CALEB
Joshua 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. 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. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 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. 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. 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.
This is the very first appearance of the name, Caleb in the Book of Joshua. That’s unusual in that He was chosen as a prince of Judah! Numbers 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
He is, therefore, closely related to the picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Lord Jesus was also elected by God, and he was of the tribe of Judah. Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Neither the Lord Jesus nor Caleb sought for public attention! Isaiah 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. This verse is clearly stated to concern the Lord Jesus in Matthew 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16 And charged them that they should not make him known: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
And Caleb had been in every battle that Joshua had led Israel into! He was there at Jericho! He was there at Ai! He was there for the Adonizedek campaign! And he was there in the most recent campaign against Jabin and his hosts! But there has been no mention of his name at all! He had silently and faithfully done his duty under Joshua, unlike John’s reported Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence. (3 John 9).
And in this we see Caleb as a wonderful picture of the Holy Spirit! John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. And of the spirit of God’s love we read in 1 Corinthians 13:5, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
We also see that this was a time for a difference to be seen by Israel in Joshua and Caleb. Of Joshua (whose name in Greek is “Jesus”), it was said that he was old and stricken in years. (Joshua 13:1). And the end of that same verse states, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. For he, like Christ had broken the dominion of the enemy, but there remained “pockets” of them to be dealt with by later generations! Christ broke the dominion of death by his resurrection after his death and physical removal into his glory, raised up out of sight in his ascension. (Romans 6:9). Therefore the believer is not under the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14), but still has remaining corruptions to conquer, due to that which is born of the flesh!
Yet Caleb seems to be without aging! For in verse eleven, (listed above), we read that his strength remained the same for war as it had been forty years earlier! Even so, the Humanity of God only remained on earth a little over thirty years, but the Holy Spirit has remained with us these two thousand years, enabling all believers to war against fleshly lusts within himself. (1 Peter 2:11).
And as Joshua passed off the scene, so our Lord Jesus advised his disciples, It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7). For even though Joshua and Caleb had a common beginning, (see 14:6 above), yet Caleb remains active in the warfare left behind from all the previous campaigns. Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Caleb was said to be of “another spirit.” Numbers 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. Both the Lord Jesus and Caleb were uniquely associated with the Spirit of God! As Caleb was associated with a different spirit to set him apart from other men, so our Lord, though anointed with the Holy Spirit, was not related to Him by the measure of other believers! Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Caleb’s name identifies his spiritual personality and not his humanity! The word, “Caleb” means, “raging with canine madness.” Which implies the aggressive fever of spirit which the canine exudes, especially in his hunting traits. For he will aggressively attack whatever prey his master is pursuing. His name then speaks of his aggressiveness of spirit, not regarding his humanity. Whereas the name “Jesus” speaks of our Lord’s humanity. It was given to Joseph concerning his birth and of the purpose of his body being offered for sin. Matt. 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Just as it was upon the ending of Joshua’s strength to war, that Caleb comes on the scene to finish the work left behind by Joshua, so it was only after the death of the Lord Jesus that the Holy Spirit came on the scene. Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Caleb and Joshua alone survived the judgment of God! Numbers 14:36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
Dear soul, there is not a single human acceptable before God on his own merit! Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Every one who is able to stand acceptable before the Holy God, does so only by Christ’s righteousness! 1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
“Dressed in his righteousness alone;
Faultless to stand before the throne.”
Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
The land had rest after Caleb was blessed! In verses 13 and 15, (listed above), we see that Caleb was blessed by Joshua and then the chapter closes with the statement that the land then rested.
The Lord Jesus sanctified the Holy Spirit unto his disciples. While instructing them that the greatest forgivable sin was speaking against Himself, he warned them that the greatest unforgivable sin was blaspheme against the Holy Spirit! Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
And those yielding and respecting Christ by the Spirit’s enablement were only those who should find soul rest. Matt. 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
2 Thessalonians. 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
One of the things that the Lord himself instructed us not to even think was that there would ever be peace on earth! Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. I know that we are all brainwashed by Hallmark as we send out their cards in December, proclaiming, “Peace on Earth! Good will to men!” But in view of the above Matthew ten verse, we’d better seek more light than the card company gives!
For the only peace on earth will be the peace that passes all the understanding of the fleshly mind! Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And that peace is only provided to those who are fully trusting in the Lord, those who are “being anxious (careful) for nothing!” For it is proclaimed to be Christ’s peace, exclusively in his sovereign control! And it is not the peace that the world understands, that is, an absence of troubles! But it is the kind of peace that causes you to bring a pillow to a storm, rather than an oar! John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Silly, depraved, ignorant world! Seeking peace and safety in everything except He who is the very Prince of Peace!
Caleb received his portion with the priests in a city of refuge! Josh. 21:11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. 12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer;
Pastor Gene Breed