Caleb was sent along with eleven other men by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. The men came back with the confirmation that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. However, this confirmation was all negated with, “But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large” (Numbers 13:28, NIV). Their fear interfered with the Lord’s promise. They were paralyzed with fear and did not want to go.
However, one man remembered the Lord’s promise and stood on it. Caleb stood on the Lord’s promise when he said they should go and claim Canaan. “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it’” (Numbers 13:30, NIV). He knew the Lord was with them and they had nothing to fear with Him on their side. Caleb stood on the Lord’s promise instead of fear.
Later on, Joshua joined Caleb’s stand to go and take the land. “Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, ‘The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them’” (Numbers 14:6-9, NIV).
Caleb took the unpopular stand and Joshua joined in defense of him. Both of these men knew where their strength came from. They remembered all the Lord had provided for the Israelites in the past. They knew He would be with them and give them the victory.
We all have times in our life where the Lord calls us to depend upon Him. It seems impossible with our human eyes. Jesus gives us the answer when He said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 20:26, NIV). God specializes in these types of requests because He will get the glory when it is achieved. So, the next time God asks you to do a seemingly impossible task, remember who is on your side. There may be many around you cowering in fear, but there is only One who really matters. David summed it up nicely when he told Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45, NIV). When the others see the giants, look to the One who can topple those giants.
Source:
The Holy Bible, New International Version