Have you ever suffered because of someone else made a wrong decision?
• You wasted money, time or efforts because someone made a mistake and opted for a wrong choice. The sad thing is, you were made to pay for it too.
• I’m sure you understand how that feels. It’s sad but this is life; we don’t always suffer for our own mistakes.
Caleb had such an experience. He was a member of the team that spied on the land of Canaan. He came back with a positive report, and a right one (Num 13).
• Both he and Joshua were confident that victory was theirs because God has so promised, to give them the land.
• But the majority could not put their faith in God. They could not put their faith in what they COULD NOT SEE – the promises of God!
It is so much easier to put our trust in what we see. We got to learn to trust what God says.
• Don’t go by the majority. Go by what God says. Don’t go by what is popular; go by the truth of God’s Word.
• There is this old song, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. It says, the world behind me, the cross before me. And then, though none go with me, still I will follow.
A promise cannot be seen, of course. If you see it, it is not a promise. A promise has to do with the future, and it can only be received by faith.
• We are call to trust His Word because God is completely trustworthy.
• James says, “He does not change like shifting shadows”. (James 1:17)
• Samuel says, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man, that He should change his mind.” (1 Sam 15:29)
Not only did Caleb trust God’s promise completely, he was passionate about seeing it fulfilled in his life. After 45 long years, he was still talking about it!
• 14:10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, He has kept me alive for 45 years…”
• 14:12 “Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day…” That day was over 40 years ago!
Let me tell you something very interesting. Do you know that we have no record of Caleb ever talking, or saying anything throughout the wilderness journey?
• We had only records of him speaking BEFORE and AFTER the journey – in Num 14 after the spying trip, and now in Josh 14 when he was about to take his inheritance.
• (And a short word in Josh 15 when he marries his daughter. That’s all we have.)
From Num 14 to Josh 14 that’s a span of 45 years. And the most amazing thing is this, both conversations were almost identical. It was about the promise of God!
• Caleb has not changed over the 45 years of hardship. He was still passionate about what God has said.
• Are we? Are we excited about what God has said? Are we passionate to see His will be fulfilled in our lives?
LET THE PROMISES OF GOD DRIVE YOU
Caleb was driven by the promise of God. He was preoccupied by what God wants to give to Israel. He did not give up.
• Despite a change to the original plan. Despite the long detour back into the wilderness. Despite the long delay in fulfilling God’s promise.
• Many would have given up hope because of detours and delays to the promises of God. Many would have doubted God because of the difficult circumstances.
• We don’t need 45 years. Give me 45 days or 45 weeks and we can see people giving up on God. BUT NOT CALEB.
Caleb longs to see this day. He desires to see God’s promise fulfilled.
• He did not give up because he believes God; he trusts in what God has promised.
• No wonder the Lord says of him (Num 14:24): “my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly.”
That’s the spirit we want to have - this burning desire to see God’s will fulfilled, this UNWAVERING TRUST in His promises, despite the odds.
• We want to be driven by that which we cannot YET see but believe in.
• If Caleb had trusted only what he could see, he would be terrified by the giants Anakites, the fortified cities, and the uphill task.
• But that wasn’t what he was looking at. He was looking to God. “… the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.” (14:12)
I don’t know what you are seeing today. The challenge for us is to look to God and trust His promises, that which cannot be seen.
• Caleb could have easily ended up in bitterness and anguish, for the way life treated him. He was forced back into the wilderness.
• It was so unfair. He had the right judgement but was made to suffer with the rest.
• But that’s what TRUST entails, right? You don’t always understand everything. You just need to believe that God is sovereign and He knows what He is doing.
Many falter at this point. We accept the good from God but we cannot trust Him for the bad things that happened.
• Don’t be influenced by the circumstances. Be caught up rather by the promises of God and what He can do.
• We are called to HOLD UNSWERVINGLY to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:23)
Caleb trusted God then, and he trusts God now. Nothing has changed for him - God’s Word holds true.
• Caleb remains faithful to God and he remains full of faith in God.
TAKE ACTIONS TO FULFIL GOD’S PROMISES
You can sense the eagerness in Caleb’s words:
I followed the Lord wholeheartedly; He kept me alive for 45 years (for this moment), I am still as strong today as I was then, I’m as vigorous to go out and fight; never mind about the giants Anakites and fortified cities, God helping me, I will drive them out. (14:8-12)
• And that coming from an 85 years old man! He should be retiring.
• I remember my mentor Dr Larson at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago. The year I graduate was the year he retires. And he said to us: “I am not retiring. I am re-firing.”
That’s Caleb. He wasn’t passive. He was actively seeking God’s fulfilment of His promise. He was determined to see it becomes reality.
• What did the Lord promised him 45 years ago? Num 14:24 “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will in inherit it.”
• It was the same section of land that he spied on and that brought fear to his team of spies.
• And in one breath, he says, “Give me his hill country” and “I’m ready and fit to fight”. It’s scary, right?
It wasn’t easy. And Caleb did not expect God to give it to him on a platter.
• Israel in all of their battles, did not expect that from God!
• Today many believers claim God’s promises like handouts, without any corresponding response on their part.
• No obedience, no responsibility, no desire to serve God, and simply expecting God to bless them and give them what they want.
• They expect God to do everything; they are the passive recipients of His blessings.
Paul tells Timothy: “Fight the good fight of the faith.” (1 Tim 6:12)
• Caleb was determined to fight for it. He believes that God will help him win it.
• That’s true faith. True faith is not PASSIVE. It is believing that God’s promise will be fulfilled THROUGH us.
That probably explains why Caleb was kept healthy and strong, strong enough to fight, because God is going to fulfil His promise through him.
• God’s promise was realised through Caleb, and not apart from him.
• Caleb knew that. He said God kept him alive for this day.
(1) Let the promises of God drives you.
• Don’t be caught up by what you see. Don’t let misfortunes and hardships distract us from God’s Word.
• Never mind if it is a long wait. Stay focus and stay faithful. You may be in the wilderness but let your heart be in the Promised Land.
(2) Take steps to see that God’s promises are fulfilled.
• He will help you, but we need to take steps to do what He says.
You can choose the easy way out - stay put in the wilderness where there is no enemy, no danger, no taking of risk.
• But then, you will not be able to enjoy the best that God has for you in the Promised Land.
• If we want God’s best, we need to step out in faith and do what He has called us to do.
You know what is the greatest fulfilment of life? It is when we see the will of God accomplished and the promises of God realised through our lives.
• That will be the greatest satisfaction of life and a life well lived.
PRAY: What drives you today? What are you distracted by?
