Think About it -- Caleb, Age and Determination

Think About It Think About it -- Caleb, Age and Determination
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Carl Chinn

Carl Chinn

Nov 2, 2024

When the Lord had Moses send 12 top leaders into Canaan to scope it out, 10 came back with a negative report, but 2 were confident in their ability to take it right then.

Caleb and Joshua were those 2.

Caleb was called to serve. His name has origins relative to service. The name means one from meager origins, lowly esteemed like a dog, but operating with reason and courage.

A sheepdog. Loyal to anything & anyone important to you; deadly to those that threaten you or those you love.

Caleb made his grand entry into history as a determined 40-year-old supporter of Moses, devoted to God. Caleb recognized a mission worth supporting and signed up. He and Joshua led the S.E.A.L. Team Six of the era.

Numbers 13 & 14 provide attributes of his character and experiences as one of 12 commissioned by Moses for that historical 40-day spy trip into Canaan.

A chosen leader (Numbers 13:3, 6 & 16)
A strong command presence (Number 13:30)
Publicly criticized by other leaders which led to an outcry (Numbers 13:31-14:5)
Stayed wholehearted in the face of widespread opposition (Numbers 14:6-9)
Endured mounting and hostile resistance from those he served (Numbers 14:10)
Had God in his corner (Numbers 14:11-12 then 20-24)
Was a survivor (Numbers 14:38)

Those seven attributes read quick and easy. It only takes 10 minutes to read through the whole 13th and 14th chapters. It was hell to live and the agony must have seemed a long endurance.

Try to grasp the collision of agony and vision in Caleb’s mind at that point in Chapter 14, verses 6 & 7 when he ripped his clothes in front of the people as Moses and Aaron fell face first in agony themselves.

For 40 years following that showdown year of exploration, Caleb was not mentioned except by reference to that Numbers 14 era.

When he was 85, (14^th chapter of Joshua) he showed up again with that same resolute vigor demonstrated before.

I can imagine the passion in his ending statements of proclamation as he stood and pointed to the hills proclaiming, “I am still as strong today … I’m just as vigorous … now as I was then. Now give me that hill…!” (Joshua 14:10-12).

Think About It

I know many of you may feel slightly beyond your prime.

Stay wholehearted and determined!

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