Men of Issachar

“From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders . . . all these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” (1Chronicles 12:32).

This is an astonishing truth tucked away in one of the more obscure books of the Bible (at least for most Bible-readers). The Book of Chronicles, however, occupies a hugely important place in the history of the nation of Israel. Ezra, the reformer, compiled this book at the time when Israel was returning from 70 years of exile in foreign Babylonia to rebuild the foundations and walls of the ancient city of Jerusalem. Ezra compiled the Chronicles to assure that Israel would also rebuild the spiritual foundations of the nation as she was rebuilding the physical city.

God was giving Israel a second chance as a nation. The First Book of Chronicles outlines the spiritual heritage of the nation. It reconnects the returning exiles with the rich spiritual history of their nation prior to the exile in pagan Babylonia. In Babylonia the exiled Jews had no doubt come in contact with many pagan ideas. After 70 years they had intermarried. They had learned to accept odd and contrary customs. It would be as important to rebuild the spiritual foundations as it would to rebuild the physical city. A nation that does not know its history normally repeats its mistakes and neglects its strengths. This is certainly true of America. Our spiritual foundations have been nearly destroyed by revisionist historians. Like ancient Israel, we need to rebuild our spiritual foundations if we hope to rebuild our nation.

Into the mix of the spiritual life of Israel was the tribe of Issachar. Issachar was one of the twelve sons of Jacob becoming one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the context of the passage above, David is amassing those who pledged allegiance to him as the king of Israel. Each of the twelve tribes contributed men of varying skills. The men of Issachar contributed a very important skill – the ability to read the socio-political “temper” of the times and give direction to the nation.

Albert Barnes, the great Princeton theologian, points out that this skill was to be interpreted, “politically.” The men of Issachar were the politicians of Israel. More correctly, they were the political scientists, or analysts, of the day. The key is, they knew the best course for Israel because they had a keen understanding of the times.

Where are the “men of Issachar” in America, today? Such skilled thinkers seem few and far between in the church. Most pastors are more like Dr. Phil than New Gingrich. Most pastors and Christian leaders seek to meet people’s “felt” needs rather than their real needs. We have some very real needs in America today that are tied directly to the socio-political context we find ourselves in. It will not be our “felt” needs that destroy our nation, but our very “real” needs. We need skilled thinkers with good hearts.

I am not encouraged by the lack of political sophistication I hear in most conversations between church-goers. I wonder if they have any clue at all what the real issues are. The sophistication is no better among the general populace of non church-goers. What we desperately need are some leaders who will rise above the fluffy rhetoric and address the real issues – and give some real direction for our country. Such men – men of Issachar – were numbered among the leaders of ancient Israel. May we find such men numbered among God’s family today.