"Shall Your Brethren Go to War While You Sit Here?"
This mentality and behavior should not be tolerated among God's people.
I watched a short video by Luke Taylor this morning. He got me thinking about this idea.
One of the most encouraging things to see in a local congregation is to see many people working together. Where I preach, we are blessed with many Christians who are active in the work of the church and are eager to help in any way they can.
It is so discouraging, however, to witness those who will not get involved and help in the work of the church. They “got saved,” they show up to worship and give their money. No one better ask anything else of them.
We have an Old Testament example (Romans 15:4) of this same mindset surfacing among God’s people in Numbers 32.
The Old Testament Example of Reuben and Gad.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad were content to receive land on the eastern side of the Jordan, and they requested that Moses not take them over the Jordan River to fight with their brethren (Numbers 32:5).
Moses reminded the tribes of Reuben and Gad of their responsibility to cross over the Jordan River and fight for Canaan alongside their brethren. He rebuked them for discouraging their brethren.
And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: "Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?” (Numbers 32:6-7)
Moses told them of their fathers and grandfathers who made the same mistake when they brought back a poor report of the land and discouraged their brethren by their report (Numbers 32:8-9). God’s anger was aroused against them and caused that generation to wander in the wilderness until they had all died - except Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 32:10-13). Moses made the application to the tribe of Reuben and Gad and said that what they were asking was making the same mistake as their forefathers (Numbers 32:14-15).
Now, to the credit of the tribes and Reuben and Gad, they told Moses that they would leave their families behind in their land and would cross over the Jordan to fight alongside their brethren (Numbers 32:16-19).
Moses replied that if they remained true to their promise, God’s blessing would be upon them, and they would be blameless before God in this matter (Numbers 32:20-22). He then offered a warning to them.
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)
That’s a pretty strong statement - if they did not go and fight alongside their brethren, they would have “sinned against the LORD.” And their sin would find them out - they could be certain that their sin would have its reward (BBE).
Application to the Lord’s Church Today.
The war we are fighting today is a different kind of conflict.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
In this spiritual warfare, we certainly have an obligation to the well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). In fact, one of the primary purposes of our assembling together is so we can encourage and strengthen each other to continue in love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Christians who are active in the fight against the forces of evil and in the work of the church are an encouragement to their brethren. However, those who refuse to engage in the work of the church - in the fight against evil - are not only jeopardizing their own salvation, they are discouraging the hearts of their brethren.
I’m afraid we may have grown used to “20% of the church doing 80% of the work.” We’ve grown used to having a “core group” and then having a large number of “fringe Christians” who are content to let others do the work.
We would do well to remember how Moses “nipped in the bud” the request of Reuben and Gad to stay out of the fight. We need to stop “tolerating” Christians who could and should be involved in the work of the church - and refuse to do so.
They need to know they are sinning against God and discouraging their brethren - and their sin “will find them out.”
I appreciate all of your work in the kingdom of God. You are an encouragement to me, as well as to your brethren.
Keep preaching the truth and encouraging the Lord’s church to do what’s right and follow after the Good Shepherd.
Don’t allow Christians to sit on the sidelines and do nothing - they negatively impact more people than just themselves.