JOSEPH #44 | JOSEPH IN EGYPT #26 | LAST WORDS OF JACOB #15
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3640
JOSEPH #44
JOSEPH IN EGYPT #26
LAST WORDS OF JACOB #15
8. GAD #3
In our final lesson on the Tribe of Gad, let study how despite the prophetic blessings of Gad, they disappeared as one of the ten lost tribes of Israel.
1. Blessing of Jacob
Jacob knew his son was a strong military leader, one which would be of great benefit to the people of Israel. Indeed, the land of Gad’s descendants included a vast eastern border holding off Israel’s enemies.
2. Blessing of Moses
Moses’ blessing not only describes Gad’s military prowess and ability to take the lead in battle but also affirms Gad’s decision to settle on the eastern bank of the Jordan where Moses knew that he himself was to be buried.
3. Blessing of Joshua
During the conquest of the Promised Land, Joshua gave Gad the best of the new land because they obeyed God and punished Israel’s wicked enemies (Deuteronomy 33:20-21 and (Numbers 32:16-19). Gad was one of the tribes especially dedicated to the fight to conquer the land as God commanded.
With such a three-fold blessing, how could they fail God?
An incident shows up the weakness of this tribe of Gad in going their own independent way instead of promoting unity among his other brothers.
After the tribes had settled into their lands under Joshua, they were shocked to hear that Gad had built an altar in its territory across the Jordan.
The other tribes took the altar to be a sign that the Gadites were breaking from the worship of God in Shiloh, and plans were made to attack Gad for its transgression.
Prior to the battle, however, a delegation went to Gad to learn more about its activities and rebuke the tribe for its sin. The emissaries discovered that Gad had constructed the altar to honor God and to prevent the Jordan River, a significant geographical divide between Gad and most of the other tribes, from spiritually dividing God’s people (Joshua 22:10-34).
“And the Reubenites and Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God” (Joshua 22:34).
War was averted, but we are reminded that differences in how we choose to honor God may result in misunderstanding, discord, and strife, even among believers.
What is today's lesson all about?
So many believers fail to honour their call and giftings. They lack a submissive, teachable, and sacrificial spirit.
Like Gad they want to get on with their own lives with minimum inconvenience to themselves.
They built their own altar instead of visiting Shiloh ( where the Ark of Covenant stood ) at least three times a year to honour the mandatory Feasts of God.
We all need to recognize our need for complete faith and trust in God.
God commanded Moses to remind the Israelites to “carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do” (Deuteronomy 29:9). “Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison” (Deuteronomy 29:18).
For we can do nothing apart from Him.
