“For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” (Romans 11:29 NLT)
“Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). Then the land had rest from war.” (Joshua 14:6-15 NKJV)
“But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 BSB)
Caleb is one of the best examples of “refirement” in all of scripture. His life has made such an indelible mark on my life that he has become the model for my “late life assignment.” The Lord spoke to my heart back in October of 2019 and called me to raise up the “Caleb Generation.” I have been given the assignment to lead in building an army of “Super Senior Saints” who live in the spirit of Caleb and take their mountains regardless of age, or past experience. It is never too late to enter into my “Promised Land.”
At the age of 40, Caleb was forced into early retirement by the fear of those around him. While he did his best to persuade the Israelites to believe the Word that they had received from their Heavenly Father, and enter into the Promised Land, the vast majority rejected what they had been promised. They put more faith in the “evil report” given by 10 unbelieving spies, then they did in the Word of the Lord delivered by Moses, and confirmed by Joshua and Caleb. This subjected Caleb to 40 years of wandering in which he stayed full of faith and obedience as he patiently waited on the Lord. The result of these 40 years of Caleb’s faithfulness are living proof of Isaiah 40:31:
“But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (BSB)
At the age of 85 Caleb still wanted to complete the assignment that he embraced 45 years earlier. The most amazing thing to me is that while Caleb could have justifiably accepted an easier assignment (after all, he was no longer a spring chicken), he got up in Joshua’s grill and demanded that he honor Moses’ assignment to let him take the mountain. You see, this was the toughest assignment available. It was an impenetrable fortress built high on a mountain with a single point of attack. On top of that, it was where the Giants lived. If any place in the Promised Land was impossible to “take” this was it.
Caleb made the bold proclamation…”here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war both for going out and for coming.” Then he proved it, putting works to his faith, by taking the mountain. He put his life where his mouth is!
“Renewed Youth” and “Refirement” go hand in hand. Caleb, like Abraham and Moses, clearly demonstrated that the activation of the Lord’s enablement to fulfill whatever the Lord has called me to do is in the assignment. When I accept, and by faith and obedience carry out my assignment, I will experience the manifestation of what I already possess in Christ (especially in “late life assignments”).
Along with Caleb, I will live out…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 153: “I am replacing Retirement with Refirement!” Part 3: Caleb