These men of Issachar were wise because they had an “understanding of the times;” they understood the importance of the days they were living in. And based on that understanding, they joined David rather than remain with King Saul. These wise people accepted the headship of God’s appointed king. Two hundred is a small number of men who are knowledgeable politically, nationally, and spiritually. Thousands came forward from every tribe except Issachar, because Issachar understood the spiritual forces at work behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
This is a lesson for those of us living in the 21st century. We should also be a people of God who understand the times. We live in a world that is caught up in confusion. Many do not know what is coming, or what to do when it does come. It has been said that 85% of the people in the world don\u2019t understand where their nation or their world is going. Perhaps 10% know and understand but are sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing to influence or help others prepare for what is coming. That leaves only 5% who understand and are actively involved in making a difference in other people\u2019s lives. We in the body of Christ need to be like the men of Issachar, being both influential and useful because we have taken time to understand and know what ought to be done. In a world that is confused, fearful, frustrated, and blind, our God wants us to be useful in leading others to His throne of grace.<\/p>\n
“LORD, give us understanding of these last days and use us to lead others to You.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n =============================================================<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Chronicles 12 KJV<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup>\u00a0Now these\u00a0are\u00a0<\/em>they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>among the mighty men, helpers of the war.\u00a0\u00a02<\/sup>They were\u00a0<\/em>armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in\u00a0hurling\u00a0<\/em>stones and\u00a0shooting\u00a0<\/em>arrows out of a bow,\u00a0even\u00a0<\/em>of Saul\u2019s brethren of Benjamin.\u00a03<\/sup>\u00a0The chief\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,\u00a04<\/sup>\u00a0And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,\u00a05<\/sup>\u00a0Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,\u00a06<\/sup>\u00a0Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7<\/sup>\u00a0And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.\u00a08<\/sup>\u00a0And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might,\u00a0and<\/em>men of war\u00a0fit\u00a0<\/em>for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces\u00a0were like\u00a0<\/em>the faces of lions, and\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>as swift as the roes upon the mountains;\u00a09<\/sup>\u00a0Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,\u00a010<\/sup>\u00a0Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,\u00a011<\/sup>\u00a0Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,\u00a012<\/sup>\u00a0Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,\u00a013<\/sup> Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.\u00a014<\/sup>\u00a0These\u00a0were<\/em>of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least\u00a0was<\/em>over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.\u00a0\u00a015<\/sup>These\u00a0are\u00a0<\/em>they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>of the valleys,\u00a0both\u00a0<\/em>toward the east, and toward the west.\u00a0\u00a016<\/sup>\u00a0And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.\u00a017<\/sup>\u00a0And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if\u00a0ye be come\u00a0<\/em>to betray me to mine enemies, seeing\u00a0there is\u00a0<\/em>no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look\u00a0thereon\u00a0<\/em>, and rebuke\u00a0it<\/em>.\u00a018<\/sup>\u00a0Then the spirit came upon Amasai,\u00a0who was\u00a0<\/em>chief of the captains,\u00a0and he said\u00a0<\/em>, Thine\u00a0are we\u00a0<\/em>, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace\u00a0be\u00a0<\/em>unto thee, and peace\u00a0be\u00a0<\/em>to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.\u00a0\u00a019<\/sup>\u00a0And there fell\u00a0some\u00a0<\/em>of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to\u00a0the jeopardy of\u00a0<\/em>our heads.\u00a0\u00a020<\/sup>\u00a0As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>of Manasseh.\u00a021<\/sup>\u00a0And they helped David against the band\u00a0of the rovers:\u00a0<\/em>for they\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.\u00a0\u00a022<\/sup>\u00a0For at\u00a0that<\/em>time day by day there came to David to help him, until\u00a0it was\u00a0<\/em>a great host, like the host of God. 23<\/sup>\u00a0And these\u00a0are\u00a0<\/em>the numbers of the bands\u00a0that were<\/em>ready armed to the war,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the\u00a0LORD.\u00a0\u00a024<\/sup>\u00a0The children of Judah that bare shield and spear\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.\u00a0\u00a025<\/sup>\u00a0Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.\u00a026<\/sup>\u00a0Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.\u00a027<\/sup>\u00a0And Jehoiada\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>the leader of the Aaronites, and with him\u00a0were<\/em>three thousand and seven hundred;\u00a028<\/sup>\u00a0And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father\u2019s house twenty and two captains.\u00a029<\/sup>\u00a0And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.\u00a030<\/sup>And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.\u00a0\u00a031<\/sup>\u00a0And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.\u00a032<\/sup>\u00a0And of the children of Issachar,\u00a0which were men\u00a0<\/em>that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>two hundred; and all their brethren\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>at their commandment.\u00a033<\/sup>\u00a0Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank:\u00a0they were\u00a0<\/em>not of double heart.\u00a034<\/sup>\u00a0And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.\u00a035<\/sup>\u00a0And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.\u00a036<\/sup>\u00a0And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.\u00a0\u00a037<\/sup>\u00a0And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.\u00a038<\/sup>\u00a0All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>of one heart to make David king.\u00a039<\/sup>\u00a0And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.\u00a040<\/sup>\u00a0Moreover they that were nigh them,\u00a0even\u00a0<\/em>unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>joy in Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" These men of Issachar were wise because they had an “understanding of the times;” they understood the importance of the days they were living in. And based on that understanding, they joined David rather than remain with King Saul. These wise people accepted the headship of God’s appointed king. 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