Lessons from Caleb, a man who wholly followed God: 'Give me this mountain'. Part 2/2

 "Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea"
Joshua 14:6

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Last time we started looking at the story of Caleb - a man who was a spy, a warrior, a prince, a leader, and a man 'who wholly followed God'. 

We recounted how his words, 'thou knowest the thing that the LORD said...' were to remind his leader, Joshua, of an espionage mission forty-five years earlier.

Unlike the other ten spies who had given a negative report of their 40 day surveyance of the land of Canaan, Caleb and Joshua had spoken positively of what God had given His chosen people and what He would now do to help them conquer and occupy their Promised Land.

Their words to settle the unrest which had immediately spread through the people after the negative report of their fellow spies, had had no effect - their trust in God even seeming to provoke their fellow men to murderous intents until God had appeared in His glory in the central tent of the camp, the Tabernacle.  

Full of anger for their lack of trust and wicked accusations God had decreed that they were to all turn around and wander through the wilderness for the next forty years, where all those above the age of 20 years would eventually die.

Except Caleb and Joshua.

Caleb was now reminding Joshua of this - of God's promise that only he and Joshua would live long enough to actually enter into this 'promised land' of Canaan and take ownership of it with their descendants.

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*****

Last time then, we spoke about the blessing it is to have a fellow Christian friend with whom we can share those promises that God has spoken to us, and how it can be for our mutual encouragement.

Today I would like to look more closely at Caleb's experience of being rejected and hindered from doing God's will when he was so willing to obey, and consider how this may relate to our own circumstances and lives.

• Rejected

There may be times in our lives when we are in a position of authority or leadership.  With that position comes a degree of 'importance' or significance.  

We expect to be listened to and others expect to be encouraged, guided, and motivated by our leadership.  They want to be able to trust us as a leader and we want to rely on their support.

Caleb was a leader, a prince.  He and the other eleven spies had been specifically chosen to go on the espionage mission because they were rulers of their tribes.  No doubt he felt the significance and honour of this position.

How must he have then felt when his positive report of their mission and his confidence in God's ability to help them was completely ignored and rejected?

Initially he tried to reassure and quieten the people.  We see his leadership skills and trust in God coming to the fore.  But if anything this seemed to antagonise the people who preferred to listen to the negative forebodings of ten of his peers. 

But Caleb was not dissuaded from his faith in God's ability to help them.  He did not change his mind. He was not pressurised into agreeing with the majority.  He stood firm in His God.  God had given him a heart and mind which 'wholly' or 'fully' followed and believed in God. 

We may have times when we share what we believe God has instructed us in His word, or personally into our hearts, not necessarily in a position as leaders, but people don't believe us, try to persuade us otherwise, say it will be too hard or don't agree and support us.  How hard it may then be to adhere and stand firm to Christian principles or to that which you believe God has directed or called you to. 

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Perhaps you believe God has told you He wants you do to a certain thing but those closest to you do not have the same persuasion.  Are we dissuaded that we must be wrong because other people think differently?  Do we start to doubt ourselves and wonder if we imagined it?  

Maybe we try to shake off the thoughts and just think it can't happen, or maybe we pray to the Lord that we are willing but we need Him to work out the way for us as the path to do it seems shut up.

• Responding to rejection

Caleb was so concerned and distressed at the Israelites' rebellion against God that he expressed it by ripping his clothes - the outward sign of mourning in those times.

We too, on behalf of those around us may go to God in prayer and fasting and ask for His mercy and forgiveness; ask for Him to open the understanding of those around us to God's commands and ways; ask for Him to make them willing to follow Him, ask Him to give them this persuasion of what He wants us to do.

Jesus, Son of God knows what it feels like to be rejected.  He - the God and Creator of the heavens and earth and all that are in them was rejected when He came on a mission of love to save us from the consequences of our sins.  As such He can comfort us and we can be comforted that He totally understands.  

When on the cross experiencing the utmost rejection by death, He prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Let us pray to have His gentle loving spirit of submission, trusting in our Heavenly Father that all will happen according to His will and purposes.

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• Hindered from obeying God

Not only was Caleb rejected by his people as a leader and as a believer but he was then hindered from obeying God in this matter of invading and conquering the promised land. 

Instead he had to experience the same 40 years of punishment as the people, wandering in the wilderness - a punishment he hadn't earnt but had to bear.  

