And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. (Num. 32:14-18)
The tribes of Reuben and Gad decided to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan river and settle the conquered land of Bashan and the Amorites. At first, Moses, thinking that they were as rebellious as their fathers in refusing to cross over into Canaan, was angry and derided their decision. He reminded the tribes of the cost of rebelling against the commandment of the LORD. The leadership of these tribes explained that the men would cross over and fight with their brethren while the rest stayed in the walled and fenced cities of the land until all the tribes have conquered and inherited the land which God had promised them. The men of these tribes would then return to their homes having kept the commandment of the LORD.
Though at first these tribes seemed to be in rebellion as the previous generation, they had worked out this plan quite well. With the land to the east of Jordan subdued and habitable the wives and children of the tribes of Reuben and Gad could stay relatively safe on the eastern side while the men crossed over and obeyed God in conquering the land under Joshua. Knowing the judgment which God had brought on the previous generation, they were not seeking to repeat that mistake, but only sought to begin settling this good land which they had liberated and which was part of what was promised to Abraham. Once Moses understood that this was not compromise or disobedience but settling the already conquered land and that they would fight with their brethren when they crossed over Jordan, he saw the wisdom of the arrangement and agreed, adding half of the tribe of Manasseh to those who stayed on the eastern side.
Wherever God takes us or whatever He has for us to do, as Christians we ought to stand with our brethren of the household of God. Those who are secure in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, while conquering that which God reveals to us, must also uphold and support one another. We may not all fight the same battles, and Jesus has already won the war over sin and death, but we must stand together in the Lord who equips us for His work. The Lord goes before us and we must go in His strength and in obedience to His Word where He sends us. God will conquer all that we surrender to Him on His terms and grow those who know Him into the image of His dear Son and enable us to both settle ourselves in Him and live as strangers in but not of this world until He takes us Home to be with Him.
Until that glorious day, 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
Though at first these tribes seemed to be in rebellion as the previous generation, they had worked out this plan quite well. With the land to the east of Jordan subdued and habitable the wives and children of the tribes of Reuben and Gad could stay relatively safe on the eastern side while the men crossed over and obeyed God in conquering the land under Joshua. Knowing the judgment which God had brought on the previous generation, they were not seeking to repeat that mistake, but only sought to begin settling this good land which they had liberated and which was part of what was promised to Abraham. Once Moses understood that this was not compromise or disobedience but settling the already conquered land and that they would fight with their brethren when they crossed over Jordan, he saw the wisdom of the arrangement and agreed, adding half of the tribe of Manasseh to those who stayed on the eastern side.
Wherever God takes us or whatever He has for us to do, as Christians we ought to stand with our brethren of the household of God. Those who are secure in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, while conquering that which God reveals to us, must also uphold and support one another. We may not all fight the same battles, and Jesus has already won the war over sin and death, but we must stand together in the Lord who equips us for His work. The Lord goes before us and we must go in His strength and in obedience to His Word where He sends us. God will conquer all that we surrender to Him on His terms and grow those who know Him into the image of His dear Son and enable us to both settle ourselves in Him and live as strangers in but not of this world until He takes us Home to be with Him.
Until that glorious day, 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
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