Yesterday, we were talking about the following question Pinchas posed to the 2 1/2 tribes who had chosen the Transjordan as their home.
“If you really feel the land you have taken possession of is unclean, then why not cross back over into the land which God has chose for us?”
I’m not sure if you realize it, but inherent in that question is a ton of implication.
Why?
Because Pinchas is openly suggesting that the land in the Trans-Jordan is unclean.
And if the land is unclean, that means Hashem cannot and will not dwell there.
And if Hashem will not dwell there, that means His presence will no longer be with Reuben, Gad and 1/2 of Manasseh.
Pinchas’s question no doubt confirmed the 2 1/2 tribes’ worst nightmares.
Because if they were living on non-sanctified land, didn’t that mean they were no longer eligible to receive the Lord’s blessing or His protection?
This was not the only time this fear would surface.
Centuries later when Nebuchadnezzar exiled the residents of Judah to Babylon, this challenge arose once again.
As depicted in the Book of Daniel, Daniel and his compatriots struggled greatly with how to keep Torah in a thoroughly heathen place on defiled land.
Imagine from their perspective how tough things must have been.
They were constantly exposed to unclean food and forced to breath air contaminated by the pagan gods of Babylon.
The Israelites in Babylon were forced to live under unclean conditions because they were outside of the Promised Land and had no access to their temple or a priesthood they could go to in order to receive atonement for their sins.
However, contrary to the Israelites in Babylon, at this point, I think it’s important to remind ourselves that the 2 1/2 tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were living outside of the Promised Land because that’s what they decided to do.
It was their own choice
And as far as we can tell, it wasn’t judged as sin.
God apparently permitted it and we don’t have any recorded warnings that there would be a price to pay for their decision.
Nevertheless, this was a sticky situation because in so many places in Scripture, the Lord promises special protection and blessings, not to mention His personal presence, for those who choose to dwell in the Land.
Apparently, Reuben, Gad and 1/2 of Manasseh felt like there were more economic benefits to be had by dwelling next to the Promised Land but not inside of it.
Is this not something we all do in all areas of our life?
We say no to Hashem’s provision because we think we have a better option than what He has prepared for us.
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