Who Was Caleb? A Man Who Followed God Fully

Caleb is one of the Bible's great examples of wholehearted, courageous faith. While others saw obstacles, he saw God — and his lifelong faithfulness was richly rewarded. Here's who Caleb was.

A different spirit

When Israel sent twelve spies into the promised land, ten came back terrified, focused on the giants and fortified cities. But Caleb and Joshua saw the same land and trusted God. Caleb urged the people, 'Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.' He saw the giants, but he saw a bigger God.

Standing against the crowd

Caleb's faith was costly. The frightened crowd wanted to stone him and Joshua for their confidence. It took real courage to stand against the majority and trust God when everyone else was gripped by fear. Caleb didn't waver, even when faith made him unpopular.

Rewarded for faithfulness

Because of the people's unbelief, Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness — but God singled out Caleb, saying he 'followed me fully,' and promised him a lasting inheritance. His wholehearted faith set him apart, and God did not forget it.

Still strong at eighty-five

Decades later, at eighty-five, Caleb was still full of faith and vigour, asking for the mountainous region still occupied by giants: 'Give me this mountain.' His lifelong faithfulness never faded into cautious retirement. He finished as he began — trusting God and taking on the giants.

Caleb was a man who followed God fully — seeing a bigger God than the giants, standing courageously against the fearful crowd, and staying faithful his whole life long, still taking on mountains at eighty-five. His 'different spirit' of wholehearted faith is a challenge and an inspiration: to see God as bigger than our obstacles, and to follow him fully, all the way to the end.