Caleb: Courage Defined
It takes courage to live out the life God has written for you. It takes courage to embrace His vision for your life and commit your life to it. Caleb understood this and in so doing shows us the definition of living courageously.
I. Courage of Identity
-not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.
Numbers 32:12
Caleb had two identities:
a) Kenizzite
Kenizzites were not descendants of Abraham.
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.
Genesis 15:18-20
It is believed that he joined the Israelites during the Exodus (read here for more context.)
For all intents and purposes he was a foreigner. Yet, he did not allow that title to intimidate him. He did not shy away or downplay himself. Instead, he stood out, so much so that he emerged as one of Israel’s leaders.
The LORD said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one if its leaders.” … from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
Numbers 13:1,2,6
The tribe of Judah chose Caleb as their representative. They could have chosen a “true” descendant of Judah, but they chose the Kenizzite as the leader to represent them.
b) Follower of God
This identity was more important than his identity as a Kenizzite. Why? Because this is the identity God gave him.
But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Numbers 14:24
In God’s eyes, Caleb stood out because of his unyielding loyalty to God. This loyalty qualified him to partake in the inheritance of Abraham, a privilege that was denied to those who went against the Lord.
Your Turn:
What is your identity?
Do you let the labels of tribe, race, gender, ethnicity etc stop you from walking in the path God has just for you?
When God looks at you, can He see Himself as your identity?
II. Courage of Zigging When Others are Zagging
As we have previously seen, the leaders from the tribes of Israel went out to explore the land that God had promised them. They saw the land and admitted it was good. But, they also saw the power of the inhabitants, the fortified cities and the descendants of Anak. The leaders of Israel were frightened by what they saw.
Caleb on the other hand, was of a different opinion:
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
Numbers 13:30
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explores is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land…Only do not rebel against the LORD…But the whole assembly talked about stoning them…
Numbers 14:6-10
Caleb and Joshua were outnumbered. They had two options. To either stand with God and His vision and risk being stoned; or to stand with the rest of the Israelites and avoid confrontation. They chose the former.
Your Turn:
The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?
Numbers 14:11
Do you believe God is able to make His vision for your life come to pass, or shall you regard Him in contempt by your unbelief?
III. Courage to Wait
Because of their unbelief, the LORD punished Israel.
Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun…But your bodies will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years…until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. For forty years-one year for each of the forty days you explored the land- you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’
Numbers 14:30-34
Because the Israelites refused to move in God’s timing, they were punished with delay. In an effort to change God’s mind and against the advice of Moses, they opted to go and conquer the promised land.
Nevertheless, in their presumption they went towards the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the LORD’s covenant moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
Numbers 14:44-45
Acting out of sync with God and his timing on two seperate occassions caused the Israelites great shame and defeat.
Caleb on the other hand trusted God and His timing.
“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 desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!
Joshua 14:10
Caleb waited forty years to receive the promise of the LORD! He did not tire in waiting, he did not complain. He trusted God and His timing.
Your Turn:
Are you willing to wait on God?
Are you in sync with God’s timing.
Remember, vision is revealed and fulfilled in stages. As such, timing is crucial.
IV. Courage to Take
In Caleb’s own words:
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. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and tbeir cities were large and fortified, but the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
Joshua 14:11-12
Who were the Anakites?
The people are strong and tall-Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said, “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”
Deuteronomy 9:21
It is easy to take hold of your promises when there is no opposition. It takes courage to take a hold of your promise when there are giants standing between you and what is promised to you.
Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
Joshua 14:13
Hebron was his, but possessing it would require him to fight.
From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites-Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai- descendants of Anak. From there he marched againsy the people living in Debir (formerly Kiriath Sepher).And Caleb said? “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
Joshua 15:14-17
Your Turn:
In the right time, are you willing to fight and take possession of the promises God has for you?