Before we jump further into our text study, lemme say something important.
You may be thinking…
“Why do I need to know about ancient Israel’s tribes and politics?
That sounds boring and irrelevant!”
Well, my little grasshopper homie, I’ve got a Walter Cronkite news bite for you.
It is important.
Very important, actually.
Understanding Israel’s political history and tribal structure is essential to making sense of the remaining “Old” Testament books.
Here’s a good way to think about it.
Imagine trying to understand Japan without knowing anything about its history.
Sure, you may have heard of the samurai, the shoguns, or how Japan launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.
But if you don’t know how the Western countries forced Japan to open its doors in the 1800s…
Or how the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the Japanese psyche towards war forever.
Or how Japan rebuilt itself into an economic powerhouse after the war…
You’ll get Japan totally wrong.
You won’t understand why honor and respect matter so deeply here.
You won’t be able to figure out why group harmony often wins over individual opinion.
Their national holidays will be a mystery to you.
You’ll be baffled by Japanese attitudes toward outsiders.
Why?
Because you’re missing the backstory.
That’s exactly what happens when people skip over the historical parts of the Bible.
That also explains why Gentiles radically misunderstand the Jewish mindset…both culturally and theologically.
I say that as a gentile myself.
So don’t get bent outta shape at that last sentence, homie.
Without the backstory, everything gets fuzzy and confusing.
So I’d just like to encourage you to stick with me as we go through some heavy detail!
This is knowledge your pastor probably has no idea about.
We’re gonna be digging into some lists of districts and tribal boundaries.
It’s gonna feel slow at first.
But push through it.
Because on the other side is a much clearer, much deeper understanding of God’s Word that will far surpass any Bible preacher or teacher walking on planet earth today.
That’s a guarantee.
And it’ll be absolutely worth it.
Ya feel me?
Done.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness.”
-2 Timothy 3:16
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