Recent Ministry
The following are extracts from the Recent Ministry section of Things New and Old.
Caleb - A Man of Purpose
Please read: Numbers 13:23-25; 30-33; Numbers 14:24; 28; Joshua 14:9-15
Introduction: Two features that marked Caleb’s life
Among the many features that shine in Caleb’s life, I want to begin by speaking about two of them. The first is that Scripture doesn’t put on record any of Caleb’s mistakes. Secondly there is no mention of Caleb’s death. That he would have made mistakes is undoubted, as also without doubt he died. What is stressed about Caleb is the divine workmanship which was going to see him right through to his inheritance, no matter what circumstances faced him. The lack of reference to his death indicates that he represents the line of life in the testimony, very much akin to John’s writings where you have the work of God going through despite the darkening influences of the day.These two features help us to see that the work of God in each one of us will go through to finality, and just as Caleb was sustained in life here in the face of difficulties, so that line of life can be seen in the testimony today. It is very much like John’s gospel, where the work of God is stressed in the face of breakdown publicly in the assemblies. But John doesn’t write about breakdown, but about the person of Christ as a focus for our affections. And so the one absorbing feature in Caleb’s life was that he had a great objective before him. He was a man of purpose. With this great objective, no matter what circumstances he encountered, be it failure or breakdown, Caleb was focused on attaining that goal. That presents us with an immediate challenge as to what objective is before any one of us. And is it as in Caleb’s case all absorbing? For 45 years he held that objective in his affections until the day when he actually took possession. We too set goals for ourselves and often, after a few weeks, they are forgotten. Caleb had already sung along with all Israel at the Red Sea a victory song, a song that celebrated God bringing His people out of Egypt, and anticipated God bringing them into the mountain of His inheritance, where God would have His dwelling. Not only had God brought His people out, but He was going to bring them in! I think that is very important, because in the bringing in of His people, not only was the people’s objective secured, but God’s objective was secured in His dwelling place. Often we look to satisfy our own objectives, but let’s bear in mind that the greatest objective of all is what is secured for God.
A Glimpse of Hebron
In this section we have read, Caleb, in his spying mission, got a glimpse of Hebron, and from that day there was nothing else in his heart but that he would attain to that objective. To gain Hebron called for much courage and much faith in difficult circumstances, but nowhere do you see Caleb faltering as he went onwards. When the people generally were thinking of Egypt’s food – the leeks, onions and garlic etc. – Caleb would be thinking of the grapes of Hebron, the pomegranates and the figs. It wasn’t an easy road for him, but despite all that was happening around him, his urge was towards that promised land.
In this chapter there is opposition to the report that he and Joshua brought. Caleb says, ‘let us go up boldly and possess it for we are well able’. Unbelief immediately confronts this proposal. Think of it, two men, Caleb and Joshua, have the faith to stand in the appreciation of what they have seen, against 600,000 in opposition. How strong their faith was! The challenge for us is whether our faith is strong enough to pursue the pathway towards our objective to reach Christ where He is.
Caleb’s personality shines in this situation, in that he stills the people. What an example of a calming and stilling influence! What we have in Caleb is what is referred to in Romans 8, the mind of the Spirit, said to be life and peace. Paul says the mind of the flesh is death and that was witnessed throughout the wilderness journey. But in Caleb we see the mind of the Spirit bringing in life, bringing in peaceful conditions. There was no dubiety about Caleb’s objective. It was clear and straightforward, and he was going to pursue it. I was reading recently, that when David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary, was home on furlough, someone asked him, “so where are you ready to go next?” His reply was, “I am ready to go anywhere, provided it is forward”. That was Caleb. You might say that it was a roundabout way that he had to go, but in his heart it was always forward towards the goal.
Clear Objectives
We find other persons in the Scriptures with clear objectives. Paul had a personal objective, but he also had an objective for all the saints. His personal objective is set out in Philippians 3, where he is absorbed with the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. What is his course from that point? “To know him, and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10), and we find him pursuing in view of reaching the goal and obtaining the prize, the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus. What a goal he had! But then when we go to Ephesians, we find that his objective is far wider. Philippians may give me his personal objective, but Ephesians gives me the scope of what Paul had in mind for all the saints. He had in mind that God would rest among His people. When he speaks in Ephesians 4 of the gifts given, he says what they are for – for the edifying of the body of Christ. Everything that these gifts are to express is to one end, to edify the body of Christ. When he is dealing with one local assembly, he says, “I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). I wonder what my objective is for my local brethren. Caleb’s influence as a prince of the tribe of Judah shows in various ways. Whilst he would have his own objective, he would also see that God wanted His people settled in that goodly land. What a challenge for each one of us as to whether the attraction is Egypt’s food, or whether reaching Christ where He is draws us ever onwards. Caleb wanted these grapes, and he wanted to enjoy the food of the land, the old corn of the land, which urged him on to find, in type, Christ where He is now.
