Spiritual Lessons from Simeon and the Tribes in Transjordan

Text 1 Chronicles 4:124-5:26 Time 23 09 20 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

I want us to return today to our studies in 1 Chronicles. We are still in the early chapters where we are confronted by a large number of names and not much by way of storyline but this is all Scripture and so it is is useful to us - if not directly at least indirectly. 

So far we have looked at most of the first four chapters. Chapter 1 takes us from Adam to Abraham to Jacob. Chapter 2 goes from Jacob down to David and Chapter 3 from David to the exile. We then have genealogies for the 12 tribes. We have looked at Judah, the most numerous tribe, in 4:1-23. This evening I want us to cover all the material from 4:23-5:26. In those verses we learn firstly about the tribe of Simeon and then the tribes east of the Jordan - Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. We have five things to say 

1. Learn about Simeon and a small tribe growing - learn to be spiritually enterprising 4:24-43 

There are three things here - who, where and what. 

1. Who were the Simeonites?

In verses 24-27 we read 

The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul; 

Shallum was Shaul's son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son. 

The descendants of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zakkur his son and Shimei his son. 

We are then told that although Shimei had 16 sons and 6 daughters, that was unusual for Simeonites - but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. We will come back to this in a moment. 

2. Where did the Simeonites live? 

This is in verses 28-33 They lived in Beersheba, the most southerly town in Israel Moladah, Hazar Shual, Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 

Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan - five towns - and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. 

These places were all within the territory of Judah in the south of the country. The statement that These were their towns until the reign of David suggests that when the nation split after David many Simeonites abandoned their towns and headed for the northern territory. 

At the end of verse 33 it says And they kept a genealogical record. In verses 34-37 more names are added Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. 

Verse 38 adds The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. .... 

3. What can we learn from the Simeonites? 

Perhaps the thing we can learn is in that final phrase of verse 38 where it says that though this was a small tribe, nowhere near as large as Judah yet Their families increased greatly. Matthew Henry says "Those whom God increases ought to be thankful, though they see others that are more increased." That is a first lesson. 

But then it goes on to say of these people who didn't abandon Judah (39-41) Their families increased greatly and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. (despite the fact the Asyrians were causing havoc everywhere else). Some Hamites had lived there formerly. The men whose names were listed (see above) came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. So they grew and as they did they needed more land so they took it. 

Another example of enterprise is in verses 42, 43 And 500 of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day. 

Now we need to be careful how we see the Simeonites as a pattern for us here. We are not living in the Old Testament and obliged to slay Hamites and Amalekites. However, we are committed to Christ the Lion of Judah and we want to grow - grow spiritually as individuals and grow also in numbers. To do that we need to show the same enterprising spirit that we see displayed in the case of the Simeonites. They did not mope about saying we are so small and we are no longer in the position we might have been or there is no room for us here. No they expanded where they could and taking their courage in their hands they found success under God and victory over their enemies. 

Remember Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. 

You knock people’s doors to tell them about Jesus. They may be nasty to you but you'll see results eventually may be. You want to pass on the good news to others. Don’t stick to just one or two. Give to many. Whatever you do do it with this spirit, a generous open-hearted and hopeful one. 

Think of a gathering storm. The rain clouds gather then down comes the rain. Think of a very strong wind - so strong it brings down a tree. Where the tree lands it lands. Now if you think to yourself ‘I want to plant my seeds where the trees won't fall’ so you try to figure out which way one might fall in a storm then you'll never get around to sowing. Or if at harvest time you keep looking at the clouds thinking it’s no good harvesting now as it might rain after I've started you may never get the harvest in! God’s providence must not be an excuse for inactivity, doing nothing. 

As competent as weather forecasters are they can't get it exactly right. We can't be sure which way the wind will blow tomorrow. We now have scans of babies in the womb and understand better than ever what happens but not fully. So we can't predict the work of the Spirit - who'll be born again or when or how. So just get on with it! 

2. Learn about Reuben and how about God works 5:1-10 

There is a very interesting note in 5:1, 2 that helps us understand Genesis better and shows us something of how God works. Coming next to the tribe of Reuben, the writer reminds us that Reuben was Jacob's firstborn. He gives the heading The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel then adds a footnote (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, [a reference to David and Messiah] the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph). We could add here that all the brothers apart from the two youngest disgraced themselves in some way. Simeon and Levi did so in the way they reacted to the rape of their sister Dinah and Joseph gave a bad report to his father on Gad, Dan, Asher and Naphtali (Genesis 37:2). We can be sure Issachar and Zebulun were no more worthy to be considered firstborn. 

