Trans-Jordan Tribe Request

INTRO

Israel had just fought the battle with the Midianites. God had given them His vengeance. They were to clean house and kill everyone, but the soldiers brought back the women and children. Moses had to tell them to kill all the male children and any woman who had sexual relations with a man (the Midianite women lured Israelite men: Numbers 25; 31:16–17). This is the backdrop of all the dynamics that were going on. Joshua was now in charge, Moses had just completed his last battle and was about to die, and the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land.

TEACHING

Numbers 32:1–5: Reubenites and Gadites were livestock people. They saw the land where they were presently camped as great land to raise livestock. They were settling for good land when, in reality, God had better land across the Jordan River. The Gadites and Reubenites went to Moses, Eleazar (Aaron’s son, the new high priest), and leaders of the community. They asked to stay and settle in this land. They didn’t want to cross the Jordan.

Jeff Hart (a guest at this bible study session) commented: It has the feel of the American church. We are comfortable where we are, at a place where everything is nice, “I’m just going to stay here.” These tribes seemed to be saying, “I’ll fund you to do it, but don’t make us go.” (Proverbs 3:1–6).

Numbers 32:6–13: It was possible that Moses was very quick to answer, “What are you thinking?” Moses started to question the intention of the Gadites and Reubenites, so he compared this conversation to the spy report. They were no different from their fathers who discouraged the people from the Promised Land. Then, Moses recounted the story of the spies and wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.

Numbers 32:14–17: Moses called them a brood of sinners. They were adding to the Lord’s anger against their fathers. If they decided to turn away, all would be destroyed. The Gadites and Reubenites began to clarify the situation by dialoguing. They liked the land, but first they wanted to build some sheepfolds and dwellings. Then they would send their fighting men to go with the Israelites to fight. The women and children would stay in the cities.

Numbers 32:18–19: They would fight with Israel until all tribes possessed their inheritance. Then they would return back to their homes east of the Jordan. Ray Sturdivant (a guest at this bible study session) said, “The problem with compromise is that it sounds really rational and good, but compromising is devastating to your relationship with God.”

Numbers 32:20–24: Moses said, “I hear your negotiation.” Then he instructed the Reubenites and Gadites to send their armed men until the enemy is driven out. Only then could they return to this land with no other obligations. Moses said, “Go ahead and do what you have proposed, but keep your promise.” If the promise was broken, it would be a sin against the Lord. Moses was done dialoguing; he just gave them a free pass.

Numbers 32:25–27: The Gadites and Reubenites agreed. The men would go to war while their dependents stayed in Gilead. It feels like a political response: “Okay, then, we’re in, we’ll do as you say.” We’ll find further in Scripture that east of the Jordan River was a highly invaded land. Even today the west side (Iron Dome) has the protection of the Lord’s hand.

Numbers 32:28–29: Since Moses couldn’t go into the Promised Land, he brought in leadership to finish the land deal. The Reubenites and Gadites gave up land. That was not a good land deal; you do not give up land in Israel. In Genesis 12:3, God promised to make Israel a great nation, to bless those who bless them, and to curse those who don’t.

Numbers 32:30–32: Moses said to the leaders, “Make sure you fight with Israel.” If not, they would have to settle in Canaan. The Gadites and Reubenites agreed so they could keep their “hereditary” possession in the east. This sounds like a compromise.

Numbers 32:33–41: Half Half of the tribe of Manasseh decided to jump in! It seemed they had scored a serious deal. However, this was not how God designed it, and greed led them out of God’s will. They were given the kingdoms of Sihon (Amorites) and Og (Bashanites) and the surrounding area. Moses gave them the land. The leadership (Joshua, Eleazar) said they would implement this. The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh (that was a rift in itself, a split tribe) began building and fortifying cities and sheepfolds. They were separating themselves from the rest of the tribes. Constable wrote, “Distance from the other tribes later produced misunderstanding and disunity (Joshua 22)).”¹

CLOSING

Warren Wiersbe tells us of four types of people:²

1. Some of us are like the older Jews who perished. We never made it to the Promised Land.

• We heard the promises, but we never made it.

1. Some of us are like the ten spies. We came into the land, saw its wealth, but failed to enter.

• We like it, this sounds good, but we’re not going in.

1. Then there are the trans-Jordan tribes––the Gadites, Reubenites and half of Manasseh.

• Hey, we are going to enter, but we just don’t want to stay.

1. Then, there is the new generation who gets to enter the land and experience the promises.

This is the challenge to anyone enrolled in Revive School— online or over the radio. We want to be the new generation. We want to be the people who embrace the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We want to say we’ll walk into the land regardless of what it looks like. We believe the Word of God is true. We believe He is setting a path for us. All we have to do is simply walk it out.

Here is the challenge: Are you the Jew who never made it in? Are you the spy who said no way? Are you of the Transjordan tribes who like it right where you are? Or are you of the new generation who gets to experience the promise He has for all of us?