Sunday School: Old Testament: Caleb

The Lord gave Caleb the land of Hebron as an inheritance because of his faithfulness.  "Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.  (Joshua 14: 14)  What a great thing to be said of someone, he wholly followed the Lord. 

Of course the instance referred to was when Caleb, with Joshua brought back a positive report, while the other spies provided a false negative report.  This experience is related in Numbers:

 6 ¶And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Numbers 14: 6-10, 24)

One of my sons is named Caleb.  He has a tremendous namesake to live up to.  One of our modern prophets talked of Caleb of old.

President Spencer W. Kimball stated his admiration for Caleb and suggested some lessons we can learn from him:
“From Caleb’s example we learn very important lessons. Just as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain his inheritance, so we must remember that, while the Lord has promised us a place in his kingdom, we must ever strive constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to receive the reward.
“Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims, the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years, ‘Give me this mountain’ (Joshua 14:12).
“This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 115; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 79).