Understand the Times
April 11, 2008
By Greg Ebie
If you are like me, you sometimes find it hard to read
through the lists of names or cities in the Bible. The names can be hard to
pronounce; it’s not like reading names with which we are familiar. Nevertheless
God had these people and places included for a reason. These lists put the
events of the Bible into the context of history. These were not made up
stories, but they took place in the lives of real people living at a specific
time in a specific place. God also inspired the biblical writers to include
these names because tucked within these lists we sometimes learn something
important.
As you read through 1 Chronicles 12 you find one of these
lists. Thousands upon thousands of people had come from all over Israel to make
David king, and among this great throng of people we find Issachar.
"From Issachar, men who understood both the times and
Israel’s duties, 200 leaders with their families … " (1 Chronicles 12:32,
The Message).
I did the math. Altogether there were 340,800 men who came
to support David; that’s a large army. Why was it necessary to single out the
200 who came from Issachar? They certainly could get lost in the crowd.
Did you notice what was said about these men? They
"understood both the times and Israel’s duties." More than
understanding the seasons of the year, these men were leaders who understood
the times set by God. David could not become the king of Israel unless God
established His kingdom. Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel
should do; Issachar led the people to respond to the times established by God.
As followers of Christ today it is equally important for us
to understand the times. We need to be in touch with our culture and what is
happening within society. God can direct us to have a relevant message that
will transform lives and even shape the direction of our community and nation.
God give us wisdom to understand the times.
— D. Greg Ebie is senior pastor of Praise Assembly of
God in Garrettsville, Ohio, and an author of Daily Bread devotionals.
