Reading
SAA Notes
These two and a half tribes were cattlemen. The land across the Jordan was excellent for cattle – plain country with good grass. Moses speaks strongly. The tribes respond respectfully – they realise that Moses has an excellent point that they can’t refute. They kept their bargain with Moses.
SJA Notes
* Loving God, unless You build our house we labour in vain, unless You watch over us we stay awake in vain. We would be Your people today in truth!
“Be sure your sin will find you out.”
Here Moses gives us a powerful exhortation – You can be sure that your sin _will_ find you out.
Reuben and Gad (and half of the half-tribe of Manasseh) didn’t want to take up residence in the promised land. They figured what they saw with their eyes on this side would be better than whatever God had in store for them (remember back to Lot’s folly, choosing the place that eventually cost him so much).
You can almost see the angry steam rising off Moses, a true prophet bristling with indignation,
“And behold, you have risen in your father’s place, a brood of sinful men, …”
Reuben and Gad covenanted to send all their warriors with the rest of Israel, to purge and clear out the promised land.
They heard the warning, they agreed to reject the sin as it crouched at their door at that time.
Despite their folly they then choose wisdom.
As with them, so with us.
We are the same, still making foolish decisions.
We read in Proverbs 4,
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
Then further in Proverbs 9,
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
Let us be exhorted to get to know our God better today, to grow in our fear and trembling before Him.
* Dear God,
Please open our hearts today, teach us from Your word today!
Please work good through the bad decisions we make, for Your sake.
Please help us find and choose Your wisdom today Lord.
Amen.