«　WEEK 11　DAY 4　»

　　Heb. 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in leading many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

　　3:14 For we have become partners of Christ, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of the assurance firm to the end.

　　[In Numbers 13:33 the Israelites seemed to reason], "There are giants in the land, and we are like grasshoppers in their sight. They will eat us up." This is the logic of unbelief, the logic of reasoning according to the natural concept and not counting on the ways of God or trusting in the faithfulness of God. Joshua and Caleb stood against that kind of reasoning, declaring that the people were well able to take the land. Joshua and Caleb honored God, and God, in turn, honored them for honoring Him. (Life-study of Hebrews, pp. 267-268)

　　Who among us can boast that he has faith? Faith is of God, faith is in God, and faith comes from God. If we would have faith, we must learn to care for God's interests and not for our benefit. The worldly people are concerned daily for their own security and benefit, but we should care for God and His interests. (Life-study of Numbers, p. 152)

　　Faith stops our activities. Faith always praises God. The example of Joshua and Caleb in the Bible shows us what it is to believe. Joshua and Caleb were not the ones who overcame in Numbers 13 and 14; it was the One in whom they trusted. God did everything. They simply enjoyed what God did. In Joshua 3 they crossed the Jordan River, but it was God who stopped the water. They simply walked over. (CWWL, 1989, vol. 3, "The Experience and Growth in Life," p. 37)

　　I cannot make it, but Christ can make it, and He is in me. We must have faith in the power of His resurrection. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think and all that we dream or imagine. God will do it; God will make it. Let us follow the example of Joshua and Caleb. They had hearts full of faith. They could tell the people, "Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it" (Num. 13:30). (The All-inclusive Christ, p. 156)

　　Christ, the Captain of salvation, is the real Joshua leading God's people to take and possess the land. We, His partners, are the real Calebs sharing with Him in the taking and possessing of the land. (Life-study of Hebrews, p. 181)

　　Hebrews 3:14 says, "We have become partners of Christ." Christ is the Firstborn, and we are His brothers. Christ is the Head of the Body, and we are His members....Christ has been anointed by God to carry out God's commission. Now as Christ's partners we share with Him in carrying out God's commission.

　　The portion from Hebrews 3:7 through 3:14 deals with entering the good land. The type of this entering the good land was the entering of the land under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua was the leader, and Caleb was his partner, comrade, companion, in possessing the good land. Today Christ is the real Joshua, and we are His Calebs....When we enjoy Christ, we are His partakers. When we follow Him, we are His partners. As His partners, we are working together with Him and cooperating with Him to fulfill God's desire to have a corporate expression of Himself. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1114-1115)

　　At the time of Numbers 14:24 most of the Israelites were quite rebellious toward God, but Caleb was different. He did not have a different mind, a different will, a different heart, or different decision. Caleb had a different spirit. Verse 24 then says that Caleb fully followed the Lord. We have no other way to follow the Lord. If we are going to follow the Lord, we have to use the proper organ, our human spirit. Caleb followed the Lord by a different spirit, which was different from all the other spirits. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 3, "Our Human Spirit," pp. 232-233)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msgs. 20-21