Good morning everyone.
Numbers chapter 32.
The word that sticks out to me in this chapter is OBLIGATION.
The Promised Land that God had for the Israelites was on the west side of the Jordan River. But the Reubenites and Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh all wanted to settle in the land east of the Jordan River. Moses very much yelled at them accusing them of not willing to go into battle with the rest of the Israelites and yelled at them for wanting to stay out of the Promised Land and feared the other Israelites would be discouraged and not want to go into the Promised Land. They had an obligation to the Lord and for all that he promised them. But they also had an obligation to the rest of the Israelites in fulfilling what God wanted to do through the whole body.
Today, we still have an obligation to the Lord and to God's people, the church.
– I wonder what Moses would say to us today? Would Moses yell at us for not fulfilling our obligations? What does our OBLIGATION TO THE LORD look like to God? How are we demonstrating and living out this obligation?
- Do we spend time with God communicating with him through our prayers and letting God communicate to us through his word, the Bible?
- Are we committed to God 100% or are we getting distracted by the “land this side of the Jordan River?” God has promised us his Blessing but do we reject it because we like the pleasures of this world over Gods promises for us? Let's be sold out for the Lord!
– what does our OBLIGATION TO THE CHURCH, to God's people, look like? Would Moses yell at us? Or better yet, would God reprimand us?
- HERE'S where I feel God's people are failing. They profess their faith in Jesus but don't see any OBLIGATION TO THE CHURCH. They'd rather stay this side of God's “Promise Land” and be by themselves.
- Yes, we need our alone time with God. That's important! Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. But he then made sure he was involved within the body of believers, the church. Alone time with God is necessary. It's great to be rejuvenated, to be encouraged and challenged in one's faith, and to be equipped for service in the church.
- At Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 and right through the New Testament, we see how God caused the new Church to grow. It's all about being unified as one body and using one's gifts to further the body of Christ. When we are active in the church people are edified by each other and we get to use our gifts that help the Ministry of God to grow.
Are we fulfilling our obligation to the Lord and our obligation to the church? Let's do this! Let's get involved!
I think I can understand why the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses. They have been wandering in the desert for forty years and they now see a land that would be suitable for their livestock. They were probably tired of constantly moving all the time and they were ready to settle down in a place that they could finally call home.
The reaction of Moses seems like an angry Dad who just learned that one of his sons hasn’t been listening or doing what they were supposed to, but instead leaving all the work for their brothers. He doesn’t want to see a repeat of what happened forty years ago. When people might start talking about the possibility of not going into the Promised Land, words can spread fast and things could get out of hand and real ugly quickly. Moses has seen it all happen before! It’s not a cycle that he wants to keep repeating.
The children of Reuben and the children of Gad respond by committing to do their part in crossing the Jordan River and taking part in battle along with the rest of the Israelites. They are willing to fulfill their obligation and only want their inheritance to be on the eastern side of the Jordan.
I get it, but I also have mixed thoughts on it. On one side, I understand being content with living where they can see what’s there at this point and it looks like a decent place for their families to live and take care of the livestock. Was it wrong for them to want this for themselves and their children?
I think of Hebrews 13:5. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
On the other side of the Jordan is the Promised Land. That’s the other side. Get it? God has promised this land to His people for so many years! Why would anyone want to settle for less than what God has promised?
I’m thinking about this issue and how it applies to my own life right now as I seek the next step for employment. On one hand, I want to be content with whatever position that God may have for me and I don’t want to have the attitude that I’m overqualified or too good to do certain jobs like working at McDonald’s or something like that. On the other hand, I don’t want to settle for less than what God has for me by settling on the wrong side of the Jordan by thinking that I’m underqualified or not good enough to do certain jobs. I don’t want to ever turn any promises from God into just obligations to complete.
Either way, I know that I do have certain obligations to meet as I keep 1 Timothy 5:8 in mind. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Obligations don’t have to be burdens though. We can have great peace and joy in fulfilling obligations by knowing that God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us no matter what. He is with us whether we find ourselves living in luxury or wondering where our next meal might be coming from. I think the key is that we can always be content in God, no matter what life’s circumstances might be.
Please pray that God gives me discernment to know where to apply for a job and that I would see clearly what direction He has for me to go. Thanks.