Numbers 14:24, commentary and pictures

Caleb is called God's servant because unlike the fearful spies and rebellious people he trusted God's promises and followed Him wholly, and for that God promised to bring him into the land he had explored and give it to his descendants to possess, while the murmuring adults who had seen God's miracles yet tempted Him would fall in the wilderness and never see it. Having another spirit means thinking in faith with an eye single to truth and an ear open to God, standing apart from discouragement and unbelief. Following fully means wholehearted loyalty, obedience and trust in God's word rather than personal impulse or will, shown in steady, humble, courageous steadfastness that holds to the right. Though he shared forty years of wandering that God never desired, Caleb entered Canaan as courageous as when he left Egypt, drove out the giants in God's strength and possessed where his feet had trodden. The promise holds just as much now, calling for few but needed faithful workers who speak for God's honor without discouragement, follow Christ with the whole heart, and by consecrated perseverance lead sinners and backsliders to return.

Historical Setting and Judgment

The mission began at Kadesh, where the people proposed sending men to survey Canaan and the Lord permitted it, and Moses chose one ruler from each tribe and charged them to examine the land, its people, and its produce. On their return they confirmed the fertility of the land yet stressed its strong inhabitants and fortified cities as barriers to conquest. Ten of the spies gave a faithless report, and the congregation lifted its voice in revolt, cursed Moses and Aaron, reproached God, and sought to appoint a captain to lead them back to Egypt.

Against that rebellion Caleb stood with Joshua son of Nun in defense of God's word, giving a truthful account with courage and trust in God. They declared the land exceedingly good and flowing with milk and honey, urged the people to go up at once and possess it, and charged them not to rebel against the Lord nor to fear the people of the land, because the Lord was with Israel and their enemies' defense was departed. For this faithfulness Caleb and Joshua were threatened with stoning, until God interposed in glory over the tabernacle to check the mob.

Moses pleaded God's longsuffering and mercy, and God pardoned Israel according to his word, yet He excluded the rebellious men from the promised land. Those men had seen His glory and miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet tempted Him ten times and did not hearken to His voice, so none who provoked Him would see the land sworn to their fathers. All who were numbered from twenty years old and upward and murmured would have their carcasses fall in the wilderness and would not come into the land, while the little ones whom the people said would be a prey, the children, were promised possession of it.

Upon Israel's acceptance of the evil report God decreed forty years of wandering in the wilderness, producing a long delay before entering Canaan. That prolonged wandering was not His good pleasure, for He would have brought them immediately to the promised land if they had submitted and loved to be led by Him, but because they so often grieved Him He swore in His wrath that they should not enter His rest, save two who wholly followed Him. The exclusion of the disobedient generation thus stands in contrast with the promise to those who wholly followed God. When the people afterward attempted to enter Canaan, the favorable time had passed and their enemies were ready, and they were defeated because they went up presumptuously without the Lord.

Meaning of Faithfulness

Caleb is called God's servant because he was faithful to God and followed Him fully, in contrast to the rebellious people who would not enter the promised land. He had a different spirit from the rebellious Israelites and from the fearful, unfaithful spies, being distinguished by wholehearted faithfulness while they rebelled and gave a false report. God therefore promised to bring him into the land he had explored and entered and viewed, and to give it to his descendants to possess.

Having another spirit means thinking with faith and trusting God's promises rather than discouraging the people with unbelief. It means having an eye single to detect truth from error and an ear consecrated to catch the words from the faithful Watcher. It is expressed in following God fully and standing apart from discouragement and unbelief, counting God's promise superior to giants, cities walled up to heaven, and chariots of iron. With Joshua he urged that Israel was well able to overcome, and his wholehearted, courageous faith stands as the example of faithfully speaking for God's honor and pressing forward in carrying God's saving truth rather than obstructing the work.

Following God fully means wholehearted loyalty, obedience, and trust in His word, by which people become strong through Israel's God, while doubt, unbelief, and rebellion make them unworthy of the promised inheritance. It means following Him rather than following personal impulse, will, or ideas, and the same wholehearted devotion is called for in following Christ, bringing assurance and peace and strengthening the church through holy effort, patience, prayer, and perseverance. It is shown in steady and humble faithfulness that takes responsibility rather than leaving burdens to others. It is firm, steadfast, and courageous moral courage that holds to the right instead of turning away into false paths, which those supposed to have light and faith with long and large experience are to display because many weak souls lacking moral courage look to their influence to make straight paths so the lame are healed rather than turned out of the way.

