Address—N. Berry
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Florida has laid on my heart this afternoon, Beloved young people, is.
To speak of seven events in the life of Caleb.
And then to look into the New Testament and to see how these, in a spiritual way apply to such an one as Timothy.
The young man and then to the apostle Paul of an older one, and then to address my remarks to you. They loved young people. And finally, that Christ might be exalted in all that is said. So let's turn now to the first of these events.
And that is in the book of Numbers.
Chapter 13.
This we could call.
Caleb the Searcher.
He belonged to the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe. He was one of those 12 men that was selected.
The goal to search out the land, as that word should be. Rather than spied out, though they went in unbelief. We can apply it in this way.
That it would be like one of us.
Searching.
Out the truth, the wonderful truth which you and I have been brought not only to know the blessed Lord Jesus as our Savior, that all this wonderful truth of Christ as the gathering center, and that's what the truth of the land brings before us.
Crossing of the Jordan is like the realization that we have died with Christ. They have crossed the Jordan.
And they are now I shouldn't say that they are approaching that land of Israel and so this.
Where these 12 men go off on this search of the land to explore it. Now let's read.
A few verses and Numbers 13.
And verse 17.
And Moses sent them to spy. Or as I said, the proper word I understand is.
To search out the land of Canaan.
And said unto them, Get you up this way southward.
And go up into the mountain.
Now verse.
21 So they went up and searched the land from the wilderness of Zinn unto Reho, as men came come to Haman, and they ascended by the South and came unto Hebron. That's all we need to read for a moment.
They were in the South of the land and these 12.
Men are now going to explore this country, which the Lord had positively promised that He was going to hear them.
It would be approximately 150 miles or so from Kadish Vernia up to Rehoboth, which is mentioned there as one of the cities up in the far north of the land, and in all it might mean a walk of a 250 miles or so.
12 men went out.
Caleb, one of them.
Caleb as he searched, as he went from that one place to another, he saw that beautiful land.
His eye fell on one spot That is mentioned here immediately at this beginning, and that is that land, that part of the land called Hebron. Hebron brings before you and me.
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Beautiful father, that is communion.
We'll come back to it later on, but we will remember that this spot riveted itself in his vision as he searched that land.
Communion, oh beloved ones, this is a wonderful word we're going to see now as we turn into the New Testament. Keep your place here because we will be coming back and forth in numbers. And let's go over now to Timothy, the first epistle of Timothy.
And we will see there the application, the spiritual application of this searcher.
First Timothy.
Chapter 4.
Verse 13.
Till I come.
Give attendance, or as the new translation puts it, give thyself to reading.
To exhortation to doctrine or teaching. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, or, as the New Translation says, occupy.
Thyself with these things, give thyself holy to them.
That thy processing may appear to all.
Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, or thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.
Well, here with an example of Timothy as a searcher.
And all beloved ones, as I look into your face, young ones here dear to my heart, we're living in very, very dangerous days, difficult days, as Scripture speaks of. There are so many awful wind blowing. It is so important for you and for me to be established in this truth, the truth.
Of Christ as the gathering center of the one body, of the fact that nothing.
Can unify us, but mutual occupation with Christ that we are heavenly citizens, that we are indwelled of the Holy Spirit, that what the Holy Spirit teaches one he teaches every one of us all this wonderful unity into which the Spirit of God would would admonish us.
In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, to follow this would be like searching.
The land, Dear young people, are you and I searching the world? Are we meditating on us? Are we giving ourselves to it? Or are we occupying ourselves with this thing and the next thing? There might have been many things that would have attracted the eyes of these searchers. Oh, the eye of Caleb.
Was caught by that beautiful part of that land, the choice land, part of the land.
Hannah Hebron. So there is the first one. He was a searcher. Now then let's go back to numbers and the same chapter 13.
Here we are now with Caleb as the testifier. He has come back now from the searching of the land.
And it's interesting that these 12 men now.
Now those have been some months, and the great congregation of Israel is waiting for them. Verse 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and under the wilderness of parent to Kadish, and brought back.
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Word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them.
The fruit of the land. And they told him and said.
