"Be sure your sin will find you out.”
February 26, 2019
Commentary
The Israelites had been camped in the plains of Moab, across from Jericho. From this position they were ready to enter the Promised Land. The tribes of Reuben and Gad went to Moses and tried to assure him they had no desire to shirk their responsibility of conquering the land west of the Jordan. Only after Canaan had been conquered and the other tribes had been secured would they return to the Trans-Jordan territory and settle down (vv. 16-19). However, first they would like to provide pens for their livestock and make fortification to protect their wives and children. Moses agreed to this plan but said if they failed to carry out their promises, their sin would find them out (v. 23) and they would lose the land they requested. Since Moses would not live much longer he outlined all these arrangements and pledges to Eleazar and Joshua.
The nation lingered long enough for the two and a half tribes to move into their land, defeat the enemies that remained, and get their families and flocks settled. But we can’t help wondering if these Transjordanic tribes made a good choice or not. They were outside the land of promise and separated from the rest of the nation.
Some people are like the older generation of Jews that perished in their wandering and never entered the land. Others are like the ten spies who visited the land and saw all it had to offer but failed to enter in. The Trans-Jordanic tribes entered the land but didn’t stay there. They preferred to live on the border and raise their cattle. God wants His people to enter the land, claim the victory, and enjoy the blessings. And if there was a motto in the land of self, it would be: “Don’t rock the boat.” Don’t make people uncomfortable, don’t stir things up. And it’s an easy land to live in but a hard land to leave. The rewards may be few, the satisfaction may be gone, we won’t be fulfilling our true Christian duty, but you know what? “We’ll be comfortable.”
Application
Reuben and Gad promised to keep working with the others until everyone’s land was conquered. I must not let myself get so comfortable that I fail to see the need of helping others.
Numbers 32:16– 42 (NET)
16 Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families, 17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. 19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
20 Then Moses replied, “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight.
23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. 24 So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said you would do.”
25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”
28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. 29 Moses said to them: “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each one equipped for battle in the Lord’s presence, and you conquer the land, then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” 31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken. 32 We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.”
33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the realm of King Sihon of the Amorites, and the realm of King Og of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them. 34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. 37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed the cities they built.
39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there. 41 Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair. 42 Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.
Illustration: John Calvert “We died before we came here”
James Calvert was a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands. When he and his fellow missionaries landed on the island, the captain of the ship that brought them tried to get them to turn back. “You will die, the men with you will die, if you stay here.” he cried. And after a moment Calvert replied simply, “We died before we came here.” (Source Unknown)