The Lord’s words regarding Caleb are remarkable. “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and he has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it” (Numbers 14:24). They stand out all the more because they were spoken when the children of Israel were being told they would not see the Land of Promise.
Caleb was set apart because he went against the crowd. Ten of the spies caused the hearts of the people to melt by reporting that the land devours the people who live there, and they had seen giants who made them feel like grasshoppers (Numbers 13:31-33). Caleb believed in God, announcing that they could overcome the land (Numbers 13:30; Joshua 14:8-9).
Caleb remained faithful while others died, despite the fact that Joshua was God’s appointed leader. Everyone in his generation died in the wilderness, except for Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:20-23; Joshua 14:10). Others sinned against God by rebelling against the Almighty, but Caleb remained true.
Caleb was rewarded because of his faithfulness.
Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said. And Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron, therefore, became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (Joshua 14:12-14)
Caleb challenges us to be men and women of God. The majority around us may clamor for things contrary to God’s will. We must go against the crowd (Matthew 7:13-14). Others will die in their sins. We must remain faithful. The Lord’s reward awaits us (2 Timothy 4:6-8; Revelation 2:10).
