“And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;” (1Ch 9:3 AV)
There is a debate regarding the ten tribes of the northern Jewish kingdom. There are some misguided individuals who believe the ten northern tribes are lost to history. If they were to read their bibles, especially Revelation, they would know the ten northern tribes are not lost. The verse above is the reason. Ephraim is that portion of the ten northern tribes that dwelled on the west side of the Jordan river while Manasseh is that portion that lived on the east side. When Assyria invaded the north, a portion of the ten northern tribes escape to Judah and Benjamin. Hezekiah, the king of Judah, built out Jerusalem with a wall to protect these refugees. The suburbs of Jerusalem actually outgrew the city proper by a large margin. When Babylon carried away the remaining nation of Israel a few hundred years later, it took the entire nation. All twelve tribes. It was this carrying away that kept the twelve tribes intact. A YouTube channel on biblical archeology bears this out. The host uncovers significant evidence of the twelve tribes of Israel remaining intact even though they were in captivity for 70 years. What we need to consider this morning is that God is a God who honors His promises even in the midst of hardship, correction, or trials of faith. He will not give up on us, no matter what. If He said He will do it, then He will do it.
The LORD does not promise life will be easy. In fact, it is often through the hardest times of life we learn the greatest of lessons. But if we want to make it through, He provides the way. The older one gets, the more time and effort it takes to recover from a setback. Especially a health issue. When we were young, four to six weeks was all we needed to overcome surgery, a broken bone, or a strained muscle. Not so when we get older. When we were younger, our youthful activity was our therapy. When we get older, off to rehab, we go. It takes more effort. It takes more dedication. But one thing we have that the youth have not gained yet is patience. We know it will take some time. We are resigned to the fact we are no longer youthful. We know what lies ahead and can see the end from the beginning. Therefore, we are more apt to commit to long-term endurance more so than those who want instant results. Endurance is our middle name! Perseverance is the battle cry of the silver-crowned! If there is a way, we will find it!
God always provides a way to persevere for those who wish to. Laying down and crying uncle is not the response God wants. It matters not whether our circumstances were self-inflicted or a trial of faith. It doesn’t matter if the enemies of the cross have put a big target on our backs. If we want a way through or out, God will provide it. Many years ago, I found myself in a pickle. I had made a series of unwise choices. I was trying to get out of the woods. I found myself trapped. There seemed to be no way out. The only choice I had was to go back up the mountain and try a different route. Sweaty, weak, and tired, I didn’t think I could. But the LORD provided the strength I needed. It wasn’t easy. But it was my way out. The LORD provided a way for disobedient Israel to survive His correction. God is not without compassion and faithfulness. Yes, they needed what they had coming. It would hurt. But God was good to them and provided a way where they could grow unto holiness and God could honor His covenant. The same is true for us. The LORD is not out to destroy us. He has our backs. He only wants what is best. He always provides a way for those who want to persevere. The question, do we want to?
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