Old Dog I
[Site Curator’s note: This teaching did not appear in Thomas Gibson’s Old Dog I collection. He was unable to find it. However, I was to find it on a website prepared by a brother in Christ which has a fairly extensive collection of Bob Neumann’s prophecies and teachings: Profeetallista. Therefore, I am inserting Armies of God 1-3 in the Old Dog I collection as they are intended to be read together.]
Armies of God 1 – The Caleb Mindset
Bob Neumann, July 19, 1998
It seems in the last few days a certain turn in the road has been made. Strange it seems that it is long over due. Today modern church people have a whole bunch of ‘militant’ music that we say we worship to. It seems we have gone a long way from “clap your hands all ye people and shout to GOD with a voice of triumph” and “onward Christian soldiers marching as to war”. Yet for all our music and lyrics we are the same as before we started, primarily pew sitters waiting to be fed, entertained, reassured.
And it has been that way for 6000 years. With only four major exceptions and what they are to teach us today appears to be mostly lost.
So in apparent obedience I am starting a series of thoughts to share with whoever desires to read what THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT has placed on my heart. The first thought goes back to the WILDERNESS.
The Army of the Wilderness Generation. When Israel balked at entering the land when ADONAI told them to do so it was because of the “BAD REPORT” of the spies who forgot just how big GOD was. In less than two years GOD had decimated the Egyptian Empire with Plagues, slaughtered the largest army in the world in the red sea, brought water out of a rock, and manna and quail six days a week to feed 3+ million people. And let’s not forget MT Sinai and the golden calf. And still they saw “giants” and were intimidated. So a ‘next generation’ came forward over the next 40 years knowing only how to survive in the WILDERNESS. Not Egyptian slavery. And they were led through the Jordan River to take the land. And in 26 years did a very poor job of it all. In fact even Joshua was deceived at time and did not always seek GOD before acting. Again not the greatest of lessons to pass down to us today. So I marvel at how readily some of our “church’’ brethren jump at the GIMMICK of a JERICO WALK to raise funds. Or the idea of a Joshua Generation that marches to victory. When it was ADONAI that brought the walls down.
Yet in the midst of all this there is a major lesson that the church has missed, and maybe it is on purpose. If so the victory here is not out of our grasp yet. The Lesson is the CALEB MINDSET.
How often have you heard MR PREACHERMAN or MR MAJOR PROPHET speak about Caleb? Wonder why? We are talking about the man who spoke GOSPEL when the ‘church’ preferred the bad report. A man who stayed faithful for almost 70 years trusting GOD for a single promise. And then getting the job done. The image of service unconditional and unchangeable, no matter the situation or the circumstance. Here is a man who was high in the tribe of Judah. The largest and strongest of the tribes of Israel. But let’s see his first public account.
Numbers 13:30-32
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. (KJV)
Caleb was a man willing to do GOD’S will and tried to move the people in the right direction. But as always the majority will not follow GOD in obedience. And where does that lead him?
Numbers 14:6-12
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
7 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.
8 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.
9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
At this point the church is eager to kill those who are saying things the assembly does not want to hear. Even if it is in accord with the plans and purpose of GOD ALMIGHTY. Now let’s see how GOD reacts to Caleb’s stand with Joshua.
Numbers 14:24
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (KJV)
Remember GOD SAID IT, claiming Caleb as HIS SERVANT, FILLED with THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT, followed ME FULLY.
And no one preaches on ol’ Caleb. What a shame.
But when it was time to divide the land who is mentioned first?
Numbers 34:16-19
16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
17 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.
19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. (KJV)
GOD did not forget CALEB and Caleb remembered GOD’S PROMISE.
Deuteronomy 1:35-36
35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. (KJV)
Joshua 14:13-15
13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war. (KJV)
But here is where the real story begins. Remember the fear of the GIANTS that birthed that evil report. Look at CALEB’S MINDSET and answer to that spirit of fear.
Joshua 15:13-19
13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
Caleb demanded HEBRON, the city of the Giants and took it. Giants and all. That is why the children of Anak were in Philistia so Goliath could be slain by the shepherd boy many years later. Caleb alone was more than willing to kill the giants that stood between him and the PROMISE GOD had spoken over and into him. What is our excuse? Do we run at the first threat or fear? Or do we ask for the city in spite of the dangers knowing GOD HAS SPOKEN.
The ARMY of Joshua took bits and pieces of a very small land. Caleb took and held his rightful portion and when he asked for an heir Othniel the first of the Judges came and married a daughter bold enough to stand up and claim a blessing even Othniel could not ask from the old warrior.
If you look up the HEBREW word Caleb you will find the word all the positive attributes of man’s ‘best friend’ are alive in GENERAL and PRINCE CALEB. Unconditional love, and obedience to GOD. Unflagging faith over many long and hard years. And never a negative report from this much overlooked Servant of the LIVING GOD. just an in your face assurance that the generation today utterly lacks. To stand up and speak the GOOD REPORT in the face of the enemy, even in the midst of the congregation.
The CALEB MINDSET AND THE CALEB HEART IS THE FIRST CRITERIA FOR ALL THE SOLDIERS OF THE LIGHT THE ARMY OF GOD.
Selah
Bob in Miami