Division Of The Land Series

Well Caleb was an ‘Ardent’ follower of Jehovah. This is made clear to us in vs 8, 9 and 14 of this chapter. In v8 Caleb himself testifies to his wholehearted devotion to God – “My brothers made the heart of the people melt with fear, but I followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly” He is referring of course to the events recorded in Numbers 13-14 when he together with the other 11 spies one of whom of course was Joshua, were sent out from Kadesh Barnea to survey the land of Canaan when the Israelites first came to its borders some forty five years ago. Not only did Caleb at that time show his wholehearted devotion to God by willingly undertaking that task to which God had called him, a difficult and dangerous task; but he also showed it in the subsequent events that accompanied the return of the reconnaissance team. The nature of the report brought back by the majority of the spies was discouraging in that whilst acknowledging that the land was indeed as good as God had said it would be, they nevertheless advised against going in to try and capture it because as far as they were concerned the cities were too well fortified, the people too well armed and far too strong, and they believed that Israel had not hope of defeating the existing inhabitants. Against this however Caleb together with his fellow spy Joshua, encouraged the people to go forward in faith trusting in the presence, the promises and the power of God to overthrow the inhabitants of the land regardless of how formidable they seemed to be. Caleb’s wholehearted devotion to God manifested itself then in a number of different ways. In his willingness to serve God by making himself available for and willing to undertake the task God assigned him; in a willingness to trust God in what were humanly speaking difficult and dangerous circumstances; in his willingness to take God at His word and go forward at his command; in his willingness to take a stand against prevailing unbelief and the popular opinion of the majority of those around him who had lost sight of the greatness and the power and the promises of God. Caleb says in v8 “I followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly’

And Caleb’s wholehearted devotion to God was such that others noticed it. It was clear for all to see. Moses testified to it, look at v9 So on that day Moses swore to me – (and then he quotes the words of Moses ) the land on which your feet have walked shall be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.” Then too Joshua makes mention of Caleb’s wholehearted devotion to God in v14 as he sums up the apportioning of Caleb’s inheritance to him “So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord the God of Israel, wholeheartedly”

Caleb was an Ardent Servant of God.

I wonder brethren is that something that could be said of you and me - That we are ‘Ardent’ servants of God; That we follow the Lord God – wholeheartedly, with ALL our heart. That we are not half-hearted in our life as a Christian.