REUBEN and Gad had a great many cattle and when they saw the extent of the pasture lands which had been taken on the east side of the Jordan, they desired that the land of Gilead and Bashan be given them as their inheritance, and not to go over Jordan with the rest. This was not part of Canaan, for Canaan lay on the other side of Joan which formed its natural boundary.
Moses was grieved at their request and rebuked Reuben and Gad for wanting to separate themselves from Israel’s one common effort to possess the promised land, instead of that which was nearest to the wilderness and nearest to Egypt as well. He spoke to them very gravely saying, Why do you wish to settle here, and to let your brethren go over Jordan and have all the fighting. Take care that your example does not discourage the people of the Lord. He reminded them of what happened to their fathers at Kadesh-Barnea, when they despised the pleasant land. Take care, he said, that your hearts are not turning back from following the Lord; for if you do He will surely leave you in the wilderness and you will be the cause of destroying all these people.
However, the two tribes persisted in their request, saying, We will build sheepfolds for our cattle, and cities for our wives and children. Then we will go over armed before Israel and will fight like the rest until all the tribes have got their possessions. After that we will come back here to our wives and children. Moses yielded to their request and gave them an inheritance along with half the tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan.
But it was really want of faith on the part of these two and a half tribes for they suffered for it afterwards. However, God allowed it to show how ready we are to be content with only half a blessing and that what we choose for ourselves in our selfishness is nothing compared to what God has prepared for us.
Gilead was a rich and beautiful country, but it was not protected by the Jordan and there were enemy lands not far off. Apparently these two and a half tribes got their possessions first but later on in their history they were first to be carried away by the kings of Assyria. How much better for them to have accepted the Lord’s choice.
We can learn very wholesome lessons here. Sometimes if we insist on having something, God may allow us to have it, even though it may not be best for us. May we have grace to say, “If it be Thy will,” when we make requests to Him. He knows what is best for us.
He knows, He loves, He cares—
Nothing this truth can dim;
He does the very best for those
Who leave the choice with Him.
Canaan is for us the heavenly places and Christians are a heavenly people — pilgrims and strangers on the earth. The two and a half tribes here picture for us those who, as we read in Hebrews 4:11Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1), “a promise being left of entering into His rest, seem to have come short of it.”
How easy it is for us to cling to possessions down here, and God in His providence does give us blessings “on this side Jordan,” as it were. But those spiritual blessings with which God has blessed us in the heavenlies in Christ — beyond Jordan — are eternally secure and shall never be taken from us, nor we from them. How much better to wait to possess that heavenly land and share it with Christ while we enjoy it by faith even now.
ML-08/25/1974