Caleb's Conquest

Caleb’s Example

Joshua 14:1-6; I Corinthians 10:1-6

Introduction

A couple had been married for 50 years. "Things have really changed," she said. "You used to sit very close to me."

"Well, I can remedy that," he said, moving next to her on the couch.

"And you used to hold me tight."

"How’s that?" he asked as he gave her a hug.

"Do you remember you used to nudge my neck and nibble on my ear lobes?"

He jumped to his feet and left the room. "Where are you going?"

"I’ll be right back," he said. "I’ve got to get my teeth!"

Children touring a retirement home were asked by a resident if they had any questions. "Yes," one girl said. "How old are you?" "I’m 98," she replied proudly. Clearly impressed, the child’s eyes grew wide with wonder. "Did you start at one?" (Contributed by Ruth Naylor, Reader’s Digest)

An older couple went to their 60th high school reunion. There was a dance off that took place and of course they tried their best to win. The judges gave them first place citing all of the difficult dips that they attempted. The old man said "Dips, Dips? We were just trying to hold each other up."

All of us over the age of fifty can relate to these stories if even only a little. Today is our Senior Adult Luncheon. We are honoring all of you who give us young "whipper snappers" an example of how to live the life of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 the writer says,

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.

The Exodus from Egypt gives us examples of what not to do. Paul says it is so we will not be ignorant. In an effort to avoid ignorance, I would like us to focus on one of the examples from this epic account that is positive, the life of Caleb.

It’s About "Whose" You Are, Not Who You Are - v. 6

Now the men 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.

Caleb was a Kennizite. According to Genesis 15:19 the Kenizzites were a tribe of Canaan in Abraham’s day thus Caleb’s family then was originally outside the covenant and commonwealth of Israel. He was not of the nation of Israel by hereditary. His name is translated "dog".

It was not the lineage that made Caleb a stand out, it was his obedience and follow-ship that made him a part of God’s mighty plan.

You might be from a family of dedicated preachers of the gospel. You might be the son of Billy Graham, but if you do not belong to Jesus Christ you will never enter the Kingdom. It’s not about who you are or how wonderful you are but whose you are. Do you belong to Jesus?

“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! 11I 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.

Promises of God Are Always Good - v. 7

“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.

Much of the land has been conquered by the 12 tribes. The Israelites have taken the large part of the land but in order to take possession of it all, there is still fighting to be done. Joshua, being of old age, divides the lands among the tribes so they may take their portion as the Lord had promised. He has assigned much of the territory.

Caleb approached Joshua as they were casting lots and reminded him what was said those 40 or so years ago. Forty years ago he had been one of the 12 spies to enter the land of Canaan. Instead of reporting the bad news like ten others he had remembered what the Lord had said those years ago.