Deuteronomy 10:8-9 linked with Joshua 13:33 shows that we have a unique inheritance. “The Lord is his (Levi’s) inheritance.” The Levites were given great honor because they were called to a life of worship. They possessed all the resources that belonged to the Lord—His power, His blessings—and the Lord Himself was their inheritance. No secondary relationship was permitted to interfere with their communion with God. Their focus was solely on Him, and they were to serve without distractions. Levites were committed to serving God, and they needed more mobility than a landowner could have. Giving them land would have placed responsibilities and loyalties that could interfere with their service to God. Instead, God arranged for the other tribes to support the Levites through donations. Numbers 35:2-4 describes how Levites were to receive cities within each tribal territory.
Levites were called to a life of service. They were to “stand before the Lord to minister unto Him.” Their work took place in the sanctuary. They acted as intercessors—considered the greatest service in the world. They were called to a life of witness, to “bless His name.” They served as channels for others to come to God and for God to reach people. The Levites were given forty-eight cities to live in. They would come from the sanctuary of God, filled with the joy of serving Him and the glory of His presence, along with the influence of the Lord upon them. In the sanctuary, they helped people give to God what was good and proper in worship and responsibility. In the cities where they lived and in the cities of refuge, they brought God to people. The honor given to the Levites was a life of worship, a life of work, and a life of witness.
God calls His people today to do the same. The call is for us to go for Himself and serve all over the world, to go into the sanctuary for men and out into the city for God. The Epistle of Ephesians is the New Testament commentary on the book of Joshua. “We have obtained an inheritance,” a lot, a portion obtained by God’s own plan. We are planned according to His purpose, designed according to His will that “we should be to the praise of His glory.”
Christ’s inheritance reflects our inheritance in Christ in His people. Our possession of Him is to be matched by His possession of us. The land was divided exactly as God had instructed Moses years earlier. Joshua did not change a word. He followed God’s plans precisely. Often, we believe that almost is close enough, and this idea can carry over into our spiritual lives. We may follow God’s word as long as we agree with it but ignore it when the demands seem harsh. But God is looking for leaders who follow His instructions thoroughly.
The voice of the minority is often overlooked. However, the truth cannot be judged by numbers. Frequently, truth goes against the majority opinion. The truth remains constant because God's character ensures it. Sometimes, a person must stand alone in support of the truth. God has the right to expect us to follow His Word because He says it, not because it is convenient for us. When we are called to serve the Lord, we share our lives with Him.
Caleb was a second-generation Israelite. His father was a Kenizzite, a descendant of Esau. Even though Caleb was not one of God’s chosen people, the Jews, God loved him just as He loves and honors anyone who believes in Him, loves Him, and follows His commands. Caleb knew that God’s word is as reliable as God Himself. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. Caleb’s view of God’s faithfulness was full of gratitude, and God knew that. God understands the heart of each person, and being thankful in your heart is very pleasing to Him. Gratitude should also be expressed through words of praise and glory to God for His goodness, mercy, grace, and love toward us.
Caleb was a man of faith in a great God. His boldness was based on his understanding of God, not on his confidence in Israel’s ability to conquer the land. If he had agreed with the majority, he would have been at odds with God. Often, we make decisions based on what everyone else is doing. We are not first-order cowards but develop second-hand cowardice like Israel. The questions such as “What do my friends say?” or “What does everyone else think?” are not the right questions; instead, we should ask, “What does God say?”
Caleb was a man who had been tested, tried, and proven during a time of decline and disillusionment. He stood firm alongside Joshua, a Jew from the tribe of Ephraim with a long heritage of being one of God’s chosen people. These two men, different in their backgrounds, were united in their faith in the power and promises of God. While others saw giants, these men saw God. Others caused an entire generation to suffer the loss of their lives and inheritance because of a negative and pessimistic view of people. Caleb and Joshua saw God in His goodness, providing a land for His people.
