In the book of Judges we learned, “Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, praise you the LORD for the avenging of Israel, … Why abode you among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart”, and in chapter five and verse seventeen of Judges, we learn how Deborah and Barak sung about how, “Gilead abode beyond Jordan” where we read,
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
The verse reads, “Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships?” The writer began with the words, “Gilead abode beyond Jordan” which means “Gilead whose name means ‘rocky region’ and was a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called 'Mount Gilead' or the 'land of Gilead' or just 'Gilead'. Divided into north and south Gilead, settled down, dwelled and resided across and on the opposite side of Jordan whose name means ‘descender’ and was the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)”: “and why did Dan” or “and for what reason and cause did Dan whose name means ‘a judge’ and was the fifth son of Jacob, the first of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid and the progenitor of the tribe that descended from him”; “remain in ships” which means “sojourn, abide and dwell within sailing vessels or boats”? The writer shared how “Deborah and Barak” sung about how the people of “Gilead” continued on the opposite side of the “Jordan River”, and the people within “Dan” abided in their sailing vessels.
The verse continues, “Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.” The writer added the words, “Asher continued on the seas shore” which means “Asher whose name means ‘happy’ and was the son of Jacob and Zilpah and the progenitor of the tribe that descended from him, stayed and remained upon the coast or shore of the sea”, “and abode” or “and lived, dwelled and inhabited” “in his breaches” which means “within his, Asher’s, havens or landing places”. The writer shared how “Deborah and Barak” sung about the people of “Asher” staying on the coast of the sea and living within their landing places.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn about people groups who did not get involved in the conflict to overtake “Jabin” and his army. There are people who get involved in the work of the Kingdom of God, and there are those who do not. God wants all of us to be in His Kingdom, and when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and rose from the grave after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and to help us be involved in His Kingdom work wherever He decides we should be. (See Matthew 6:33; John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)
Next time we learn how Deborah and Barak sing, “Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeopardized their lives”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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