Promise and Fulfillment

Because he had another spirit and had followed fully, in contrast to the rebellious people, the fearful spies and the murmuring adults, he was promised entry into the land he had explored and entered and viewed, and that his descendants would possess it. The men who had seen glory and miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, who tempted ten times and did not hearken to the voice, who provoked, would surely not see the land sworn to their fathers, and though pardon was granted upon pleading of longsuffering and mercy, they were barred from Canaan and their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Thus he and Joshua were the only men among those who left Egypt who entered the promised land.

Though they shared the forty years' wandering with their brethren, they counted the promise superior to giants, cities walled up to heaven, and chariots of iron, urging ability to overcome, and for them that word proved true. He entered the land of promise as courageous of heart as when he set out from Egypt, while the doubting multitude wore out their lives in the desert. Asking for and receiving as his portion the stronghold of the giants, he drove out the Canaanites in divine strength, possessed the vineyards and olive groves where his feet had trodden, and ate of the grapes of Eschol, proving that as a person thinks in the heart so is he.

What was spoken then means just as much now, whether the message of warning is obeyed or disobeyed. All who obey the law are highly favored, for God blesses His obedient people and honors those who honor Him, and those who trust and obey His word, believing as he and Joshua believed, can become strong through Israel's God. Punishment must come to those who depart in doubt, unbelief, rebellion and disobedience until Satan takes control of their minds, God condemns them and withdraws prosperity, and when they see as He sees how they provoked Him they repent and abhor themselves for the course that brought the sure result. More is expected now because much greater light has been given than to ancient Israel, for God required His people to trust in Him alone and not to seek help from those who did not serve Him, and doubt, unbelief and rebellion make men unworthy to receive the promised inheritance.

Call for Faithful Workers

Caleb stands as the pattern of standing firmly for God and the right, giving faithful counsel when others are held by fear and unwilling to act, in contrast to complaining and drawing back. His faith gave courage to resist fear of mighty adversaries like the Anakim and to stand firmly for what is right, showing that strength to overcome daunting obstacles comes to those who serve Christ. That faithfulness calls for courage to defend what is right, to enter the forefront of the struggle, and to carry the banner of truth into hostile ground. It is the courage of those who press forward and overcome obstacles in God's work rather than yielding to fear.

His example calls for steadfast, decisive testimony that faithfully speaks for God's honor to confront unbelief, doubts, and skepticism in the church. Faithful workers are to face great obstacles without discouragement and press forward in carrying God's saving truth to people rather than obstructing missionary work. They must speak the words God gives them rather than words of doubt and discouragement.

Following the Lord fully as Caleb and Joshua did is the pattern for following Christ with the whole heart, following Jesus' directions and trusting Him. To stand as Caleb means choosing God over self and faithfully helping in His work. Through such faithful men God works by the Holy Spirit, so victory comes not by human strength but through His Spirit. When God's people obey as Caleb and Joshua did, He magnifies His power among them, so their influence leads sinners to conversion and backsliders to return, and even opponents must acknowledge that God is with them. In the same way the careless and unbelieving can be brought to repentance, with faith established and hearts united in faith and love.

Faithful people who follow the Lord in this way are few. What are needed are mature, courageous leaders who bear responsibility and speak faithfully despite opposition, doubts, and criticism. The church cannot prosper without such fidelity in the church, the Sabbath school, and society. To be a faithful Caleb is to give oneself wholly to the Lord with deep consecration, personal piety, and firm religious principles. It means self-control, moral worth, and firm adherence to Bible truth, separating from worldly influence and following Jesus rather than pursuing worldly praise and ambition. Calebs serve quietly and humbly, with patient, prayerful perseverance rather than bustle or display. They keep at work with all their powers rather than growing idle or yielding to worldly pressure, and by close connection with God they pass the spirit of truth to their children to serve as instruments for good.

The Lord's faithful Calebs are those whose spirit is proved trustworthy by trial. They are known by willingness to deny self and make sacrifices for God in emergency, to work for small wages under financial necessity to carry out His purposes, and in trial and pressure from want of means to do their very best for God for truth's sake with the fear of God before them. They do duty because duty is to be done, without becoming offended and sitting idle in submission to the enemy, and God honors them with partnership in His work, chooses them as dependable, and increases their wisdom and understanding by giving knowledge as He did Daniel. Those supposed to have light and faith, with long and large experience, are to be such firm, steadfast and courageous examples in moral courage, holding to the right instead of turning into false paths, because many weak souls lacking moral courage look to their influence. Their duty is to make straight paths for their feet so the lame are healed rather than turned out of the way. Such wholehearted devotion brings assurance and peace and strengthens the church through holy effort, patience, prayer, and perseverance. Having another spirit means having an eye single to detect truth from error and an ear consecrated to catch the words from the faithful Watcher, and following God fully means earnest work that does and dares, attended by the Spirit from the throne of God making itself felt upon a degenerate Christianity and a corrupt world ready to be consumed by long-deferred judgments.