Free The Warrior: Caleb by Francine Rivers Page B

refuse to listen and act upon what the Lord says? Lord, give me the heart to hear and the courage to obey .
    “Thus says the Lord, ‘How long will this wicked nation complain about Me? I have heard everything the Israelites have been saying. You will all die here in this wilderness! Because you complained against Me, none of you who are twenty years old or older and were counted in the census will enter the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb and Joshua.
    “‘You said your children would be taken captive. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness.’”
    The people drew back from Moses as he came forward, hands spread, his voice carrying over the throng. “‘Because the men who explored the land were there for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. You will discover what it is like to have Me for an enemy.’”
    Gagging violently, Palti fell to the ground in convulsions. People screamed and withdrew as Palti bit off his own tongue. People ran from Shaphat, who dropped where he stood among the elders. Igal and Gaddiel pitched over. Ammiel ran, Gaddi on his heels, but both fell as though struck by invisible arrows. Sethur and Nahbi, Geuel and Shammua died as Palti did.
    Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Caleb and Joshua stood untouched by God’s judgment, for they hadn’t spread lies about the land and its people.
    Caleb shook as the Lord took swift vengeance. The people scattered, but still God’s hand of judgment was upon them, and many others died that night.
    In the morning, hundreds went out with their weapons to take Canaan. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.”
    “What are you doing?” Moses ran after them, Joshua with him. “God has told us to turn back to the Red Sea!”
    “We’re not going back to the Sinai. The Lord said He would give us the land, and we’re going to take it.”
    But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. Do not go into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord!”
    “Who are you to tell us to stay here? We’re sick of you telling us what not to do and what to do. We will take the land. God will help us.”
    Caleb stood at the edge of camp, watching several of his friends head north for Canaan. They had fretted and argued all night, and finally convinced themselves they could do it. They thought there was power in their dream, power to reach out and grab what they wanted for themselves.
    He had heard his brother say, “If we just believe we can do it, it will happen.”
    They assumed God would give in to their desire and bless their endeavors. Faith in God would have given them everything they ever hoped to have, but faith in themselves would bring them death.
    Caleb shouted after them, “When will you learn to obey the Lord?”
    One of his brothers shouted back, “Come with us, Caleb. When will you learn it is not the Lord who speaks, but Moses! And who is he to tell us what to do?”
    Helpless, angry, Caleb stood his ground. “Fools! All of you!” His eyes hot, Caleb dropped to his knees and hung his head. Someone gripped his shoulder.
    Joshua watched the rebels. “When they are dead, the others will heed the Word of the Lord.”
    Caleb gave a laugh of despair. “Do you really think so? Like begets like. Their children