How our Lord and Saviour bore all His people's sins - a punishment which He hadn't earnt or deserved.  The punishment which we deserve, but He in love took on Himself.  

May this help us not to fret when we don't see things developing as we expect, and when in contrast we have to perhaps suffer similar illness or difficult experiences with those who reject God despite us being willing to serve Him.

May our comfort be that Jesus is with us, watching over us and He knows all about it.

• Continuing

i) Faithfully.

After being rejected in his position as a leader and ruler Caleb could have sulked, stormed off, become plain awkward, taken it too personally, become full of self-pity, considered himself a failure and no good as a leader and resigned his leadership.

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We don't read of his reaction after he expressed his dismay and distress; we don't know specifically how he continued in those 40 years of punishment and wandering through the wilderness; we don't read how he continued as a leader who had been shouted down and disrespected.  

But here he was forty-five years later reminding Joshua of that time and as ready to obey God as he was then.  He was still a leader, still a warrior, still obeying God.  It would suggest that he had carried on in that position in which he had been placed by God, and faithfully continued in the everyday.

ii) With courage and humility. 

Caleb says to Joshua, "Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said" (Joshua 14:12).

Caleb although now a seasoned warrior of many years is not relying on himself.  He is not saying to Joshua, 'you have seen how many battles I have won, how I have led the troops, I believe we now have the capability to take this mountain'.  

No, he is still humbly trusting in God for victory, courageous in the face of these giants and great defended cities, because his confidence was in God. 

• What about us?

How do we continue when we do not receive support for that which we share  of what we believe is God's will?  

What if it is a matter between a wife and husband?  You believe God has asked you to do something but your husband's heart is not inclined to.  You feel he is holding you back or hindering you. 

Do we nag, sulk or become annoyed?

May we too faithfully continue in the role, position or job in which the Lord has placed us.  May we lift the unwillingness, unbelief and hindrances to the Lord to deal with.  May we pray to be kept from being offended.

Let us consider - humbly examine whether our own hearts have deceived us - something seems so suitable to us, but is it just our own thoughts and wants?  Perhaps the 'hindrance', for example, the different opinion of our husband, is God given wisdom to prevent us doing something which isn't actually God's plan for us. 

But perhaps it is also to test our faith in this matter - to test our willingness - to test how we start to prepare ourselves for this command  - 'this mountain' - so that when the right time comes - the appointed time - we are ready. 

Are you confused by your circumstances, wondering if God really spoke to you, showed you a path you are to take, and yet everything seems contrary to this?

Take it all to Jesus in prayer.  Wait the appointed time.  And until that time, may we continue day by day following Jesus with all our heart, seeking to obey trust and love him.

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• A watching attitude: Look for tokens (encouragement)

In all those long years in the wilderness we wonder whether Caleb ever resented it.  Did he feel his life had been wasted, waiting?  

Maybe this command which you believe God spoke to you - this mountain you were so willing to venture into, that you trusted God would help you to take was many years ago.  

You have had to wait and wait.  Or maybe you are now about to wait and wait. Has God given you a token or sign that He will still ask you to do or give you this thing?

Caleb must have marvelled as he aged and yet his fitness remained as strong as it was as a forty year old man.  What a token for him that God would fulfil His promise to him, that he would live to do what he had been so willing to do all those years earlier.

We can ponder on these signs and tokens, and talk to the Lord about them, remind Him of them and ask Him to continue to confirm them to us.

• The appointed time - God honours His promises

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And now, "Give me this mountain", Caleb says to Joshua.  

This mountain which he was so willing to invade and conquer in obedience to God, this mountain which he humbly believes God has given to him to conquer.  

"Don't hold me back as I was held back all those years ago.  Let me go forward in obedience.  Remember, Joshua, how God said to Moses that we would survive and come into this land, and how my tribe would inherit this mountain.  Remember how God honours that which He has promised", he might have said.

May we also be watching for the appointed time when God is indicating that we are to now go forward in this matter.  May we pray to be as willing and obedient then as we are now or have been.  

May we humbly pray that God will go with us as we venture into this 'mountain', whether it is a new job, a move, an act of loving sacrifice, a new ministry, a new role, a new season in life - whatever it is - we trust that He has commanded it and brought it to pass.  May we now go forward looking to Him, trusting in Him and leaning on Him.

God bless you dear reader.

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