Wanted: Men Who Understand The Times
These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul's kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said:
From Judah, carrying shield and spear -- 6800 armed for battle;
From Simeon, warriors ready for battle -- 7,000;
From Levi -- 4,600…
From Benjamin, Saul's tribe -- 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;
From Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans -- 20,800;
From half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king -- 18,000;
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do -- 200 chiefs with all their relatives under their command; I Chronicles 12:23-32.
From Judah, carrying shield and spear -- 6800 armed for battle;
From Simeon, warriors ready for battle -- 7,000;
From Levi -- 4,600…
From Benjamin, Saul's tribe -- 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;
From Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans -- 20,800;
From half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king -- 18,000;
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do -- 200 chiefs with all their relatives under their command; I Chronicles 12:23-32.
David had reigned in Hebron as king for a number of years. It was now time to make him king over the entire nation of Israel as God had promised. Soldiers came from every tribe all over Israel by the thousands to make him king. Amidst the thousands of warriors armed for battle, the Bible mentions a select group of people -- 200 men -- from Issachar, "men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." This is a rather significant statement.
It is easy to assemble warriors by the thousands -- people who are ready to fight for a cause, but it is not so easy to assemble people who understand the times and know exactly what needs to be done to ensure that whatever actions are taken are in the best interest of the group. That was the significant thing about the select group of 200 chiefs from Issachar -- they had a unique understanding of the times in which David and the nation lived. They knew what actions would augur well for the future of the nation. These were men of great wisdom and insight.
The 200 men could be described as "the still small voice of reason" who brought guidance and clarity of thought and direction to the group in the midst of war cries and fervor. Warriors are absolutely essential but voices of reason and understanding are rather crucial if a group's objectives are to be attained.
So, as you press on to accomplish your God-given objectives, ensure that you have some "men of Issachar" around you who understand the best course of action to take. Those are the people who will ensure that your actions make sense within the context of the times. Pray for God to surround you not just with warriors who will help advance your God-given cause but also with people whose advice will ensure that your actions are relevant, wise and meaningful.
It is easy to assemble warriors by the thousands -- people who are ready to fight for a cause, but it is not so easy to assemble people who understand the times and know exactly what needs to be done to ensure that whatever actions are taken are in the best interest of the group. That was the significant thing about the select group of 200 chiefs from Issachar -- they had a unique understanding of the times in which David and the nation lived. They knew what actions would augur well for the future of the nation. These were men of great wisdom and insight.
The 200 men could be described as "the still small voice of reason" who brought guidance and clarity of thought and direction to the group in the midst of war cries and fervor. Warriors are absolutely essential but voices of reason and understanding are rather crucial if a group's objectives are to be attained.
So, as you press on to accomplish your God-given objectives, ensure that you have some "men of Issachar" around you who understand the best course of action to take. Those are the people who will ensure that your actions make sense within the context of the times. Pray for God to surround you not just with warriors who will help advance your God-given cause but also with people whose advice will ensure that your actions are relevant, wise and meaningful.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the good works you have ordained for me to accomplish. Like David, I ask that you bless me not just with "warriors" who will help advance what you have set out for me to do but also with "men of Issachar" whose advice will make my actions relevant for the times in which we live. Amen.