These verses then explain why Jacob made an ornate robe for Joseph and why his brothers hated him and treated him in the despicable way they did. it also explains why the tribes included a double portion for Joseph (Ephram and Manasseh) as is the right of the firstborn. 

More than that, it reminds us that God often makes what seem to us unlikely choices - Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his older brothers, David rather than any of his brothers, so many more poor Christians than rich ones. Part of the explanation here is that God is looking at the heart rather than at the outward person and his unwillingness to countenance sin. The thing to remember, however, is that God works in his own way. He is not subject to us. He does as he pleases. 

Verses 3-8a simply name some of Reuben's descendants - the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. Also The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites. Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. 

Verses 8b-10 explain where they lived east of the Jordan They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead. During Saul's reign they waged war against the Hagrites, (ie descendants of Hagar, Ishmaelites) who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead. 

3. Learn about Gad and about peace and co-operation 5:11-17 

The Tribe of Gad is dealt with next in verses 11-17. The Gadites lived next to them (Reuben) in Bashan, as far as Salekah: Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan. Their relatives, by families, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber - seven in all. 14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz. Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family. 

The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended. 

All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham the eleventh king of Judah (of 20) and Jeroboam king of Israel (ie Jeroboam II). 

There is not much to glean here but it is perhaps worth noting that Gad lived cheek by jowl with the Reubenites and the half tribe of Manasseh. There is no evidence that they ever invaded each other. No, they fought the Hagrites and invaded the hill country of Seir but they did not attack each other. There is an obvious lesson for us there. 

4. Learn about the Transjordan tribes and how to win battles 5:18-22b 

In verse 18 we read that The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service - able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. As Christians we are not expected to be involved in physical fighting we are in a spiritual battle and if we are going to be successful then we need to be strong and we need to know how to use spiritual weapons. Paul sets out for us very clearly in Ephesians 6 the weapons we have - the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith, etc. We need to be well trained for battle too. 

We read in verse 19 how They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish (all probably Ishmaelite tribes) and Nodab (perhaps an Arab tribe). Notice in verse 20 that it says They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. Even in Old Testament times it was all about faith. These people did not trust in their own skills but they trusted in the Lord and so they prayed and their prayers were answered so that (21, 22) They seized the livestock of the Hagrites - 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2000 donkeys. They also took one 100,000 people captive, and many others fell slain, because and this is the thing to remember the battle was God's. If we remember that, we are half way there. Ephesians 6 also emphasises the importance of prayer if we are going to be victorious. Matthew Henry says "In our spiritual conflicts, we must look up to heaven for strength; and it is the believing prayer that will be the prevailing prayer." William Gurnall says "Satan cannot deny but that great wonders have been wrought by prayer. As the spirit of prayer goes up, so his kingdom goes down. Satan's strategems against prayer are three. First, if he can, he will keep thee from prayer. If that be not feasible, secondly, he will strive to interrupt thee in prayer. And, thirdly, if that plot takes not, he will labour to hinder the success of thy prayer." 

5. Learn about the Transjordan tribes and be warned to flee from idolatry 5:22c-26 

The chapter ends on a very sad note. Verse 22 ends And they occupied the land until the exile. Yes, (23) The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan and beyond right up to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). And (24) These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They certainly were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. But .... 

... We read (25) they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. It seems crazy to us but they were surrounded by men and women who worshipped idols and they found it very hard not to believe that they could help themselves by worshipping idols and engaging in the sort of sexual acts the idolatry of the people demanded. We too often feel under pressure from the surrounding culture where greed is acceptable and people who do not serve the Creator inevitably serve created things. Idolatry is always to be spurned, however. 

So what happened? 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), and in 722 BC he took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day. This is where idolatry leads. It is a dead end road and those who fall for it suffer, Beware! 

William Carey's first convert in India was a man called Krishna Pal. We still sing Krishna Pal's hymn that begins 

O thou, my soul, forget no more The friend who all thy misery bore; 

Let every idol be forgot, But, O my soul, forget Him not. 

That was his motto; it should be ours.