The opposition is not going to go away. It says here, “If Jehovah delight in us, he will bring us into this land, and give it us, a land that flows with milk and honey”. What are the others saying? They said we were just like grasshoppers. Is that God’s view of His people? God wants His people in that goodly land, enjoying their inheritance. And so there is an urgency to go on. Caleb is always looking to his inheritance, and so should we.
We have come through two and a half years of the pandemic, but how have we come through? Have we come through leaning on God, or on the basis of self-preservation and self-consideration? What have we gathered up? Have we gained in these years what can enrich the praise of God and enrich His testimony? Whatever Caleb encounters, he becomes enriched and the objective is as bright as ever in his soul. After these recent years, has the objective become brighter or has it diminished in my vision? It is sad when you come to the end of the wilderness journey and you compare the numberings at that point with the numbering at the beginning of Numbers. How solemn that, of that generation, only Caleb and Joshua go in to the land.
Caleb’s Endurance
Let us be encouraged as we look at Caleb’s features. He was a man of endurance, a man of influence. Following the rebellion in this section, God says they had to turn their faces towards the wilderness, toward the Red Sea, and for the forty days that they searched out the land, they would wander forty years in the wilderness. Caleb was really an eleven day man! The journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea was eleven days (Deuteronomy 1:2), and yet he was content to go with the people in their wanderings. Why? Because God, in disciplining them and causing them to wander, was going to be with them. The tabernacle was going to be there. Caleb wanted to be where the tabernacle was, where the ark was. He contents himself with going with the people of God, and proving that God is with them. The abode of God’s holiness is there in the tabernacle, and Caleb is content to be with the people, yet never at all was his eye off what the ultimate goal was. It is interesting that he is a prince of Judah. The tribe of Judah was in the camp eastward towards the sun rising. That is a lovely touch. He couldn’t immediately go into the inheritance, but think of him every morning gathering the manna and the sun rising eastwards. Hope burned brightly in his breast that the objective would be reached. That hope was going to secure the blessedness of his inheritance.
Paul speaks about that in Colossians – “not moved away from the hope of the glad tidings” (Colossians 1:23). So his influence would have been maintained in Judah all along that wilderness journey. At the end of it, when they are in the land, Judah says to Simeon, ”Come up with me to my lot and I’ll come up with you into your lot”. That was the brotherly spirit coming out in Judah, in which Caleb would have had his part. If you look at the book of Numbers, you will find that the tribe which suffered the greatest losses was Simeon. I suggest that Caleb’s influence was expressed in large heartedness towards the tribe of Simeon. May we be helped to encourage one another in our wilderness experiences, in the knowledge that there is no obstacle that is too great for God!
Caleb’s Faith
Faith leans on God. When the problems came up in Chapter 13, how were they met? The ten spies spoke of the fortified cities, the high walls, the tall giants – they never mentioned God at all! Whereas Caleb and Joshua looked to God first. Faith always looks to God first, then at the difficulties. Faith, as looking to God and drawing on the resource that’s in God, can face the difficulties. So Caleb looked to God first then faced the difficulties and said, ”There’s Someone who’s far greater than the difficulties – God!” And that’s the answer to many of the problems of the wilderness pathway, to resort to God. God gave Caleb and Joshua the assurance that He would see them through. When the people were about to stone them, their faith was answered by the appearance of the glory of Jehovah. The people didn’t respond to the expression of faith, but God did. It is a beautiful comment made by God, ”because he hath another spirit in him and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereunto he came and his seed shall possess it”. I wonder if that can be said of any of us, “he has another spirit in him”.It would look forward to the spirit of Christ. It’s a spirit that is different from the spirit of the world, not a rebellious spirit. God confirms that He is going to bring Caleb into that goodly land. What an honour that God puts His hand on these two men, giving them the assurance that they will be brought in. Caleb appears to be an optimistic person—we need more of these! Wilderness experiences are there, the problems are there, but Caleb sees beyond them. He saw a problem and turned it in to an opportunity. Problems didn’t divert Caleb from the goal that lay before him. Without an objective, it’s just an aimless walk here. With an objective your eyes are on the goal, and your feet take the path that will take you to that goal. That was Caleb!
