A Larger Heart: The Dynamic Love and Obedience of Caleb

 

Caleb and Joshua- Book of Joshua Chapter 14:6-15

Psalm 119:30-32-I have chosen the Way of Truth, Your Judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies. Oh LORD, do not put me to shame! I will run in the way of Your Commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.

As we continue in this new millennium the great need for each of us in the body of Christ- is for GOD to enlarge our hearts.Like the white dove with singleness of vision, we need to so focus on the LORD Jesus Christ- and allow him to be fully formed in us, in order to fulfill the Father’s destiny and purpose for each of our lives.

Galatians 4:19-My little children, for whom I labor in birth again, until Christ is formed in you. This ultimate divine intention is again defined in the Ephesians 4:12 &13 passage that stresses the five-fold ministry purpose:

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ- until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of GOD, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ “.

This is our individual and corporate destiny. This is where we are headed, so it behooves us to get with the program. The Father will have a Holy, Royal, Warrior- Priesthood! (I Peter 2:9), the LORD Jesus will have a Bride who has made herself ready (Rev.19:7), and the Holy Spirit will fill to overflowing the LastDaysGloriousChurch- so that a hurting world will take notice and be transformed.

And He Inherits The Promise (Joshua 14:6-15)

For some time my heart has been drawn to an enigmatic Old Testament character. I continue to be fascinated by the life of Caleb of whom the scripture says “My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it” (Numbers 14:24).

Only Caleb & Joshua Gave a ‘Good Report’ Trusting YHVH GOD

When the children of Israel were on the verge of entering the Land of Promise, ten of the twelve spies sent in to scout the land, rebelled against GOD because of the fear of man.Only Caleb and Joshua believed GOD could and would give them victory in conquering the enemies before them. For forty years they would wander the wilderness until all including Moses died, before GOD would again allow Joshua and Caleb and the new generation of Israel to enter in.The sad story in Numbers 13 &14 is a warning to us now as well- to not draw back. Instead like Caleb, we are to allow GOD to so enlarge our hearts so as to believe for and accomplish “…great and mighty things”.

Jeremiah 33:3-Call on Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things that you do not know.

In Joshua 14:6-14 we find this mighty man of GOD possessing his inheritance because he clung to the LORD’s testimony and would not be denied.He reminds Joshua of the word of the LORD through Moses beginning with verse 9: “So Moses swore on that day saying ‘Surely the land where your feet have trodden shall be for your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my GOD’ ”. Caleb owns his testimony by declaring inv10 “And now behold, the LORD has kept me alive these 45 years… and now here I am this day, 85 years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war…’ v12 “Now therefore give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day… v13 “And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb… as an inheritance”.

There are significant prophetic layers here. Mt.Hebron was promised to Caleb by Moses for his faithfulness to GOD (Deuteronomy 1:36).‘Hebron’ means ‘alliance’ for that is where GOD made or established His Covenant with Abraham-the Divine with the human. The ancient name for Hebron was ‘Kirjath Arba’ (Genesis 23:2) which means ‘four-fold city’.This is where the LORD told Abraham to look to the north, south, east, and west to the land which Jehovah would give him and to Abraham’s descendants forever (Genesis 13:14-18).

The Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived there (Genesis 35:27).Sarah died at 127 years of age and was buried there (Gen.23:17-20). Abraham was buried there (Gen.25:9, 10). Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob are all buried there (Gen.49-29-31). And Joseph’s bones are probably buried there (Gen.50:25 with Ex.13:19). In a type this is profoundly significant because Caleb inherits the place where GOD’s Covenant and Promises to Abraham and to both his physical descendants (Israel), and the Spiritual Seed- the Church were established. We as the Body of Christ are children of Promise by faith, as developed in great detail in the book of Hebrews.

We also see that even in receiving his inheritance, Caleb had to fight the Anakim (giants) and drive them from Hebron (Joshua 14:12-15; 15:14). This again is a prophetic layer which reveals the enmity between the children of GOD and the children of Satan (see Enmity between the Seeds by Bill Cloud). The giants were offspring of fallen angels who engaged in intercourse with human women (Gen. 6:4; Job 1:16).

Of significant interest is also the fact that Caleb was a direct descendant of Judah (Joshua 15:20 and I Chronicles 4:15). Our Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Gen.49:9&10). Jesus, born of Mary and Step-Son of Joseph, was a direct descendant of David the King, and therefore qualified to assume the throne of David by both biological and legal rights.Regarding David- six of his sons were born in Hebron (II Samuel 2:1-4), and also that is where he was anointed King over the House of Judah.

I believe that Caleb’s exemplary life shows us how to love GOD, as Jesus said “If you love me, you will obey my commandments” (John 14:15).It also shows us how to stand against all odds, and believe GOD’s Promises to us.These Promises though they may delay, are never late- if we hold fast to the words spoken over us, and those intimate words spoken to our hearts… always trusting in our LORD’s faithfulness.

In inheriting the specific land promised through Moses, Caleb assumed the privileged position of Protector of the Abrahamic Covenant. Mt.Hebron, Mamre, and the Cave of Macpelah are historic emblems of faith lived out- of being “more than conquerors through Him who loves us” (Romans 8:37).

Our daughter Sarah and her husband Matt surprised the grandparents and our extended family, keeping secret our grandson’s name until the day of his birth. In the fall of 2001 our Caleb was born.I firmly believe that he and his generation are those destined to expand in greater measure the AdvancingKingdom of our LORD Jesus Christ. We will all hasten His return as we faithfully mentor the flock of GOD across all generations, especially the young ones who are called to have miraculously enlarged hearts to receive the Blessings our Heavenly Father desires to bestow on all (II Peter 3:11 &12). Even so Come LORD Jesus!