Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully. “So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.’ “Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. “Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.” So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Joshua 14:7-13
Caleb waited on the promise of God for 45 years. He counted on that promise and walked fully with God for those 45 years knowing that one day he would possess God’s promise.
Forty-five years of manna. Just as God said, his generation died because they did not believe that God would deliver the promised land into their hands; only Joshua and Caleb remained of that generation.
As strong as when he was 40, Caleb asks for the hill country, Hebron, where the giants live. To possess Hebron, Caleb will fight fierce battles.
“Perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.”
So Joshua blessed Caleb and sent him into the battle to possess the promise from the Lord and to regain a sacred land. Hebron, meaning “fellowship,” is where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Leah are buried.
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. Numbers 14:24
Caleb prepared to possess the promise.
- Caleb followed God fully.
- Caleb believed he would possess God’s promise.
- Caleb kept his body strong.
- Caleb set his eyes on the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- Caleb asked for the land of the giants, the land of the fierce battles.
My prayer:
Father, thank You for Caleb. Give us the spirit of Caleb, an unshakeable faith in Your Word, Your promises and what Your best is for us. Empower us to see what You have in store for us, and show us how to prepare to possess what You have established for us from the foundation of the world.