Reconciled Fathers Network
Akili Kumasi, FounderCharacteristics of the Fighting Army: #2 – Those Settled Will Help Those Not Settled
Posted by rfathers on January 27, 2010
One of Moses’ last acts was to assign land east of the Jordan River to the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 34:14-15). This was their portion of the inheritance of the Promised Land.
However, the Israelites had not yet taken possession of the entire land. Moses commanded that the men who had already received their allotment to help the rest of the tribes seize and occupy the land west of the Jordan River. In fact, Moses said they must go first:
The LORD your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites.
However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your God is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you. (Deuteronomy 18-20 NIV)
God intends that the men who have not yet gotten settled in their lives – be helped by those men who are settled and more mature in the Lord.
This is am important principle for the army because it should be the responsibility of the New Generation of Fighting Army to oversee this process for the fighting men.
This is consistent with at least two other references in the Bible that we list here:
Iron Sharpens Iron
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 NIV)
This well-known scripture speaks to the need for men to help each other by helping and challenging each other to be better men.
Engaged and Newly-Wed Men Do Not Serve in the Army
Has anyone here just become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? Well, you may go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else would marry her. (Deuteronomy 20:7 NLT)
This principle serves the needs of family more so than just the individual man. But that is the role of men, husbands and fathers – to serve the needs of the entire family. When the Army also recognizes the needs of families and then seeks to address them – we have an Army that expects to win.
Keep in mind that this Army fights a different kind of battle to defeat a spiritual enemy (primarily) not a physical enemy. Thus, the building of the Army is concerned chiefly with making its members strong in the Lord. Thus, special attention should go to those who are young in the spirit and are in the process of establishing themselves.
Seasoned Christians will thus sow into the lives of younger Christians with the purpose of helping them to become stronger and more mature. This converts to spiritual help, Biblical lessons, economic help, educational and training help, mentoring, relationship counseling, fatherhood training, prayer support and so on.
Can you see yourself being helped in this way? Can you see yourself giving support to younger Christian men?
Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.
In our next post in this Characteristics of the Fighting Army series we will continue with #3 – Men of Valour.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
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