The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Numbers 32:16-23, “Then they came near to him and said, ‘We will build here sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones;
17 but we ourselves will be armed ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18 “We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance.
19 “For we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east.’
20 So Moses said to them, ‘If you will do this, if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for the war,
21 and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He has driven His enemies out from before Him,
22 and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return and be free of obligation toward the LORD and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before the LORD.
23 ‘But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.’”

These verses do indeed point out clearly that when a nation refuses to follow the LORD’s directive,
there is a price to be paid. Except for Joshua and Caleb, the ten men who comprised Israel, brought
an “evil” report of the land where the LORD had led them. Evidently, they had forgotten that the LORD always does right; He never does wrong. This is the maxim the LORD had given them.

In the instance cited above (Num. 16-23), the LORD “reasoned” with those Israelites, who saw food
and pasture for their stocks in the land before they crossed the Jordan River. Their proposition to Moses was that they would cross the Jordan, fight with their brothers, drive out the inhabitants of the land, and then go back across the Jordan and occupy the abundance of the land for their stock.

The LORD spoke to Moses and allowed what the tribes wanted. The LORD seems always willing to entertain our thoughts, so long as they do not ultimately violate His directive. The tribes were not endeavoring to withdraw from battle, they were simply desirous of occupying land that would care
for their cattle and families. We must never seek to withdraw from the LORD’s directives! Yet, He is
willing to hear what we have to say.

We are like that with our children. I can remember how surprised I was at the wisdom that sometimes came from my children. Go on, admit that it has often come from your children, too!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom