"While You Sit Here"

(Today's reading - Number 27:15-23; 32:1-42; 33:50 - 35:8)

Happy Valentines Day!

Moses is facing his own looming death and seeks Gods' guidance on finding a leader to replace him. Joshua is designated as the next leader of the nation of Israel. The Israelites are preparing to go to war and two-and-a-half tribes ask to stay on the east side of the Jordan. Moses reacts angrily and the tribes offer to fight and then return to the land east of the Jordan. Moses accepts their offer. God orders the complete conquest of those that live in the land of Canaan. The borders to Israel are given and clarification is given as to how the land is to be distributed among the tribes.
These are exciting times for the Israelites as they wait for God to fulfill His promise. Many hundreds of thousands have died in the wilderness as God dealt with the unfaithfulness of their forefathers. So the day is quickly arriving for them to cross the Jordan River and take the promised land.
This is the backdrop for the the story that is about to play out. Two of the tribes, Reuben and Gad come to Moses and ask to remain on the east side of the Jordan River. Moses remembers the unfaithfulness of the people when the spies were sent into the land and brought back a bad report. "And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus your fathers did when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the LORD had given themHe reacts with anger and calls them a "brood of sinners". The people returned with an offer to go into the land and fight and then return to the east side to the Jordan". (Numbers 32: 6-9)
"Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?" Understand that this community of people had been together for 40 years. They had shared life and death. They had been through good times and bad. They lived lives dependant on each other and Moses was hurt by their request. After some time, they returned to Moses with the offer to join the fight and then return after Israel was victorious. They would forfeit their land in Canaan and live on the land east of the Jordan. Moses accepts their proposal and community is maintained.
These verses confront everyone who sits by and watches others go to "war". Now it may not be a literal war today, but wars are being fought on every front. Churches need teachers to fight the war on Biblical illiteracy. Churches need evangelists to fight the war against Satan. Churches need leaders to fight the war against complacency. Churches need servants to fight wars against laziness. Ephesians 4 tells us that Christ gave churches these people; preachers, pastors, teachers and evangelists to prepare His people for works of service. Sitting by and watching others is not a work of service. To quote many teachers, being a Christian is not a spectator sport. Jesus expects every one of his followers to follow Him. Follow Him.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) Following Him means living like He lived, doing what He did, saying what He said and loving like He loved. He came to "seek and save that which is lost". He came to "serve and to give His life". Christians are called to be like Christ. Jesus call was to "follow" Him. Paul tells us to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Sitting by and watching was never in His plan.
May each of us determine to get into the fight. Let us use our God given gifts to serve others and glorify Him. If you have been sitting, determine to get up and follow Him.