CALEB, ONE WHO WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD
Intro.
A.
Romans 15:4 - The Old Testament is a rich source of
excellent lessons.
1.
This is especially true in character studies.
2.
When we examine the lives of the spiritual giants of old,
many important and profitable lessons can be learned.
3.
They encourage us to persevere, bring comfort to our
hearts, and cause us to rejoice in our hope.
B. In
this lesson we want study about Caleb, a man who wholly
followed the Lord.
I. Most of what we learn about Caleb is revealed
in Numbers 13
and
14.
A. He
was one of the twelve spies who were chosen.
1.
Each spy was selected because he was "every one a
leader among them."
Num. 13:1-3
2.
Thus, Caleb was well respected by the people.
B. He
was a man of courage.
1.
He accepted the difficult and dangerous assignment to
spy out the land.
Num. 13:17-21
2.
He encouraged the people to immediately go up and take
the land. Num
13:30-33
3.
He held to his faith and convictions in the face of bitter
opposition. Num.
14:1-10
C. He
was a man of faith and complete trust in God.
Num. 14:8
1.
This was the key to his success.
D. God
was very angry with the Israelites because of their
lack
of faith and rebellion.
1.
He wanted to destroy all of them but Moses intercedes.
Num. 14:15-19
2.
God says that Caleb and Joshua will go in and inherit the
land. Num. 14:28-32
a. Moses often repeated this promise that was made
to
them.
Num. 32:11-12; Deut. 1:34-36
3.
When the children of
time forty years later, all those from twenty years old
and upward had died, except Caleb and Joshua. Num.
26:63-65
4.
In their first battle with the Canaanites, the Israelites did
not loose a single man.
Num. 31:48-49
a. Remember, the ten spies said they were not able to
go against the enemy because they were stronger
than them.
Num. 13:31
b. Caleb and Joshua tried to persuade the people that
God would be with them and help them to defeat
their enemies.
Num. 14:8-9
c. God was truly with them. How
often do people go
out to battle and not loose a single soldier?
II. Many
years later, after the forty years of wandering, Caleb
receives his inheritance.
Num. 14:6-15
A.
Verse 10 - This shows how long they were in taking and
dividing the land.
B.
Verse 11 - Physical blessings, as well as spiritual, are given
when one serves the Lord.
1.
To live to a "good old age" is a blessing from the Lord.
Gen. 15:15; 1 Chron.
29:28
C. Verse 12 - This verse is significant.
1.
The very people and land the other ten spies said they
could not conquer, becomes the place of choice for
Caleb.
2.
He relies on God - "..As the Lord said" - to
conquer the
giants.
a. Thus, he trusted God and called on Him to help.
D.
Verses 13-14
1.
Caleb trusted God and was blessed by receiving the
object of his hope.
2.
He had to wait a long time (45 years), but it eventually
came.
III. What lessons can we learn from the
life of Caleb? What
applications can be made?
A. A lesson in character.
Caleb was first and foremost a man of
God. Such character is sorely needed in our generation.
1.
Courage; he was not afraid of the giants.
2 Tim. 1:7
2.
Dedication; his life was as a job well done.
2 Tim. 4:15
a. Notice what happened to the other ten spies, Num.
14:36-37
3.
Faith and trust in God. "...The
Lord is with us. Do not
fear
them." Num. 14:9. Rom.
B. We're going to face our own giants. We have our own
mountains to conquer.
1.
They will take various forms: a personal weakness;
possibly an addiction of some sort; a difficult task of
some kind; a door of opportunity that has been opened.
a. How can I be strong and courageous like Caleb?
Eph. 3:16; Eph. 6:10-17
C. We
need to wholly trust God and rely on His promises. Heb.
11:6; Ruth 2:12; Matt. 6:33; 2 Pet. 1:4
D. It
takes time, but eventually the object of our hope will come.
Titus 1:2; Heb. 3:6; 6:11-12
1.
We, too, need to fully rely on God. 2 Thess. 2:16-17
Concl.
A. With
God on our side, we can face any giant and conquer any
mountain.
1.
With Him on our side, we can face them with courage
and confidence.
B. We
must follow Caleb's example and follow the Lord fully.
1.
We can't hold back; we can't doubt; we can't waver.
C.
Within a few short years, we, too, will receive the object of
our hope. 1 Pet. 4:19