We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it flowed with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of.
Then in the 14th chapter and the sixth verse.
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jeff Uni, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes, 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.
The new translation says is a very, very good land.
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.
No, the testimony.
It's one thing for you and for me to be well acquainted with the scriptures, and this is important. Second thing is.
That it is important that our testimony be clear and simple.
12 men came back, ten of them brought an evil report and Kelvin Joshua were the two that brought back a true report. Caleb said he spoke according to what was in his heart. Oh, isn't this a so true in our life these days?
That if we are going to be true to the Word of God, the testimony that we give is surely not going to be popular.
Ten of them were opposed, and two men here are the ones that are going to be faithful. Oh, my dear young friend, beloved ones, as they look into your faces now this testimony.
Of the truth that you and I hear week by week in the assembly. Is it getting ahold of us? Does the blessed Lord Jesus become more precious to us?
We're surely going to be opposed, and if we're looking for popularity, we're not going to find it. These two men were opposed to the 10th, and in the Scriptures the majority is always wrong, and here these two were willing.
To stand and tell the truth. And they said it was a very, very good land, a land that flowed with milk and honey. Two characteristics of that are quite interesting. The milk goes through the cow, the honey goes through the bee.
They were pre digested foods and all beloved ones. Isn't it a wonderful thing to know that you and I have the precious Word of God which has been predigested, if we could say that prepared for you and for me. So here they were now as the testifiers. Now let's go into First Timothy again and we will see.
Chapter 4.
And see how this is borne out.
First Timothy 4, verse six. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine forunto thou hast attained.
Now there was the testimony you noticed when we were reading in Joshua that it said that there were two things. One was that they brought word that is what they heard. The people heard. It also said that they brought back fruit that which would they would see. Educators say that 85% of all knowledge comes through the eye gate and.
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Through the ear here was a case where they heard, and where they saw fruit bearing, as well as the testimony. Now here we are reading about Timothy, and he has admonished there in connection with what he said. But look down now to the 12Th verse, and let us see there the evidence of the fruit.
Verse 12.
First Timothy 412 Let no man despise thy you, but be thou. An example of the believers in Word, conversation, and charity, or love and spirit and faith in purity. Here was the fruit, the evidence that was going to be given in his life.
Let me just digress for a moment in passing in first Peter chapter 5.
Peter is writing to the older ones, the elders in the assembly, and he sat there to feed the flock and to be an example.
To the flock. But here now we have just read where Paul is writing to Timothy, to a young man and he is saying to Timothy, you be an example of the believers. A word for us, we who are older and a word for those of us who.
Those of you who are younger, there was the evidence, the fruit, not only the testimony, but there he was to be.
Showing it out in his life. Some often ask that question, what does it mean? Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers. Well, it just doesn't mean this, that Paul is saying don't let the people push you around because you're a young believer.
But I believe it means this, that the Apostle Paul was bringing before Timothy so that he could pass on to others lofty heavenly truth. And if young Timothy was living out in his life that truth that he was speaking, no one would despise.
I believe that's the meaning of that verse. Let no man despise thy you. Now then, let's go back to numbers.
And we see the third one now. First one he was a searcher. The second one, he was there as a testifier. And now here is a very nice little word.
#13 and verse.
He is very familiar with the fact that 10 have given a different report. And now Caleb comes forward with this beautiful little expression. Notice what it says, beloved ones, in the 30th verse.
Numbers 1330 and Caleb Still.
The people before Moses and said at once, or boldly and possessive, for we are well able to overcome it.
I enjoy this beloved ones.
Caleb here is the third fact. He was a Stiller of the people.
I asked myself this. I asked you in your local assembly. Are you a Stiller of the people or are we disturbing the Saints here? Was Caleb a Stiller? Oh, how lovely a work this was. This is the third one, A Stiller of the people.
In all beloved ones, there is so much these days to disturb us. We are being confronted with events that we've never faced before.
There is so much that will just cause us to become discouraged unless we have our eye on the Lord. It's a wonderful thing if you and I are stillers of the brethren, and this is what.
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Caleb, Was he still?
