What's Your Reputation?

1 Chronicles 5:23-26 The half-tribe of Manasseh was very large and spread through the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24 These were the leaders of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. These men had a great reputation as mighty warriors and leaders of their clans. 25 But these tribes were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed. 26 So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
 
WHEN we go back to Joshua 1, we are reminded the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half-tribe of Manasseh claimed a land east of the Jordan River. God permitted them to remain in an area outsider of the Promised Land. They were, though, required to send soldiers into Canaan to help their fellow Israelites conquer the land. These tribes were loyal and worthy fighters to help claim the land. When the soldiers went home, they began a good legacy of leading their people in God’s righteousness. Their land was fertile and productive. Life was good.
   But as the generations passed, these tribes, as the others, did not worship God as their ancestors had done. Instead, they worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed.
   Stop and think about that. Does that make any sense? Why would they worship the gods of nations they had defeated? Where is there any logic in turning our minds from the God of Victory to the gods of death? There are many voices in our culture today urging us to live in the ways of past governments and ideologies that have caused great death and terrible suffering. How can people be so blatantly ignorant of what’s wrong and what’s right?
   We need right leaders, and Israel needed right leaders then. True, the leaders named had a great reputation as mighty warriors and leaders of their clans. But surely they were missing the right leadership, weren’t they? It does little good if leaders with great reputations as warriors lead people into earthly prosperity but away from God. Prosperity does not lead to eternity.
   God was beginning his work to scatter Israel. And then he would also exile Judah. This happened because the nations’ leaders and citizens rejected God’s prosperous hand of his law, grace, mercy and patience. As each account of the kings begins with a statement on their obedience or disobedience to God, we know the LORD places high responsibility on his leaders and followers. And he wants all people to be alert. Know God’s true pathway. If you believe someone is leading you into exile, stop and know which way you need to go.