Today we will pick up the God story of Caleb 40 years later. We don’t hear
much about him during this in between time outside of his faithfulness, God’s
promise to him, and being the leader of his tribe. Things change though as
Israel finally enters the Promise land, and we see now that 80 year old Caleb is
still trusting his God.
Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and
Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at
Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when
Moses the servant of the Lord sent
me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report
according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who
went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however,
followed the Lord my God
wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land
on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your
children forever, because you have followed the Lord
my God wholeheartedly.’
10 “Now then, just as the Lord
promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this
to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today,
eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day
Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now
give me this hill country that the Lord
promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and
their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord
helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb
son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So
Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because
he followed the Lord, the God of
Israel, wholeheartedly. - Joshua 14:6–14
We can learn a lot about faithfulness from this man. Caleb’s faith was based on the Lord’s
promises, Godly living, and the secret of long life. May we learn from his
example. Amen?