Free The Warrior: Caleb by Francine Rivers

“Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!”
    Crying out in fear, Moses and Aaron dropped to the ground before the people. Caleb understood, for he felt the change in the air around him. It was not just fear of the people that made them prostrate themselves. Were the people so foolish they didn’t know the Lord heard them crying to go back to the land from which He had delivered them? to go back to slavery? to go back to false gods and idols?
    Caleb let out a cry and ripped his garment. While Moses and Aaron covered their heads in fear of what the Lord would do, Caleb dove into the fracas, shouting with all his strength, “Listen, you people! Listen! The land we explored is wonderful land!”
    Joshua shouted with him. “If the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us safely into that land and give it to us!”
    Caleb strode toward the elders and scouts, pointing at them. “Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land.”
    “They are only helpless prey to us!” Joshua shouted. “They have no protection, but the Lord is with us!”
    “ The Lord is with us! ”
    “Don’t be afraid of them!”
    Korah stepped forward. “Don’t listen to this Caleb! He and Moses’ lackey would lead you into a land filled with enemies who have the power to slay your little ones.”
    “Do you want to be slaughtered?”
    “No!”
    “ Stone them! ”
    Caleb saw the hatred in the people’s faces, the fury growing past reason as they scraped around on the ground for rocks and pebbles.
    Is this where my faith has led me, Lord? To death? Then let it be.
    Screams rent the air and people scattered, for the cloud moved, changing color as it rose, spread, compressed, descended, and stood between the people and Caleb and Joshua. Caleb threw himself to the ground, covering his head in terror. Joshua lay beside him, crying out to God not to kill everyone.
    Moses cried out, too. “ Oh, Lord, no! ” Moses was on his feet, hands raised, pleading frantically. “What will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?”
    About what? Caleb’s heart pounded. He felt the presence of the Lord, the rising wrath, the chill of death close at hand. He shook violently and clutched the earth.
    “The Egyptians know full well the power You displayed in rescuing these people from Egypt!” Moses cried out to the Lord. “They will tell this to the inhabitants of this land, who are well aware that You are with this people. They know, Lord, that You have appeared in full view of Your people in the pillar of cloud that hovers over them. They know that You go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.”
    Never had Caleb heard Moses speak so fast. He felt judgment at hand. Oh, Lord, have mercy upon us. Speak faster, Moses. Plead for us. God hears your voice. Without you, the Lord will kill us. My children! My wives!
    “Now if You slaughter all these people . . .”
    People screamed and scattered.
    “ . . . if You slaughter all these people, the nations that have heard of Your fame will say, ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land He swore to give them, so He killed them in the wilderness.’”
    Wailing rose. Thousands of voices cried out in terror, “Save us, Moses!”
    Caleb wanted to rise up and scream to the people, “Cry to the Lord, for it is He who saves!” Were they still so foolish they could not hear Moses’ pleading? “Cry out to the Lord for forgiveness.”
    “ Please , Lord, prove that Your power is as great as You have claimed it to be.” Moses held his hands high. “For You said, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and rich in unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so He does not leave sin unpunished, but He punishes the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.’ Please pardon the sins of this people because of Your magnificent, unfailing love, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left