10‘The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: 11‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – 12not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone. (Numbers 32:10-13).

According to the Numbers 32:10-13 it is clear that the children of Israel were put in a “holding pattern” until all of the disobedient and cowardly adults had died . The reason behind the 40 years of wandering in the desert was not that the Wilderness Journey(See Map Opposite) was long to physically complete, but as a punishment for those refused to enter the Promised Land when they first had a chance to do so.

Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who had the courage and faith to report that the people should go up and take the land that God was giving them out of the twelve leaders by right sent into the Promised Land to gather information prior to what would have been the Israelites’ entry just a little more than two years after the Exodus (Numbers 10:11)

30 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.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”(Num 13:30-33 NIV).

2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!(Num14:2 NIV).
Caleb of the tribe of Judah , was forty years old when he was sent to spy out the Promised Land with others (Numbers 13:6). He received his reward after over decades later.

6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.

9 So on that day Moses swore to me, “The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” [a]

10 “Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called KiriathArba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites. (Joshua 14:6-14 NIV)

The Men’s Fellowship in Shelter of Elyon Ministries constitutes of men who are willing to stand on the Promises of God rather than on problems. Caleb is a good example of a man who did it and received a reward . You and I can do the same.

Please join us every Tuesday from 6pm -8pm.