And Caleb stilled the people. Now let's go into Two Timothy again and see the comparison there.
Second Timothy.
Chapter 2.
Verse 14.
Second Timothy 2, verse fourteen of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the subverting of the heroes.
Verse 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men. Apartment to teach patients.
Oh, this is nice, isn't it? This is so practical for you and for me to bear this instruction and to our heart and live it out, as Paul said there to strive, not about words.
So many opinions are being propagated these days. Doctrines or teachings are really being based on people's opinions instead of on the Word of God. What a wonderful thing it would be if you and I are a Stiller like Caleb was and like the Apostle Paul is admonishing Timothy to be.
Not to be striving about words so easy to allow these things to creep in amongst us in the assembly, but oh, may the Lord just preserve us and may we be stillers of the people and may we be avoiding those things.
Not striving about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Beloved ones, it's Christ we need not to be.
Getting down into discussions about doctrines and so on.
If we, you and I are clear about the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, and we are seeking to exalt Him in our hearts.
Then there is going to be no room for these divisions and these.
Thoughts of individuals. Well now there he was as the Stiller. Now let's go back into numbers again.
And chapter 14 this time.
Verse 24.
Here's the 4th, 1:00.
A follower.
Very striking the number of times that this is mentioned about Caleb.
Numbers 14, verse 24.
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and have followed me fully. Him will I bring into the land, where into he went, and his seed.
Shall possess it.
There was now a very remarkable expression. The Lord said it himself.
Caleb wholly followed the Lord.
No, just want to mention this that.
After Israel.
Approached the land.
They believed the 10 searchers. They didn't believe Joshua and Caleb. And the Lord said you will now.
Beloved ones he did. And here were Caleb and Joshua, walking for those 40 years, 38 years, two years to build the Tabernacle, and then those 38 years wandering into the wilderness.
Faithful Caleb, That's all I can say. Faithful Caleb. He went on, he continued on. He was a follower. What? What was he following an idea? No, he was following the Lord. He was following the Lord.
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In Acts Chapter 7, Stevens wonderful sweep of the history of Israel's journey. What does he say there? Did they follow the Lord? Did they worship me? Did they worship the Lord?
No, they didn't. They worshipped. They turned to even idolatry, to Moloch. What about our friend Caleb? He saw all this. Did this discourage him? No, indeed. Why didn't it discourage him? Because he was wholly following the Lord. Oh, isn't that sweet, Beloved ones, This is why the Lord doesn't take us to heaven.
We are saved. We are left here for two reasons, Deuteronomy 8 tells us. One of them is to humble us, and the other is that the Lord would know our hearts. Oh, you and I are on this journey, two beloved ones, but are we following the Lord? If the Lord is the object before us, if He is the one that we are seeing, we're following Him.
It doesn't matter how difficult the situation becomes. I I've often said this, I hear young parents saying, oh, the conditions in the world are getting so terrible.
That we really shouldn't be bringing children into the world. That's just tantamount to saying that if things don't get any worse, we'll be able to manage by ourselves, but if they get worse, we won't. Oh beloved ones, it doesn't matter. One eye alter upon you and me, it's the Lord that is going to take us through. Are we following Him?
And here was.
These these beautiful words about Caleb wholly following the Lord. Now let's go over to Joshua.
The years have gone by now, the 40 years.
Joshua, chapter 14.
Verse 8. Nevertheless, my brethren.
That went up with me. Made the heart of the people melt. Notice that the heart of the people melted. But I.
Wholly followed the Lord, my God. Now there's the 2nd testimony. The first one was by the Lord himself who said that Caleb wholly followed him.
Here now is Caleb himself saying this verse nine. And Moses swear on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy foot have trodden, feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance and thy children's forever, because thou hast.
Wholly followed the Lord.
Now there was the 3rd testimony, first by the Lord, second by Caleb himself. Not saying this in pride, but I'm sure in humility, because he knew in his heart what it would be meaning to follow the Lord. He had his eye put on a goal. He had that land in mind following the Lord and that thought of Hebron in his heart.
And he followed on. And so here Moses now is telling him, is making this reference.
