Caleb Ryan, 9.3.9

In December 2005, Kelli and I started chronicling our favorite baby names. “Caleb” was on the list then and only rose in esteem. But why, finally, did we name our firstborn son “Caleb”?

Well, it’s a responsibility we take very seriously. Naming matters in the Bible. It’s an act of authority carried out by they who are responsible for the one named. So Adam names his wife “Eve.” God is seen with some regularity re-naming men and women, so Abram becomes “Abraham” and Sarai becomes “Sarah.” Notice too that biblical names are chosen to express the character of the person. It is Christ’s person in view in his name “Immanuel” (God with us). And Esau’s brother is a deceiver, so he’s named “Jacob.” Later, Jacob strives with God and refuses to desist till God blesses him; and God re-names him “Israel” (He strives with God or God strives), which reveals that another aspect of naming expresses hope for the work the person will do. God’s true Son is named “Jesus” because he will save his people from their sins.

The person and work of Caleb in the Old Testament encourage us to name our son after him. We name him in faith, with great hope that his character and mission will honor his namesake. Turn to Numbers 13-14 and Joshua 14-15 for key passages featuring Caleb. We see Caleb’s person and work in his position among the people of God and in his stance toward the nations:

Caleb’s Position Among the People of God
“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel." Numbers 14.7-10

Faithful to his promises, the Lord saved an insignificant people out of Egyptian slavery and made that people into a cherished nation, Israel. But the people rebelled and grumbled against their Savior, all the way through the wilderness to the edge of the promised land to which he was bringing them. Testing their faith, the Lord had Moses select chiefs of the 12 tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan and to bring back a report of its beauty, resources, and people. The spies return affirming all the Lord had promised: The land is rich with produce, a land exceedingly great. But, most of the spies grumble, the enemy men in the land are great as well. And they despair, doubting the Lord’s ability to bring them into the land he promised them.

And Joshua and Caleb speak up, calling God’s people to trust the Lord who fights for them. Caleb was the representative chosen from the tribe of Judah, which is the kingly line (see Jacob’s blessing of Judah, Gen 49.8-12; “Ryan,” which means “little king” reinforces our hopes for our son). Just as Caleb called the people to faith and, in that way, battled their sin of unbelief, we’re praying our Caleb acts as a little king who images the True King who battled and defeated sin finally for others. We pray that Caleb would act wisely and bravely among God’s people and that he ever would lead them to trust Christ and not to fear men, especially when they are tempted.

We’re praying too that our Caleb’s legacy resembles his namesake’s. Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, was the deliverer the Lord raised for his people when they cried out to him. And Caleb’s great grandson, Bezalel, built the tabernacle. Just as Caleb led the people into battle to defeat God’s enemies and to make a way for Israel to inherit the promised land, so Bezalel created the place where God’s presence dwelt during their wanderings. Pray with us that our Caleb would devote himself to the building of God’s dwelling place, which is now found in the hearts of those who trust Christ for salvation. And that leads us to Caleb’s standing in the nations...

Caleb’s Stance Toward the Nations
“Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba. (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.) And the land had rest from war. Joshua 14.9-15

After the rebellious spies and those who followed them in grumbling against the Lord died, Joshua and Caleb led the people into the promised land. Because foreign nations were occupying the land, the Israelites had to conquer the nations to take possession of the land God promised. And as Caleb warred with pagans, he was bringing them into subjection to the One and only Lord. Because they stood against God, these nations were defeated for their disobedience. Similarly, we’re praying that our Caleb would give himself to the destruction of rebellion. Of course, after the cross, pagans are conquered not with bloodshed but with loving invitations to cast aside all idols to trust Jesus Christ, the redeemer and reconciler of all who would be right with God. That Caleb would be devoted to conquest, crushing unbelief with bold, affectionate appeals to repent and believe in Jesus—that is our prayer for our son. I trust Brandon and Jill join us in hopes that Joshua (our nephew) and Caleb would take the nations for King Jesus, expanding the borders of his praise, that his glory would cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.

Indeed we’re hoping the Lord will be pleased to make our son faithful like the Caleb of the Bible. And yet that Old Testament hero was a sinner who desperately needed a savior. May our Caleb know his own need and find the One whose name is above all names (Phil 2.1-10).

“My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” Lord, make it so!