So now all of the Kings of the Amorites and the Midianites on the far East side of the Jordan River had been defeated by Israel.
There were no more people groups to defeat before Israel could cross over the Jordan River and move on into the Land of Canaan. Yet; once they arrived on the other side of the river; there would still be one last battle to fight.
However, the tribes of Gad and Reuben liked the land on the East side of Jordan in the area where they were. They had large amounts of cattle and their leaders saw that there was water and green pastures. They were tired of fighting and they were content to stop in this spot.
They wanted to stay and build cities that were fortified and house their women and children in the place where they already were.
With this in mind; they approached Moses and asked his blessings on their settlement in the land of the Transjordan territories.
Moses looked at them in disgust and reminded them that 40 years ago their ancestors had wanted to do the same thing. Israel was a mighty nation that did not need to be divided. The nation still had a huge battle ahead if they were going to be victorious.
40 years ago they had seen from spies that The Promised Land, just across the Jordan River, was good and full of abundance; but they were afraid to cross over and they wanted to settle in the territory where they were already parked.
The leaders back then produced fear in the people, and because of that God had cursed them to wander in the wilderness for 40 more years. It seemed they needed time to gather their faith, become less afraid and learn how to move forward under God’s provision.
Now they were about to have another chance with a new generation of Israelites and the tribes of Gad and Reuben were also becoming rebellious to God’s plan for the whole nation.
Did this new generation of Israelites think they were entitled because their ancestors had suffered for their sins and died? Did they think they could dishonor God’s plan and get away with it? Moses quickly explained to them that all who stirred up unbelief could perish in the wilderness just as those from the past generations had done. God wanted the nation to be united in heart; to come into their inheritance as one.
Moses knew that God did not have a plan for His people to be content and to settle for whatever was easy for them to attain. God wanted them to fight for the things He had promised them. He wanted them to cherish and defend their inheritance. They needed to be brave and courageous and they needed to better themselves and not settle for whatever was available or left over from others. God had greater plans than this.
Moses asked them how it was that they could consider leaving their brothers in such a critical time in the history of their nation.
When presented with such pointed and proven facts; the Gadites and the Reubenites realized they needed to show moral support for the rest of the nation. They devised another better plan which they thought would work out for everyone. They asked Moses to let them begin to build cities where they were. There they would house their women and children and settle their herds; then, the men unburdened by their possessions, would ride ahead of Israel and cross the Jordan in front of all of the other tribes and help to defend them by fighting on the first-line against the Canaanites as they entered the land.
The agreement they requested was that when the other tribes were all safely settled on the other side of the river in their inheritance within the Promised Land; the men of Gad and Reuben could return again and go back across the river to the women and children and herds they left behind. They would at that time continue to possess the land east of the river, as it suited their lifestyle. That land would become their inheritance.
Moses must have been disappointed in the choices of these tribes. He must have known that God had so much more in store for them if they would just wait and be patient for God’s original plan to unfold. However; it is the same today.
Sometimes men choose their own ways instead of God’s way. When a child of God is content to settle for less in their Christian walk through life; there is little or nothing that the rest of us can do to help them. God gives everyone a choice and we all have our own choices to make. It is only when this type of complacency begins to affect others that it must be confronted. The final plan that had been devised and discussed by the tribes that owned so much livestock would not discourage the others from moving ahead; which was the main concern of Moses and Eleazer in this matter.
Today’s world is full of choices. Many go the way of humanism, wishing for man’s false dreams of a utopian government where everything is equally distributed; but God has seen around every corner. They will never be able to prove that He isn’t with His people. God’s people must stand firm and choose to wait on God’s plan for mankind. It is a much better way, even though from a distance it may seem unreachable to many. Nothing is impossible with God.
I pray that all of God’s people hold out for all of God’s plan as it unfolds in God’s own timing.
The two and one-half tribes seemed to be following their own timing; and there was no convincing them that it was wrong.
Finally, after Moses and Eleazer heard this last version of the plan the Gadites and Reubenites wished to carry out, they agreed to let it happen; but they only agreed under the terms that all of the plan be completely carried out just as they all had discussed ahead of time.
Everyone seemed to be okay with this; so Gad and Reuben and one half-tribe of Manasseh built cities and houses and places to shelter their animals in the land of Gilead, which used to belong to the Midianites and the Amorites whom Israel had defeated while camped in the East Transjordan territories.
When their homes were established and their families were set in place to tend to the flocks in their absence; the men from the tribe of Gad and Reuben and a half-tribe of Manasseh rode out ahead of the other Israelite tribes towards the Land of Canaan as the first-line of defense against the enemies for the nation.
The whole nation of Israel was about to enter a great battle for The Promised Land of their inheritance from God.
Moses discussed the agreement that the Rubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manesseh had made, and Joshua agreed to enforce these terms after the Canaanites were defeated and everyone was settled in the land.
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