Now let's look over to Timothy again.
And verse first second Timothy, chapter one, verse 5.
Here we find Timothy now as an example of a follower.
When I call verse five, when I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Unisi, and I am persuaded that in the.
Also second chapter and the 22nd verse.
Flee off so youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Here was Timothy, now the follower. Some of you, dear young ones, have had faithful mothers and faithful grandmothers.
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Timothy had such He was a follower of the Lord.
But here he had this lovely.
Recommended, or at least these comments that his mother and his grandmother also were faithful ones. Oh, I ask you, you dear young ones, are you walking in the faith of your mother and your father?
Or we rebelled. Do we consider it a a such an heritage to have Christian parents these days?
Oh, we travel about the country and sometimes we leave homes sick at heart, where we see the parents introducing many things into the home that are just bringing the world into the home. And what do we find the children doing? Happy children. No indeed anything but happy. Or we followers of the Lord. I say this to you parents.
Are we feeding on Christ ourselves?
Are we feeding our children on Christ?
As Elisha did when the pottage was discovered, that there was poison in it, death in it, he could have dumped it out and he said start again, put in new.
Fresh ingredients. What did he do? He took a handful of meal and he poured it into the pot. That's Christ, the picture of Christ fed upon. Oh, you dear fathers and mothers.
Are you feeding on Christ yourself? And if so, are you feeding your children? Are we reading to our children? Don't let a morning go by without opening that Bible. It's nice to read a verse off the calendar, but oh how much more precious it is for us to be reading the Word of God, getting our children familiar with these passages. My memory is fresh, although my mother has gone.
Many, many years ago. But as a child I remember that open Bible on the counter in the kitchen.
You mothers, you have a great responsibility. Here was Timothy who had the faithful mother and and grandmother. May we be preserved and may we be feeding our children on Christ. Now then, let's go on and look back into Joshua again. And we are in the 14th chapter and here's the next one.
The Endure.
Chapter 14.
Verse 10.
Joshua 14, verse 10.
And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive. I think that's beautiful.
Incidentally, those ten other searchers, the Lord destroyed them with a plague at the very next verse in Joshua 14, I think it is in Numbers 14, it says that Joshua and Caleb lived. Oh, isn't that beautiful?
They lived. Who kept them alive? The Lord kept them alive.
Who keeps you and me alive? The Lord keeps us. If it weren't for the keeping of the Lord, every believer would be destroyed by Satan. But the Lord is keeping us. And so here is now that beautiful word, the 10th verse. And now behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years.
See, the 40 years of the wilderness were over, and there now in the land for five years.
Even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness.
Well, there he was as the endure. Now back to Timothy again.
First Timothy.
Chapter 4.
Verse 16.
Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctor.
Continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.
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Now then, there's another verse in Second Timothy.
1:00 and 12:00 Second Timothy 1:00 and 12:00 This is going on now into Pauls life, for the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.
Against that day.
Paul, not only Timothy, but here we find the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He could say this now at the close of his days, just before he laid down his pen. This was the last writing of the apostle Paul, and so he could say those beautiful words.
Now then, let's go back into into Joshua again.
And chapter 14, next verse to that which we read before.
Verse 11.
Here we find Caleb now as the warrior.
He's the follower, and he was the Endurer, and here he is now as the warrior. Remarkable verse, verse 11.
As yet, I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, Even so is my strength now.
For war, both to go out and to come in.
Now, isn't this remarkable, A man that is 85 years of age and he is as able to go out to warfare as he was when he was 40 years of age. What does this tell us, beloved ones? It's a nice thing, isn't it, to see older ones, older brothers and sisters.
Continuing on, continuing on, the Lord is the strength of our life. He is the one if you and I have Him before us, He is the one that is going to sustain us. Here is Caleb, now an 85 year old man, and he's a warrior still, right on to the end. We need to remember this, don't we? And may we just be.
Reserved in this. Now let's go over back to Timothy.
And see the warrior there. Second Timothy.
Chapter 2.
Verse 3.
Two Timothy 2 and verse 3. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Good soldier Jesus Christ. And then now into the 4th chapter.
