Shepherding Call: A Brother

A brother who has been known to me since my college days and who eventually came into the church life is in a constant fellowship with me now and then. For any important matters in personal life, marriage life, work life, or the church life, he would call me for fellowship and prayer. Of late, he has been through a stormy path in her family life. Things are improving even as the Lord has been gracing him to learn the spiritual lessons he needed to learn. 

Today, this brother called me to fellowship about the recent development in his family life and work life. I was glad to hear the good news of the Lord's leading them on and on, and how things have improved by the day. His wife's job has got a posting to her native place for which she could save at least six hours of her traveling time daily as compared to her previous job. The struggle she went through would now be drastically reduced. Besides, they could fellowship and open up to one another as a couple which hardly happened before. Better late than never. The Lord is leading them on and on, step by step, into a sweet relationship and fellowship with one another. Besides, in his work life, he has been facing untoward questionings from his peers. He has been contemplating a change of job. To this, I had a strong burden to share my recent enjoyment of the ministry of the word on God's choice.

I fellowshipped with him about the mistake committed by the two and a half-tribe of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh in choosing for themselves, because they had livestock and found a land outside the boundary of the good land. They requested from Moses, to be given of the land which God eventually permitted though it was outside the good land promised by God toward the east of Jordan; this land did not require the crossing of the river Jordan. Though God allowed them to possess the land, it was not God's perfect will for them to possess that land. I encourage my brother to pray and wait until the Lord would give clear cut guidance. The leading must come from the Lord and not out of his own initiation and convenience. The message that I enjoyed so much and fellowshipped with him is this:

Numbers 32:1

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great abundance of livestock. And when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that the place was indeed a place for livestock.

Numbers 32:5

And they said, If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not make us cross over the Jordan.

Numbers 32 speaks of the prearrangement of the distribution of the good land.…There is a twofold significance to the arrangement concerning the land east of the Jordan. On the positive side, the tribes of Reuben and Gad highly regarded the receiving of the God-promised inheritance. However, on the negative side, they made their choice before they reached God’s goal, which was on the west side of the Jordan.

When the boundaries of the good land are mentioned in Numbers 34, the land on the east of the Jordan is not included. The best portion of the good land was surrounded by two seas (the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea) and one river (the Jordan River). These three bodies of water signify Christ’s death. Thus, in terms of spiritual typology, the land east of the Jordan was not good enough because it was outside of the realm of Christ’s death. The two and a half tribes chose and thus substituted the second best for the best. Many times we also make our own choices and take the second best as a substitute for the best.

The two and a half tribes made a choice because they had an abundance of livestock and saw that the land east of the Jordan was good for livestock. Having too many “cattle” and “flocks” often becomes a temptation to make our own choice and substitute the second best for the best.(CWWL,1960,vol.1,“Synopsis of Numbers,” pp.172-173) 

Philippians 3:10

To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

The land requested by Reuben and Gad could be reached without crossing the river Jordan. Without crossing the Jordan signifies without having the old man dealt with and buried. Only after we have had the old man dealt with and buried are we in a position to talk about possessing the good land for our enjoyment.

Reuben and Gad did not receive the promise of the good land with the body of the children of Israel. This signifies receiving the enjoyment of Christ separately, without the Body of Christ. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 318-319)

Crossing over the Jordan River denotes passing through Christ’s death and entering into His resurrection and ascension. In addition to typifying the position of ascension, the land west of the Jordan typifies the rich inheritance in Christ. Thus, obtaining “the land east of the Jordan” reaches God’s spiritual goal but not His glorious goal—receiving the rich inheritance in Christ in the position of ascension.(CWWL,1960, vol. 1,“Synopsis of Numbers,” p. 365)

With this fellowship, we prayed together for his family, and also for his job. Ultimately, the whole family is for the Lord and for the church. May the Lord fully gain this family for His testimony!