First Chronicles 11 and 12 records some interesting information about the valiant men and mighty men that served in the Israelite army. The chapters also give us some of the specific skills of these men and of the various tribes of Israel.

In verse 32 of chapter 12, we have this statement: “And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.”

 Issachar, you may remember, was one of the children of Jacob, inherited a portion of land, and one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The two hundred mentioned in this verse indicates the leaders of the tribe, not the total number of people in this tribe.

So David had many men of war, many valiant men, many mighty men all willing to die for him in battle; but here are 200 men who have an understanding of the times and know what Israel needs to do. The combination of all of these sets the stage for a tremendous force as they face their enemies, particularly the Philistines.

We are not the first people to live in disturbing times. We are not the first to face adversity. We are not the first to feel the effects of the evil in the world. The question is, do we have 200 men who understand the times and know what we ought to do?

I submit that today we are at least equal in the availability of forces to fight against evil as David was in his day. The real question is, are we willing to use what we know to fight the evil that surrounds us?

Paul provides Christians with some really good instructions in Ephesians 5. So much of what he says parallels with the description of the children of Issachar, because he tells us what it means to use that understanding of the times and what we ought to do to combat it. He says:

• “Walk in love.” Verse 2
• “Sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” Verse 3
• “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Verse 4
• “Let no one deceive you with empty words.” Verse 6
• “Do not become partners with them.” Verse 7
• “Walk as children of light.” Verse 8
• “Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” Verse 10
• “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Verse 11
• “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” Verse 15
• “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Verse 16

Paul gives us this list of things that we need to do to be imitators of God and, according to verse 5, to have inheritance in the kingdom of God. We need wise men and women to set the standards for truth, honesty, clean living, and to expose what does not fit these commands set forth in the scripture.

Verses 15 and 16 of this text say, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise. Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” These many years later after the statement is made about the children of Issachar, Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus and said that the days were evil. Even now, these many years after Paul’s writing of the evil that existed in the city of Ephesus, the same can be said of us today.

The answer to the problem is simple. Verse 17 says, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” The key is to understand what God wants, and do it.

The problem for most people is that even though they might know what God’s will is, they would rather do what they want. We need to remember what Isaiah records in chapter 55. “For my thought are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are high than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than yours thoughts.”

Some will even make the excuse that their situation is different. They may think that these times are different; but Solomon said, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

I know there are more than 200 people in our world that understand the times and know what they ought to do. I sometimes wonder if we have that many “leaders” in our world that do. We need strong, Christian leaders in our country. We need men and women that know what God wants us to do and have the courage to stand up and say so.

Pray for our leaders. Pray for those men and women who are trying to lead us to do what God wants us to do, not what they determine. Remember, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).

–Sandra Oliver