May the mumbling commence!
It is nice when you find a home. But that home will not be comfortable until all of the family is settled. The tribe of Reuben and Gad liked the land east of the Jordan River. They wanted to settle there for the benefit of their flocks and herds, their women and children. Read how the relationship developed in Numbers chapter thirty-two:
Now the tribes of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds, they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the people. They said, "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon – the Lord has conquered this whole area for the people of Israel. It is ideally suited for all our flocks and herds. If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River."
"Do you mean you want to stay back here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?" Moses asked the Reubenites and Gadites. "Are you trying to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the Lord has given them? This is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land. After they went up to the valley of Eshcol and scouted the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the Lord was giving them. Then the Lord was furious with them, and he vowed, 'Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me completely. The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the Lord.'
The Lord was furious with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the whole generation that sinned against him had died. But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the Lord even angrier with Israel. If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!"
But they responded to Moses, "We simply want to build sheepfolds for our flocks and fortified cities for our wives and children. Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their inheritance. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified cities we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people. We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their inheritance of land. But we do not want any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side where we have received our inheritance." (Verses 1-19)
The fighting men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad were not allowed to stay behind. It might discourage the other tribes. It might banish them to the wilderness again. The whole nation of Israel might perish. Their choice to stay east of the River Jordan was not permissible.
Reuben and Gad replied as one: We will leave behind our wives and children, our flocks and herds. We will go across the River Jordan with our brothers. We will lead them into battle – even though our inheritance is already given to us. They would not hide in the rear of the oncoming armies. They would be on the front lines. They were willing to give up their lives for their brothers who still needed a place to call home, a land of their own.
What selflessness! May we be so willing to sacrifice for our Christian brothers and sisters!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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