Valiant and Ready for Service
The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men, who carried shield and sword…ready for service. (I Chronicles 5:18)
I Sam. 17:45; Ps. 20; II Cor. 6:17 and 10:4-6; Eph. 6:12-18; II Tim. 2:4; Heb. 4:12
What Is God Saying?
What do the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have to do with how I am supposed to live today? I Chronicles 5:18 was written for people who were far from home and who needed to hear they were a people with roots. The lengthy genealogies are a kind of Who's Who from Adam to Zerubbabel. Chronicles is a commentary on II Samuel, covering the same period, but written from a priestly point of view. It provides the post-captivity Israelites with a record of their ancestral roots. It covers two subjects: the genealogy of a remarkable people (1-9) and the reign of a remarkable King, David (10-29). In brief, Chronicles was intended to unify a scattered and disheartened people by telling them they were one family in Adam, one nation in Abraham and one priesthood in Levi.
How Does This Apply To Us?
Right in the middle of this detailed genealogy, our verse stands out. While we have a different modus operandus after the coming of Christ, we still have shields and swords; we still need to be valiant; and we still must be ready for service. Our defensive weapon is the Shield of Faith. Our offensive weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. God provides us with a shield to keep our spirits sound and our hearts pure when all around us is yielding to the false and immoral, and to keep our faith secure from fiery darts of doubt and fear. He provides us with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. By this, the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God, we can go on the offensive against Satanic falsehood to slay discouragement and to pierce bewilderment and fear. What wonderful defensive and offensive weapons we have. Our great need is to be ready for service.
Pray With Me
O God of Israel and my God, these warriors of old were counted valiant because they were ready for service with shields and swords. Help me, O God, on this side of Calvary, to be as valiant and ready for service. Those who wait upon You gain new insights. You lift our desires to higher planes. My calling is not to bring other human beings into submission to my will but to see that my will is in submission to Yours. Give me the desire to grow more valiant in spiritual warfare and in the love that conquers all.
Into hands ready for service place the shield of faith that I may not be stricken in an unguarded moment by the arrows of doubt and fear. Into hands ready for service place the sword of the Spirit and give me skill in using Your Word. Let that Sword be used to convince others of Your love when they are discouraged, of Your truth when they are bewildered, and of Your grace when they are proud.
For the sake of Him who for the love of sinners was both valiant and ready for service, from the washing of others' feet to the shedding of His blood. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
Prayer is the armory of faith's weapons. This is where our weapons of war are kept. This is where we are instructed in their use. Through prayer, itself a mighty weapon, we get all the answers we need to be ‘valiant and ready for service.’ So to get ready for prayer (which is getting ready for service), ponder this passage, ‘I use God's mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil's strongholds’ (II Cor.10:4-5 TLB). These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep us from finding Him.
