Numbers 14:24

But then there is such a thing as government, as well as grace. This must never be forgotten, and we must never confuse the two. The whole book of God shows the difference between grace and government. Perhaps no part of it shows that difference more powerfully than the section now open before us. Grace will pardon, and grace will fill the earth with the blessed beams of divine glory. But look at the terrible movement of the wheels of government.

This is how faith always reasons. Faith reasons from God to the difficulties: it begins with Him. Unbelief, on the contrary, reasons from the difficulties to God: it begins with them. This makes all the difference... Faith looks the difficulties straight in the face. It is not ignorant — not indifferent — not reckless; but what? IT BRINGS IN THE LIVING GOD... Caleb showed this precious faith when he said, "Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."

Caleb's faith lifted him out of the murmurs of Israel, their cowardice and their reproaches of the Lord. He trusted in God, held on to Him and left in His hands difficulties and giants; one thing only he sought — the Lord's delight in him.

Caleb's soul rested entirely on the grace and power of God. That same grace and power had made them triumph at the Red Sea, and had kept the spies while they searched the land... The very same principle of fully following the Lord made him encourage the people to go up. But it would also stop him from trying once the Lord had said, "Tomorrow turn back toward the Red Sea." This was because the Lord had no delight in the people.

This reveals how welcome to the Lord's heart Caleb's faithful testimony had been... He also showed the spirit of devoted discipleship in an evil day. He followed fully, and this became his distinguishing mark — a mark Caleb himself delighted to accept and recall.

Do you know what Caleb said? "I wholly followed the LORD my God" (Joshua 14:8). Oh, you say, he was conceited. No, no, he was consecrated, not conceited.

But the forty years of desert life still lie ahead. He walks them with courage right to the end, because he carries in his heart the memory of the riches and the treasure of Canaan. To him the difficulties of the desert are nothing. He pays no attention to the burning sands, the scorching sun, weariness, or thirst... A hope keeps his courage alive. And the believer's hope is not just Canaan, that is, heaven in a general way. It is Christ.

These males of twenty years and over numbered just over 600,000. Not one of them was left alive from the earlier census, except Caleb and Joshua... we see with what absolute exactness God fulfils the word He has spoken. A solemn fact for the unbeliever, but one in which we who believe can heartily rejoice.