The Character of Caleb
Numbers 14:24
"But my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him, followed me fully, him will I bring into the land he went to and his descendents shall inherit it"
Imperfections have distinguished some of the most eminent servants of God as shown in the scriptures.
Samson, Solomon, David, Abraham, Aaron, Peter, just to name a few.
Yet, there were those rare few whose lives were eminently holy, and free from public, moral deformities.
Enoch, Samuel, Daniel, Joshua, Job, etc.
We know that no man is perfect, but of these there is no record of their sin.
In fact, so holy was this man, Caleb, that God felt it necessary to give his own public estimate of the man.
We want to look at that estimate to see what we can take away from an encounter with Caleb.
I want us to look at...
1. The Spirit he possessed
2. The Course he adopted
and 3. The Distinctions he received.
I. The SPIRIT Caleb possessed.
God himself called it, "a different spirit..."
Different = not the same, not like the others, distinct.
Different or distinct from that possessed by the other 10 spies
and the people at large.
How was it different?
1. A spirit of FAITH and HOPE.
What does God want from His people?
One thing... OBEDIENCE!!!!
Where does obedience come from?
From hope and from faith.
Without faith it is impossible to obey God in the face of present problems and contradictions.
Without HOPE it is impossible to trust and obey God in the unknown. God wants to develop faith and hope in us.
The 10 spies and the people had neither.
They had NO FAITH to trust God in the face of giants, or walled cities, or armies, or the obvious problems.
Instead of having faith they were cowards.
They even admitted, 'We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and in theirs."
They had NO HOPE to believe that the invisible God could do things they could not imagine.
They could not have believed that the walls would fall by blowing trumpets, or that the armies would destroy themselves, or that the people were already in fear of them... the enemy felt like grasshoppers in their own eyes too.
No HOPE to trust God for the unknown.
So... they acted without hope and without faith and did the only thing one can do in such circumstances.... they cowered, they chose inaction, they chose to do without.
But what they were really doing, that only Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb understood was that they chose to DISOBEY GOD!!!
14:5 tells us, "Moses and Aaron fell down on their faces in front of the whole Israelite assembly, Joshua... and Caleb... tore their clothes and said, “Only do not rebel against the Lord.”
They showed them hope - "If the Lord is pleased he will give us the land"
Theirs was a spirit of disbelief - they accused God of tricking them.
And theirs was a spirit of hopelessness - WE CAN NOT!!
Which is your spirit??
The spirit of disbelief and distrust of God.
Or the spirit of faith.... of hope., and OBEDIENCE.
2. A Spirit of SELF-DENIAL
Caleb understood that the fight might be fierce, the battle might last long, there may be pain and suffering but those were secondary to obeying God.
The people wanted ease, comfort, and safety.
They were not willing to deny themselves... Caleb was.
They were not willing to suffer... Caleb was.
They wanted the rest without the journey; the reward without the labor; the victory without the warfare.
WHAT ABOUT YOU???
Do you possess a "Different Spirit" a spirit of self-denial.
Are you willing to deny your ego... to tell others about Jesus?
Are you willing to deny your comfort... in order to obey God?
Are you willing to deny yourself popularity... to obey God?
Be honest... which spirit do you have?
How would you have voted that day?
3. A CONSTANT, PERSEVERING Spirit.
The people were like waves on an ocean... up and down.
They were doubting on one side of the river... believing on the other... obedient when the manna came... disobedient when Moses tarried on the mountain... one minute hot, the next cold...
Caleb, on the other hand, was steady as a rock, never wavering, always ready to obey... period.
He held fast to his beliefs, to his commitments, and to his God.
I challenge you to name one of the 10 spies that voted not to go into the promised land. You can't
There was nothing special to mark them. They are forgotten by history. No one cares to emulate them.
Same for us... If you are a Caleb at work.... standing up for right, for faith, for God... never wavering in obedience, even if it costs you... you will be remembered, marked, special.
If you are a Sunday Christian... people will know it and you will just be another one of the crowd.
Caleb had a different spirit. Notice also…
II. The COURSE which Caleb adopted.
1. He chose the path of CONSECRATION.
"He followed the Lord fully."
One meaning, and perhaps the dominant usage of the word means to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity: to consecrate a new church building.
Most of you have attended a dedication service.
It can also have secular usage like to devote or dedicate to some purpose: a life consecrated to science.
Caleb’s spirit was one of consecration… his mind, heart and everything else was consecrated… given… dedicated to… the service, obedience and glorification of God.
For Caleb it was his glasses through which he saw the world.
In making a decision, the issue was “I belong to God. What would he have me do?”
When it came to entering the promised land… it was a no brainer… God said “GO”, so we go.
Others could bring up the problems, the hurdles but Caleb focused on obeying and glorifying God.
For Caleb life was simple, obey God!
Someone once said, “God said it- I believe it- that settles it.”
That is not true. Caleb would tell you the truth…
God said it- that settles it.”
3. He chose the path of complete obedience.
"Hath followed me fully"
Following God was his one concern, his over-riding purpose in life, his main pursuit... his only business.
In his heart and in his mind he was totally given to this one thing. What one thing are you totally given to?
And finally, let's notice...
III. The DISTINCTIONS he received.
1. Divine Approbation.
Who really matters to you?
Who do you really want to impress and have them make over you?
Spouse? Boss? Parent? Mentor? Idol? Hero?
If you could think of one person to use as a reference on your resume, who?
For Caleb... It was unmistakably, undeniably... GOD!!!!
Maybe you will get it... Caleb did.
God saw him.... approved him.... and publicly commended him
God even gave him the highest designation ever used of anyone except His son, Jesus SERVANT!
God did this for very few men... publicly proclaiming them to be his servant... Moses Joshua Caleb Job
That is what I want.
Not for God to part the skies and speak in deep voice.. "Rick is my servant in whom I am well pleased."
But one day, when I stand at the throne, I want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant..."
I will too... IF I possess that different spirit, and IF I choose the course of complete obedience.
I will receive one other thing that Caleb received too...
2. A Glorious Reward,
"Him will I bring into the promised land."
2 persons that voted in that first vote eventually made it into the promised land.
Only the 2 that voted YES, only the two who stood for the Lord.
Only the 2 with a different spirit, only the 2 that chose the path of full obedience.
ALL THE REST DIED IN THE DESERT!!!!!
ALL THE REST MISSED GOD'S REST !!!!!
Their bones served as monuments to God's displeasure against disbelief.
Those 2 entered the land of abundance, or rest.
God promises us the same thing... all who will have the different spirit.
He offers us the REST.... "Enter into my rest. "
He offers them the ABUNDANCE.. "/ am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
What spirit do you possess?
a spirit like the rest or the different spirit
What course do you pursue?
materialism
pleasure
selfishness
What prospect do you have of entering the promised land?
Like Caleb you must possess another spirit than that possessed by the world, or by mere "professors.1
It must be a consecrated spirit of faith, hope and obedience
Those are the only ones that the Lord Jesus will receive, accept, and reward.