I think that Caleb would have urged the people on towards Canaan. The manna was for the wilderness but over Jordan the old corn of the land was there. It didn’t mean that he denigrated the manna which was a testimony to the daily faithfulness of God. There was something more. The Man of the gospels is also the Man that can be found over Jordan. Let us learn the lessons of the wilderness, so that we are strengthened in view of that land where Christ is. I think Hebron is the area which looks very much like the Colossian epistle in the New Testament. Colossians gives us the opportunity of reaching Christ where He is, beyond death. I know Colossians is not the full thought but there you have a reference to Christ, everything and in all. There also you find there are giants which have to be slain!
When we come to Joshua, in the previous chapter God says to Joshua, “You’re old, Joshua. You’re advancing in years” He doesn’t say that to Caleb. Dare anyone tell Caleb that he’s old! “I am still this day strong …. for war” as when I brought the report. What about these giants in Hebron? That’s no problem to Caleb! These giants in Colossians are named – the philosopher, the vain deceiver, the one who is wanting to deprive you of your prize. Caleb is not afraid to take them on. And they are nothing compared with the glory of Christ which Colossians highlights.
Ziklag, Hebron and Jerusalem
For my younger brethren let me say this. There are three very salient points in Christian teaching which are worth noting. They are Ziklag, Hebron and Jerusalem. Ziklag was where everything was lost, but David recovered all. That is in accord with the teaching of Romans. Hebron is where you come to Christ, everything and in all. It’s where David was crowned seven years before he was crowned in Jerusalem. It’s that secret link which you have formed with Christ where He is, out of death. It takes you to Colossians. If you have died with Christ then “ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above, where the Christ is, seated at the right hand of God”. Then Jerusalem: that’s Christ filling all things, linked with the Ephesian epistle. David eventually takes Jerusalem. The tribe of Judah stop short of taking Jerusalem, but they take control of Hebron. And when you come to appreciate where Christ is, and the things which are above, you will realise that the wilderness journey was worthwhile! How solemn the lessons of the wilderness are! Caleb would have seen some of these carcases strewn in the wilderness, and would have known some of them, who were marked by unbelief.
Near the end of the wilderness journey, two and a half tribes came and said they wanted to live in the wilderness, rather than in the land. Material possessions had taken hold of them, and they would go over the Jordan and fight but they wanted to settle in the wilderness. How sad to stop short of the full purpose of God! The full purpose of God involves that His portion is secured .That is far greater than my blessing, and so we need to imbibe the teaching of these wilderness days, but also see them as stepping stones towards that great land which lies over Jordan.
So Caleb claimed his inheritance! That was what was promised him. Then he encourages the next generation, seen in Othniel. He steps forward as an overcomer and secures Achsah as his wife. She requests the springs of water, the upper and the lower, the resources of the Spirit of God to walk in that good land in view of growing in the knowledge of God and in the knowledge of Christ.
Our Christian Objective
I would just like to leave this thought with us all. We settle in life with objectives, business, work, employment etc. Greater than that, what is your Christian objective? Will you be satisfied with anything less? Caleb would not take any other offers; Hebron was going to be his and he was going to enjoy the fruits of it. That incentive kept him throughout his wilderness journey. As I said there is no record of Caleb’s death, nor of his failures. The work of God in a believer is solid and stable. There are many darkening and deadly influences around, but may we be preserved as we look towards the great objective. The line of life generated by God’s own work is going through to glory. Let us encourage one another. In face of a day where things are small as far as God’s people are concerned, let us see that what is of God is going to triumph. Many things can be said about Caleb, but think of his durability and his ability to withstand all that came across his pathway. The acacia wood that he saw in the tabernacle shone out in Caleb himself. What does it say about him: “Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb … because he wholly followed Jehovah, the God of Israel”. It’s a lovely expression to finish with. “He wholly followed Jehovah”. No part time Christianity for Caleb, no part time! Caleb was fully committed. Whatever the circumstances were, God had the first place in his life. Well may we be encouraged as we look at these features of Caleb. He took possession. The possession is there for us to go in for.
May God bless His word!Alexander Mowat
Address given in Blairgowrie, 8th October 2022