The Children of Issachar! Part 2

·         They knew “what Israel ought to do”:

Despite the general indecision and deadlock, the people of Israel had to appoint a king. The stalemate, at the time, was too dangerous for Israel. There was so much bickering among the different tribes and factions and possible threats from hostile neighbours. The children of Issachar could probably foresee the risk that this disarray could expose Israel to in the absence of a clear king-leader. So they took the best political decision and rallied other tribes together, to give their support to David as the next king, according to the will of God – this is what Israel ought to do.

In Genesis 49:14, Jacob said, “Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens”. They are natural arbitrators. In the event of any logjam, because they have knowledge and perception, they can mediate perfectly.

In Judges 5:15, the children of Issachar supported Prophet Deborah and Barak in a worthy battle while their cousins, Reuben, Gilead, Dan and Asher stayed away. They possess such deep insight that in the event of any major happening, within the tribe or nation, the children of Issachar know what ought to be done.

Living in today’s world is a real challenge for any teenager. There are disagreements, misunderstandings, inconsistencies, etc on a daily basis. The good thing is that the word of God addresses all these situations. How many teenagers are conversant with the word of God to know what ‘ought to be done’?

There are serious conflicts between the word of God and the world’s moral compass. What does the word of God say, for instance, about pornography, homosexuality, examination malpractice, bullying, narcotic drugs, alcohol, illness, frustration, relationships, politics, entertainment, etc? Do we have teenagers who are aware, informed and knowledgeable in these (and more) matters? Would they know what “ought to be done”?

The children of Issachar knew what “Israel ought to do”. What should we do, as individuals, as a community, as a church, and as a nation?