Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Reuben liked the land where they were (9 territories) on this side of the Jordan (not the Promised Land). It was good for cattle, they already had it, and maybe they didn’t need an inheritance in the Land. After all, if they took this then there would be more for everyone else when they got the Land. Gad had a lot of livestock and they thought it was a GREAT idea. The half-tribe of Manasseh also thought it was great and the three went in on this together (although Manasseh kind of just hung onto the coattails of the other two). They didn’t know it, but this was putting themselves in a very VULNERABLE position.

Vulnerability is NOT a positive. EVER. It is a HORRIBLE lie of the enemy that the world has scooped up off the lawn and run with. ANY military commander will tell you that to be vulnerable is to put your life, your goals, and everything you protect at risk. NEVER be or seek to be vulnerable. Be HUMBLE. You’re not better than other people. You’re not worth more. ALL have sinned, and sinning in just ONE thing is the same as sinning in ALL things – it’s why Jesus came to save ALL people. Since we’re the SAME, we build community. We defend and build each other up. Being strong where they are weak, and relying on them where we are weak. Be accurate in your self assessments, put your accomplishments into perspective, be aware of your limitations, bless and build up others, and don’t take credit or be resentful of other people’s ideas/work. Free yourself from arrogance and entitlement. Lead by teaching and lifting up others. Always acknowledge your mistakes and do not blame others (or resent them) for theirs. In a word? LOVE your neighbours (everyone not you).

Reuben and company aren’t doing this. They aren’t looking for God’s provision in the Land. They’re thinking on the natural, selfish level. They want to take care of themselves. Moses isn’t thrilled. THey are again on the cusp of entering the Land and AGAIN they don’t want to? Did they not remember how any God was last time? The price they all paid for refusing to enter the Land?

The three tribes came back explaining their position. They would corral their livestock and build cities for their wives and children. BUT they would arm themselves, cross over the Jordan, and fight alongside their brothers until they were in their inheritance in the Land.

As long as they were willing to fight with their brothers, Moses was willing to let them live here on this side of the Jordan. But he warned them that they would bring judgment on themselves if they broke this vow. So it was decided and Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh took their inheritance. Nothing good came of it. They separated from the community of Israel. They did not claim God’s promise. They made themselves vulnerable in their selfish division.

In 740 BC, Assyria was thinking of conquering Jerusalem and came down for a look see. First barrier? Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. They were conquered and taken into captivity first. They ended up so mixed that by the time of Jesus the region was in places more Gentile than Jewish – a very Hellenistic region ruled by Romans. When Jesus entered the Gadarenes region, it was full of pig farmers and a temple of Zeus where they were sacrificed. The whole decapolis was not a majority Jewish place. Separated, divided, and eventually lost. They did not keep what they had been so desperate to hold onto. Vulnerable. Not a state you want to be in. Do it God’s way, edify each other. Never get involved with people trying to discourage God’s people from doing what God calls them to, the way He calls them to do it. Either trust God and the inheritance He has for you, or be self-seeking and hold onto what you THINK is ‘yours’ – which always ends up as temporary.

“Now behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go. And I will bring you to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised to you.” (Genesis 28:15)

God makes a solemn promise to us in the Word and He says it again and again: I will stay with you no matter WHAT. We see it in Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Joshua 1:5; Isaiah 41:10; 1 Chronicles 28:20; 1 Kings 8:57; Psalm 94:14; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:15; and Revelation 3:20, among others. What most of this chapter (32) is, is a list of place names. It is camp after camp, place after place, name after name – mostly where nothing of note happens. It shows that although the chronicle of the people’s journey was skipped – 38 years pass between Numbers 19:22 and Numbers 20:1. But here God records every stop and every start. Every camp they made. God was with them, watching them, journeying with them, every step of the way. And He will do the same for us today.

We pick up the narrative with three tribes staying put – but fighting alongside the rest when they go – and the others still looking for their inheritance. How will they take it? God gives them their playbook. He’d been dealing with the inhabitants of Canaan for a long time. He had brought them there (Amos 9:7-15) or they were the descendants of people devoted to Him – like Noah. They had had chance after chance and turned away from Him, embracing idolatry and perversions until the Land itself – the actual, literal ground beneath their feet – was sick and vomiting them out. Like cancer, they had to go or they would poison anyone who came in. The Land needed cleansing. What were God’s instructions?

The people must be expelled – if they won’t go somewhere else, kill them. Their carved images and moulded images must be destroyed. Their high places must be destroyed. The people could not remain and all the instruments of their idolatry AND where they practised it must be totally and absolutely cleansed. No exceptions.

This was the Land of Promise (Genesis 12:7). The larger tribes (remember the census back in Numbers 26?) got a larger inheritance, and the smaller tribes got smaller. The exact location of each inheritance would be decided by lot.

God gave them a warning. If they didn’t drive out the people and destroy the evidences of their idolatry, they would be a thorn in their eyes and sides. They would be hostile to the Israelites. The Israelites would be corrupted – cancer spreads – and then the driving out that was for the residents of the Land would be for the Israelites too. This behaviour HAD to go. Period. If they participated in the behaviour, they were going as well. God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11; Acts 10:34).

Summary

Key Players: God, Reuben

Key Themes: Vulnerability, Selfishness, Cleansing, Faithfulness of God

Key Verse(s): Numbers 32:1-5, 17-19; 33:55-56