Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1907 — Caleb’s Faithfulness Rewarded [ARTICLE]

Caleb’s Faithfulness Rewarded

Sunday School Lesson for Oct 27.1947 Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.—Joshua 14:6-15. Memory verses 7, 8. GOLDEN TEXT.—"Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I'will make thee ruler over many things."—Matt. 25:28. ; TIME.—The ver?{K»~of the lesson belong about six years after the last lesson, toward the close of the first conquest of Canaan, and during ita distribution among the tribes. PLACE.—Joshua's capital was at CHlgap Caleb's inheritance at Hebron, 20 miles south of Jerusalem. Comment and Suggestive Thought. Caleb.—Family Origin.—‘‘Caleb . . . the Kenezite,” The descendant of Kenas, the son of Esau. “The probabilities are that Caleb, or his father, became members of the tribe of Judah by adoption” (Piof. Beecher), like Hobab, Ruth and Heber. “The faith of this family was preeminently the f r ult. of conviction, and not the accident of heredity. It had a firmer basis than that of most Israelites. It was woven more closely into the texture of their being, and swayed their lives more powerfully. It Is pleasing to think that there may have been many such proselytes; that the promise of Abraham may have attracted souls from the east, and the west, and the north, and the south” (a foretaste of the glorious fulfillment yet to come). —Blaikie in Expositor’s Bible. He was born While the Israelites were still in slavery=ln Egypt, for he was “40 years old . . . when Moses . . . send him from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land” (v. 7). His Character. —1. Caleb was a great and marked man, but what' is often called “a self-made man;” rather, a God-made man. Coming from without the nation, he became a prince, and a power in the nation because of his faith in Godapd utilization of all that God had given him. 21 Mr. Tuck in his Revelation by Character represents Caleb as “quite UTSrOinary . . no genius,” but the message of his life® was that did commonplace things in an uncommon spirit. The uncommon thing about Caleb was precisely this —his religion was thorough ... he "wholly followed the LORD” (V. 8).” 3. On the other hand, Matheson in Representative Men, calls Caleb a leader and explorer, "capable of Pisgah glimpses,” his life pitched upon a hill; he could see things afar off; he was the real hero of the exploring expedition. "Was faith to drop her wings at the very gate of Paradise! 4. By faith and faithfulness were the living heart of Caleb’s character. He was sincere to the core. His faith endured 45 years without fading or

faltering. "Caleb is one of those men whom we meet with seldom in Bible history, but whenever we do meet them we are the better for the meeting. Bright and brave, strong, modest and cheerful, there is honesty in his face, courage and decision in the very pose of his body, and the calm confidence of faith in his very look and attitude. 5. Caleb met opposition with courage and faith, when “my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt” (v. 8). They could stone him, but, like the prophets of old, he never wavered. 6. Caleb was of a thankful disposition and full of cheer. He did not dwell on his desert trials, or the 45 years’ delay, or the opposition of his brethren, or his failure to change their minds; but on what God bad done for him on his promises, on his long and healthy life of usefulness, so that even at 85 he could say with Xavier in his dream realized in his life, "And yet more, O Lord, yet more.” — — ~ 10. “The Lord hath kept me alive.” As he promised. One promise fulfilled gave the assurance that the ether would be. HuF'Caleb’s clean, active life was one of the means to this healthful old age; Maclaren in the Sunday School Times warns the young thus: "The old man of 85 is vigorous and hale as when he tramped through the land nearly half a century ago. The life that is dictated by Christian principle directly contributes to physical health and longevity. Insurance offices find that clergymen live longer than the average. In England some offices have separate tables for total abstainers. whom they insure at a lower rate than others. It is true still that sinners do "not live out half their days.” In our great cities every year numbers of lads from the who have been “going the pace,” have to drop out of the race. 11. “Yet I am as strong this day as I was.” Spoken to give assurance that he could take possession of the land. “This old veteran, whose services would have entitled him to almost any reward he might ask, did not seek for a soft place for his declining years, but authority to do yet more .hard fighting.”—Prof. Beecher. Practical Points. The world is to be converted for Christ. Not an enemy is to be left But it is to be conquered by spiritual, not carnal weapons, and by the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit. The victory does riot destroy men,' Many of the heist promises are realized only in the course of time. Some things cannot be done in a moment. But with continued faithfulness the fulfillment is sure to' come. The Effect of the Anaklm on Some. —There are those who hesitate on this account to take possession of their promised land.