Caleb means "bold" or "impetuous." He was a man "bold" for God, and ready to "hazard his life" for the sake of God.
At the time when Joshua was dividing the land, suddenly there was a great .noise. Who was it? Men of Judah bringing In Caleb, Joshua's old warrior friend, now 85 years old . What did he want? To ask Joshua to fulfil an old promise made by God (Joshua 14: 6, 9, 12) God had promised to give Caleb the piece of land round Hoteb and Caleb now comes to ask Joshua for it. No doubt there were some who told Caleb that he could not conquer that part now, for he was too old and anyhow Anakims were there and they were big long-necked giants and as well the cities were fenced with high walls, etc.
Caleb shows how "bold" he is by nature, as well as by name.
(i)
God promised-and He never fails . Joshua 14:12.
(ii)
I am not too old, because the Lord can give me strength. Joshua 14:11 .
(iii) However big the giants may be, I can drive them out, if the Lord is with me.
Because Caleb trusted God, he was given strength in spite of old age and he did drive them out. Judges 1 :20. He also gained a name for being "wholly" out for God and His glory. " Wholly" is used to describe Caleb six times. Numbers 32: 12; Deuteronomy 1 :36; Joshua 14:8, 9, 14; Numbers 14:24 (fully is a translation of the same word).
(i) What great victories would be gained by someone who trusted God out and out
(ii) What power and strength God gives to someone who trusts Him out and out
(iii) What an influence among others someone can be who trusts Him out and out.
Perhaps someone is tempted to say, "Temptations have got too big a hold on me I cannot overcome them." We can defeat ANY temptation, if we are WHOLLY out for Jesus Christ .
What does WHOLLY mean? (read Mark 12:30) To be "wholly" for Jesus, means to give Him 'ALL' to give Him all my Love and not let anything come between Him and me. To work for Him with All my strength -doing all my tasks and duties for His sake, the best I can. To strive with ALL my life to live for Jesus and make Him known to others. This is to be WHOLLY for Him-and if I am willing to be WHOLLY for Him, He will always give me strength to be so, as He did Caleb.
We are told that Caleb was not only "wholly" God's, but he wholly "FOLLOWED the Lord" What does it mean to follow Jesus? (read Matthew 11 :28-30) "Come .. . take My yoke ... learn." To "follow" means: To come to Jesus as my Saviour and Friend. To take His yoke. i.e. live His life; fight His battles; speak His words.
WHOLLY to FOLLOW is to do this with God can do and we shall have great inALL my heart, strength, mind and will . fluence with others.
"If the Lord be with me..I shall be able" (Joshua 14:12). The world needs to see followers of Jesus ALWAYS victors. However "always winning" depends on "always yeilding"
