And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward. And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; (Deut. 3:16-19)
As Moses rehearsed their journey he reminded not only the tribes which settled on the east side of Jordan of what Israel had done to conquer those lands, but also what they were to do as they stood with their brethren in the conquering of the Promised Land they would soon enter. Israel’s next generation was on the border of the land once again, and Moses wanted all to remember their journey and the providence, protection, and preservation of God as they had wandered in the wilderness. Just as God was faithful, so too were the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh who settled these lands to be faithful to their brethren and conquer the land west just as the other tribes had been with them as God gave them victory on the east side.
Because of the struggles we all face and the fact that in this broken and sinful world we all experience troubles, we are to stand with our brethren until all have come into that which is promised. For the Christian that means bearing one another’s burdens while we are here as pilgrims in this world while we reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Gospel to all who will hear that whosoever will may come to Christ in surrender to Him on His terms and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary and be born again. For the lost sinner who is under condemnation because of sin and rebellion against God, God calls all to repentance and reconciliation with the Father, that you too may receive His promise of forgiveness and redemption. He will not force anyone and His heart breaks for those who will not repent and be saved but He earnestly calls you to a loving relationship with Him that is real and personal by faith through grace.
While we are here God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet