Who was Caleb?

Reading:   Numbers 32

Years and years ago (just a few chapters for us), Moses prophesied that all the men over twenty would perish before the Israelites were allowed to enter the promised land (Numbers 14) - all except two, Joshua and Caleb.  I didn't pay much heed to it then, nor any verse that mentioned Caleb after that, but now, after reading the culmination of that prophesy, I must know...who was Caleb?

NUMBERS 32:11-13

11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

13 And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.

Due to the constant murmuring, the Israelites were cursed to wander the desolate regions and did so for forty years.  Once all the men, save Joshua and Caleb, had perished they were then permitted to enter the land of their inheritance.  Joshua was the right hand man of Moses with several verses describing his achievements and faithfulness to God but I was hard pressed to recall anything of Caleb.  So I searched...

1. Caleb, a descendant of Judah (Numbers 13:6), and Joshua (from Ephraim) were sent on a mission to scout the promised land.  They, with ten other chosen men (one from each tribe), fulfilled their misssion after a forty day recon of the inhabitants, dwellings, etc.  When they returned and reported of the great abundance of the land, only Caleb and Joshua were excited to proceed.  The other scouts were fearful and thought that the giants of the land were too mighty a foe to contend with.  Caleb, being a faithful servant, had more fear of God than any number of giants and boldly stated, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30)."
2. The opposing scouts continued to murmur and caused many of the Israelites to assimilate the caution and fear which the missionaries professed.  Caleb and Joshua tried mightily to dissuade the growing concern by rending their clothing and pleading with the people to have faith in God, who had delivered them through so much, and to "fear not" the inhabitants of the land as God would surely deliver them if they praised him and proceeded with faith (Numbers 14:6-9).  Their pleading failed and the people wanted to stone them but The Lord intervened. 
3. Right, so, I just read an amazing general conference address from Spencer W. Kimball, Give Me This Mountain (October 1979), which explains the wonder of Caleb most superbly and I shall now defer the remaining of my blog to that talk (wish I would have found it earlier and saved all my long-windedness, oh well, enjoy)...

I should like to refer to the great story of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land. In that story there is an account of one special man that moves and motivates and inspires me. His name was Caleb.

Shortly after Moses led Israel out of bondage from Egypt, he sent twelve men to search out the promised land and to bring back word about living conditions there. Caleb and Joshua were among the group. After spending forty days on their mission, the twelve men returned. They brought back figs and pomegranates and a cluster of grapes so large it took two men to carry it between them on a pole.

The majority of the search party gave a very discouraging report on the promised land and its inhabitants. Although they found a land that was beautiful and desirable and flowing with milk and honey, they also found that the cities were walled and formidable and that the people, the “sons of Anak,” looked like giants. The Israelite scouts said that they felt like grasshoppers in comparison. Caleb, however, saw things a little differently, with what the Lord called “another spirit,” and his account of the journey and their challenges was quite different. He said, “Let us go up at once, and possess [their land]; for we are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30).

Joshua and Caleb were men of great faith, and they joined in urging that the Israelites go immediately, to the promised land, saying:

“If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

“Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for … the Lord is with us: fear them not” (Num. 14:8-9). 

But the faint-hearted Israelites, remembering the security of their Egyptian slavery and lacking faith in God, rejected Caleb and Joshua and sought even to stone them to death.

Because of their lack of faith, the children of Israel were required to spend the next forty years wandering about and eating the dust of the desert, when they might have feasted on milk and honey.

The Lord decreed that before Israel could enter the land of Canaan, all of the faithless generation who had been freed from bondage must pass away—all go into eternity—all except Joshua and Caleb. For their faith, they were promised that they and their children would live to inhabit the promised land.

Forty-five years after the twelve men returned from their exploration of the land of promise, when the new generation of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, was completing its conquest of Canaan, Caleb spoke to Joshua:

“Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me … to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

“Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.

“And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

“As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me [at least in the spirit of the gospel and its call and needs]: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, … both to go out, and to come in” (Josh. 14:7–8, 10–11).

From Caleb’s example we learn very important lessons. Just as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain his inheritance, so we must remember that, while the Lord has promised us a place in his kingdom, we must ever strive constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to receive the reward.

Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims, the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years, “Give me this mountain” (Josh. 14:12).

This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, “Give me this mountain,” give me these challenges.

Prophets always seem to explain things in just the right way, don't they?  I now know who Caleb was and hope that you do as well.  I am also very pleased to have named one of my children after this superb spiritual giant (though I wasn't really aware of him at the time of naming).  To stand before God and say, "Give me this mountain." Wow!  Impressive, sir!

I too would not shy away from such a physical threat and though fear might tickle my mind I would go forward boldly; however, with some of the more subtle challenges I am not so brave and would find pause enough in stating even, "Give me this spoonful."

I hope and pray that I might gain the faith and testimony I need to meet all challenges with the fervor of Caleb!

~Kipling (father of Kaleb)