365 Reflections

There's a battle going on. I don't know if everyone is aware of this. Watch out for that wicked tool of the enemy called apathy along with his distraction of prosperity which might lead you right into inactivity. This is the theme of Deborah's song in Judges 5. After the strange and yet decisive battle which saw three awkward people used in diverse ways to deliver Israel from the King of Hazor, we turn to a beautiful song from the Prophetess Deborah to hear her point of view. The passage that sticks out is this mild rebuke to the tribes who failed to come help: Judges 5:15–16 (ESV) the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Reuben was not the only tribe to stay immobile during this ...

Numbers 32:1–5 (ESV) Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. 2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.” The slaves of Egypt have come a long way. They are no longer poverty stricken. They have experienced a few sizable victories over powerful peoples. They have seen God's blessings for obedience. Now they face a different temptation altogether. The temptation to stand pat where they a...