Caleb was a deeply spiritual, simple, and straightforward man who trusted in his God. These character traits were the foundation of his greatness. He believed in a mighty God. He was one of the spies sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan forty-five years earlier, during the six-week mission. He was one of only two adults who left Egypt and entered the promised land. He was willing to voice the minority opinion in favor of conquering the land and openly expressed his faith in God’s promises despite apparent obstacles. For 45 years, God's promise remained in his heart amid the wanderings, labor, conflicts, and dashed hopes of an unbelieving nation. The faith he had in his youth remained strong into old age. We don’t want to be content merely to review the past but to be prepared and eager for new battles with the enemy so we can reclaim what God has promised and share in fellowship with Him.
God had promised this land to Abraham and His descendants long before, and He had now delivered them from bondage to freedom. However, instead of trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness, the Israelites showed unbelief and murmured against Him. Joshua and Caleb understood that “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” Caleb “wholly followed the Lord” despite the unbelief and unfaithfulness surrounding him. Caleb was never among the grumblers, skeptics, or unbelievers who were swayed by opposition or unfaithful companions. He never craved the leeks and garlic of Egypt. He was never among those who disobeyed God or turned to idolatry.
Living by faith can leave a person feeling alone and isolated, even when they must live and wander for years among rebellious people. It involves humbling pride because of our association with God's people during their failures. It brings a lot of grief and heartbreak as we watch loved ones pass away or depart. Mourning the wrongs we see, and sometimes even idolatry, can’t be avoided because of where our lot is cast, but God's promises remain sure.
He was eighty-five years old when he pursued the three giants in the land allotted to him. Caleb fully followed the Lord, and he completely drove out the enemies. The blessings he received were never wasted. He had a portion to give to his daughter and her husband in the dry southern part of his inheritance. He provided them with the upper and lower springs to help their crops thrive despite the hot climate. His blessings overflowed to others, and he opened his life to spiritual blessings for those around him.
Let us always keep our eyes on God's promises. This will keep us steady despite everything that happens to us or around us. God’s promises are like a bright, shining light in dark times, illuminating the path ahead with divine truth. Let this light of truth surround us like a frame, and lift our souls above the dirt of the wilderness. Our treasure lies ahead in the promised land.
Caleb had traveled through the promised land before and claimed his part in it through faith. He was fueled by a fire of love for God’s promises then. Now, forty-five years later, what he had enjoyed as a middle-aged man was now his as an old man. That fire still burned, and the time had come to claim what had been given to him long ago. He had waited a long time for the fulfillment of the promise God made to him and had endured suffering and dashed hopes, but now was his moment. The place he trusted God for was his and his children’s. Not one of God’s promises went unfulfilled.
In old age, we have the ability to pass on the blessings we have received to others. The grace of God experienced in life is often reflected in the radiance of a life lived for Him. Caleb’s secret was simply a love that never waned. Caleb’s heart wasn’t captivated by the valleys full of abundance. The place he longed for was Hebron. Abraham had pitched his tent there. God had spoken directly to Abraham there. God promised the land to Abraham there.
We, too, must never let ourselves be swayed by the complaints, discontent, agitation, or actions of those around us. All it will do is pull our souls away from God and His grace. We need to discipline ourselves and examine our hearts to see where our true affections lie. Will they enable us to stay in fellowship and companionship with God and His family? If so, we will not falter when soldiers in God’s army fall. We will remain steady, even when we see those who once showed faith turn away and return to the world. Even when some become adversarial, we will stay the course with our eyes fixed on the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The Lord is our strength, and His demonstrations of power in the past have not diminished; His comfort has not ceased, and the awareness of His presence—though not always felt—is in the valley with us. When the water seems too deep, He promises to be with us. God is our strength and fortress. He is our strong tower of safety.
By the power of the Lord with him, Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak. He was given the privilege of choosing his own land of inheritance. “Give me this mountain,” was Hebron, and even though it wasn’t the most desirable land, this humble, unselfish man chose it. He is an example for us of a trusted soldier of the Lord who was wholehearted, strong even in old age, and a man who continually depended on the Lord. The place he chose was hard to conquer because of the Anakims, but by God's power, it became his. We should not fear difficulties but rather fear failing in faith.
Caleb’s dedication was complete: faithful, wholehearted, and steady. Caleb’s bravery was unwavering: giants never scared him. Caleb’s request was granted: a reward for faithfulness is there. Recompense follows patient faith.