: [but I wholly followed the LORD my God].

We can see that Caleb knew the recipe for a long life. It is really very simple. We must wholly follow the Lord Our God.

That is Jehovah our Holy Trinity!

Caleb had never forgotten how a false report had caused them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years when he knew he could have already possessed this land and city called Hebron.

*****Jos 14:9 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].

Caleb respected the God appointed leader of Israel but he had been promised by Moses the land Abraham was so fond of and he simply made a request for Joshua to honor that request.

Num 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land [whereinto he went]; and his seed shall possess it.

Because it was formerly in God’s promise, Caleb shows how he values the promise and insists on the mountain the Lord had spoken of.

As believers we must place great value on the things God has already given to us because of His promises.

What does God promise each believer? It begins with this promise.

Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive [forgiveness of sins, and inheritance] among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Tit 1:2 In hope of [eternal life], which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own [purpose] and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an [inheritance], being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of [the kingdom] which he hath promised to them that love him?

1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, [reserved in heaven] for you,

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may [be also glorified together].

Forgiveness, have purpose in this life, Eternal life in His Kingdom, Eternal life in His Heaven, and also a "glorified body" like that of Jesus.

These are just part of our inheritance!

*****Jos 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.

First Caleb had been kept alive to fulfill his purpose.

If this is not your hope while you are still living then you are without hope.

I certainly want to fulfill the purpose God has for my life before He takes me home. Any other thing would be a failure in my service to My Lord.

Upon fulfilling His purpose for me then I want to immediately go home to Heaven.

We can also see that Israel had already been 5 years in the conquest of Canaan Land.

Let's not miss that Caleb wanted to celebrate his birthday knowing that God was fulfilling a personal promise of giving him the land promised to him.

We can see God does make and keep some personal promises to us while we are living, "if we wholly follow Him"!

*****Jos 14:11 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.

God had maintained the strength of Caleb and also his life for those 45 years.

We can clearly see this as an example of God's faithfulness to His children!

*****Jos 14:12 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.

Caleb had reverence for the place that Abraham cherished. The place where Sarah was buried. The place where Jacob was buried. The place where Isaac was buried.

Caleb was not about to allow some giant men to keep him from reclaiming this place that meant so much to him and to Israel.

He knew this would be no easy task but what Caleb knew the most was, that his strength came from the Lord!

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

*****Jos 14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Jos 14:14 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.

Caleb had not made demands of Joshua and I believe Caleb would not have acted on his own if his request was not honored. Caleb had respect for God's chosen man!

Caleb had volunteered for the hardest assignment of all and he was the only one to complete his job.

This was to big a mountain for Israel to over come but to Caleb it was only one more obstacle in his way of of wholly following The Lord.

*****Jos 14:15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

It was the giants who had changed the name from Hebron to Kirjatharba but Caleb preferred the name Hebron.

Kirjatharba meant "city of four".

Hebron means a "society of friendship" and that friendship is with the Lord.

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Six times the Bible says that Caleb "wholly followed the Lord".

There is no better recipe to a good life and to good health!

We are all engaged in a great conflict. Our greatest battle is with our inward self. When we overcome this our greatest obstacle we can achieve the things of God and then and then only will we also be a "Friend of God"!

What is our task?

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Who will always give us victory?

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The world may ignore and reject Jesus Christ but the world will go down in defeat while those that love Him will win the victory and receive the promises of God.

Questions?

Let's Pray!