And the seventh verse here is the Apostle Paul's testimony as well.
Second Timothy 4 and verse 7.
I have fought.
They are the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. What a testimony that is. Oh, beloved ones, wouldn't that be something to cover in our life? You dear young ones that are here, you might say, well, I have a long life ahead of me. We don't know how much longer we have. We certainly don't believe that we've got very much longer.
Are we fighting that good fight? It's well worth it. I often quote what I remember reading about GV Wigram who had suffering in his back all his life and he said though the path were 10,000 times more rough and dreary, it still would be worth it. Oh beloved ones, this life.
Of following the Lord. It's the only life. It's what is truly living.
You, you young ones, are just getting the winds that are blowing from all sources these days that would cause us to get discouraged and to give up the fight. Here is a man, the apostle Paul, who had an endured and he had been that warrior and he could say at the end of his days, I have fought the good fight.
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Of them all, let's go back now to numbers.
Chapter 14.
Here he is as the inheritor.
Joshua 14, verse 12.
Now therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord speak in that day, For thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, they were the giants, and that the cities were great and fenced. If so, be the Lord.
Will be with me then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.
I'm sorry, Joshua. Yes, Joshua, chapter 14, verse 12. Thank you.
Now therefore, give me this mountain.
Verse 12 Whereof the Lord speak in that day, for thou heardest in that day how the Anakins were there, and that the cities were great and fenced. If so be, the Lord will be with me then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord had said.
Verse 13 And Joshua blessed him.
And gave unto Caleb the son of Jeepuni Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jeff Uni the Kenazite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
Oh, there is the inheritance. Now here's the end of the story.
For this man Caleb, with the Lord faithful, yes he was.
The Lord kept him alive all those years. He had his eye upon that goal of Hebron. He wholly followed the Lord and the Lord didn't let him down. Dear young people, you are hearing people telling you that it's it's not worth it. It's so much trouble to be a Christian. And then even if we are going on, for the Lord to gather to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Right. Oh, I realise more and more how much you are subjected to even other believers. Oh, we need to cleave what purpose of heart of Christ. There is an inheritance ahead, beloved ones. It's Christ to be with him forever in sweet communion. That's what Hebron meant. Well, there was was.
Caleb receiving that inheritance. The inheritance was he brought.
Communion. He prized that above all else. Now let's turn for our last verse, now in Second Timothy.
Chapter 4. Verse 8.
Henceforth.
There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love is appearing.
Precious promise, beloved ones, that day of the Lord.
When he will have his rightful place here on this earth. His name is taken in blasphemy and cursing these days.
And Ezekiel, it tells us that the whole earth is going to light up with the glory of the Lord. Oh, beloved ones, the inheritance is waiting for us. And you and I, if we know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we're ready for that inheritance too. Oh, are we following the Lord? Are we continuing on? Are we warriors?
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Are we following as Caleb and Timothy and Paul did? Now let me give you one last verse, the 18th verse of that same chapter of Second Timothy, chapter 4.
Verse 18.
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly Kingdom, to whom the glory forever and ever. Amen. Oh beloved ones.
Let's take courage this afternoon. Am I looking into the faces of some of you young men?
That are willing to follow the Lord wholly.
Oh, I can say to you, it's so well worth it. What a joy there is in the Christian life to follow the Lord. There's going to be warfare, there's going to be ridicule, there's all, there's going to be opposition. But this is what strengthens us. May the Lord just become so precious, so attractive to your heart and mind that we won't we, we won't be allowing.
Anything to be standing in the way. And then, beloved ones, one of these moments.
3:10 one of these moments, the Lord Jesus is going to step out of heaven and he's going to call us into that blessed inheritance. What is it? Christ himself, Is it worth it? Yes, indeed it is. May then the Lord just encourage you dear young men and you dear young sisters that are here this afternoon. I'm, I'm here to encourage you to keep on now and the Lord.
Able to keep us, and the day is going to come when we're going to stand before him. Oh, that you and I would cover above everything else. To hear the Lord say to you, calling you by your name. You, holy, follow me.