The Israelite tribe of Issachar had a wonderful gift that enabled them to “understand the times and know what Israel should do,” 1 Chronicles 12:32. It was at a needy time too. The Israelites had been soundly defeated by the Philistines, and Saul, the first king of Israel, had killed himself, all three of his sons had been killed in battle, “and all his house died together” (10:1-7), leaving no heir to the throne. The Israelites fled their towns too, and the Philistines had moved in and occupied them (7).
There was this other chap, though, David, who’d gained quite a reputation as a fearless warrior during Saul’s reign, so “All Israel came together to David” (11:1) believing that God had chosen him “to shepherd Israel and be their ruler” (2). So the elders of Israel anointed him to be the next king (3).
But had they taken into account that David had sided with the Philistines against Saul? David and his 600 men and their families had actually lived in the land of the Philistines too, for over a year (1 Samuel 27:1-7). And when Achish, a Philistine prince, told David he expected David and his men to fight alongside them against Israel, David agreed (28:1-2). So here he was willing to fight against his own people. And when the Philistine commanders decided it wasn’t a good idea allowing David to fight with them against Israel, David’s reaction to Achish was, “Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” (29:1-10).
So why on earth would the Israelites even consider David as their king? Not only was he a traitor willing to fight against them, he was also splitting the nation. Many fighting men were already defecting from Saul to David, but not all (1 Chronicles 12:8, 16, 19). Emotions were running high, but in among the thousands “racing to help David” (12:22) there were some cool heads, the 200 chiefs of Issachar who were known and respected for their ability to discern the right course of action to take. Their princes had previously thrown their support behind Deborah, a female leader of all people (Judges 5:15), and been proved right in that choice too.
So in the princes and chiefs of Issachar God had provided Israel with an Intelligence Unit, that could discern “what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). They could read the signs, just like donkeys that have also been equipped by God with intelligence to pause and see the best course of action to take. So, “Has God gifted some Issachars today” too?….(next blog)
