Settling Short of Abundant Life

During the 40 years of being led through the wilderness, the tribes of Ruben and Gad approached Moses with a request.  They had large herds of cattle, and they saw the land on the east side of the Jordan (Jazer and Gilead) was prime land for cattle.  So they asked Moses if they could have permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance--even though God promised to give them land on the west side with everyone else.

Moses was disturbed by their request, as it seemed they were following in their father's footsteps of rebellion against the LORD!  They assured Moses this was not the case, for they would gladly take up arms when the time came and fight with their brethren so they too could receive their promised inheritance of land in Canaan.  Once the people of Ruben and Gad pledged to help everyone else, their request to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance was granted.  In this allowance I see the grace of God, for He is willing to be entreated by His subjects and heeds the requests of His people.

Since all the Scriptures have been provided for our learning, the decision of the tribes of Ruben and Gad to settle on the east side of the Jordan is relevant to our lives as Christians.  Canaan is not a type of heaven or symbolic of eternal life, for Canaan was full of enemies, conflicts and troubles.  Like the children of Israel, when God brings us out from slavery and saves us by His grace, He has an inheritance presently for every one of us to enter into by His grace.  By faith in Jesus we are born again, are filled with the Holy Spirit, and given spiritual gifts and fruitfulness.  As Canaan was a "land flowing with milk and honey," Christ gives us an inheritance of abundant life as part of the church, members of His body.  There was much land to be possessed by the children of Israel bit by bit, and as we continue living on earth we learn to submit more of our lives to Jesus.

This passage teaches us God will permit His own people to settle outside of His will for them.  He had plans for the nation of Israel to all settle together on the west side of the Jordan, yet the children of Ruben and Gad did not believe they could find better land for cattle than what they saw in Jazer and Gilead.  They took stock of their herds and their careers as herdsmen, and thus preferred to choose their own inheritance they felt suited them best.  These were not unbelievers or apostates; they were saved from the iron furnace of Egypt like everyone else.  At the same time they made up their minds where their future was brightest, and they believed it was on the east side of the Jordan.  Whilst God gave them permission to settle short of Canaan, it would have been best to enter in by faith in God who had provided and would continue to provide for all their needs.

In applying this to our lives, it is helpful to see our lives as a composite of all the tribes.  Because you have received or operate in a spiritual gift does not mean there is not an area of your life where you may be content to settle outside of God's will and plans.  We can take stock of our lives in regards to a career or ministry and settle where it seems an ideal location, but it may not take into account God's designs for our future.  Jesus chose fishermen, a chief tax collector and zealot to be among His disciples!  In following God by faith, He may lead us in a totally unexpected direction like Amos in Amos 7:14-15:  "Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. ¹⁵ Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'"

God can call a sheepbreeder to be a prophet, and He called Saul of Tarsus to be an apostle to the Gentiles.  He took David from the sheepfold and made him king over the nation of Israel, and who but God knows the inheritance and calling He has for the remainder of your life on earth!  The question remains:  will you settle for what looks good to you now or will you follow God's leading into what is unknown and unfamiliar?  Will you submit and continue to submit to the LORD--not just for a season to help other people enter their inheritance--but to keep climbing mountains like Caleb late in life, who believed God's promises, slew giants, destroyed strongholds, and generously gave to his children of what God had given him?  The life you choose for yourself cannot be as wonderful as the abundant life God has in store for you.