Can you remember reading or hearing about the men of Issachar? It is always a popular topic when we are at crossroads or season changes as a church or even as a nation. I thought I’d revisit that passage again as we begin life in what people are referring to as a post Covid era. Everything seems to be slowly coming back to a new normal in most parts of the world. Travel seems to be opening up again. Churches are meeting freely again. Everyone seems to be gingerly crawling back to life as it used to be.

As we wake up from what looked like a bad dream, we must face the reality that as a church of Jesus Christ we did not do well in what I see as a dress rehearsal of something much larger that is coming. We as the body of Christ found ourselves nearly imploding from within. We got caught up fighting battles in the temporal kingdom that had no eternal consequences, while failing to turn up at the frontline where the lost world was looking for answers to a nightmare that was unfolding before them.

I do personally believe that something far greater that what we have experienced these last two years is at our doorstep. I don’t want to be a doomsday prophet but I do believe the church has received a wake up call. The Holy Spirit has made it very clear – status quo will not cut it anymore. Change must happen for the church to continue to function as the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth. The Lord has been speaking to me about the urgency of the hour we are living in and the decisions I have to make to align myself with the purposes of God for this season. So I am revisiting the passage on the sons of Issachar.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

The context of this passage is the transition that was happening in the nation as they witnessed the end of Saul’s reign and faced the reality of David’s imminent rule as King over Israel. The author describes the death of Saul in chapter 10 and begins chapter 11 with these words:

1 Chronicles 11:1-3 (NKJV) Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel.’ ” Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

The elders acknowledged the prophetic word spoken over David many years ago and anointed him King in fulfilment of that word. The Chronicler then proceeds to list down the strength of David’s army. The list is a comprehensive one beginning with what he calls “the mighty men” of David. These were the heroes who fought alongside David, defending not just the man but the Word of God behind the man. Their heroic feats are acknowledged in chapter 11. Then comes chapter 12 where we find the Issachar passage tucked in. The chapter begins like this:

1 Chronicles 12:23 (NKJV) Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD:

The author of Chronicles was listing down the various tribes that were responding to what they believed was the “God” thing to do. To align themselves with David who God has appointed as King. The initial list has names that were recognisable because of their heroic actions as well as their loyalty to David during his exile. As the author runs through the list of men contributed by the various tribes to make up David’s national guard, we come to the verse about the tribe of Issachar. These men we are told “understood the times and what Israel should do”.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

The phrase translated “understood the times” comes from the Hebrew which has the root word “ḇiyn” – to separate mentally, to distinguish, to discern. The distinguishing factor that stood out in this list of men contributed to David’s army was that the tribe of Issachar gave men that had a unique quality which the Chronicler felt was worth mentioning. They had the ability to distinguish, to discern the times Israel was entering into. This was not just a change of leadership. They were entering into the original intention of God for Israel. Whether they knew the Messiah would come from the line of David is doubtful. They however had the ability to discern that something more than the changing of the guards was occurring. A seismic shift had occurred in the life of Israel. The nation had transitioned from a man appointed leader to a God appointed one. Saul was the popular democratically elected leader. David was the Divinely appointed one. The passage seems to suggest the sons of Issachar discerned the times they were in, which required specific actions that were needed to live in such a time as this.

Another occasion the Old Testament uses the phrase “understood the times“ is in the book of Esther where the Persian King Ahasuerus had a group of men who “understood the times”.

Esther 1:13-14 (NKJV) Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom)

Again the same combination of Hebrew words – but the author of the book of Esther seems to give us some understanding of what that term means. We see

• They knew law and justice

• They were closest to the king

• They had access to the king’s presence

• They were highest ranked in the kingdom

Urgent vacancies for such leaders

I want to take a little liberty to suggest that this is what is lacking in the church of our generation. Men and women who display these attributes, who “understand the times”, who discern that something more than merely a change of government is needed in our nations. Men and women who discern that it takes more than mere popularity to make seismic shifts for the Kingdom of God. Men and women who can discern the activities of the Divine and align the church to Him and act according to the Spirit’s direction. There is a definite vacuum in leadership for such persons.

The church of Jesus Christ desperately needs leaders with these qualities:

Those who know law and justice

Obviously I’m not suggesting that we need a high profile legal team fighting for the rights of Christians. What the church desperately needs are leaders who know the law of God (God’s mind) and the justice of God (God’s heart). For too long we have focused on man made law and justice as the benchmark of the church. Human rights, United Nations conventions, the US constitution or the English Legal System – however “christian” they may seem to be, they are all flawed. To measure the Kingdom life and draw principles to live by from these flawed standards will only lead to humanistic ways of doing life. We need leaders who understand the mind of God, whose hearts beat with what matters to God.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Those who stay closest to the King

We need leaders who recognise that nothing of Kingdom value can be done without intimacy with Christ.

John 15:5 (NKJV) “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

No one can contribute anything of value to the Kingdom of God without having a continuously intimate relationship with the King of the Kingdom – Jesus Christ. It is time we realise that Kingdom officials must share Kingdom values. Kingdom values can only be learnt through intimacy with Christ.

John 15:4 (NKJV) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Those who access the King’s presence

Understanding God’s mind and heart along with an intimate relationship with Christ should position one to see their true position as Christ’s ambassadors. A leader must know their standing in God.

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Our first port of call in times of crisis should always be the throne room. Intercession is not one of the things we do to see change occur. Prayer and intercession is the only effective weapon in the church’s arsenal. Until we fully comprehend the power of effective prayer we will continue to default to man made institutionalised power to try and bring change. Lasting change can only come about through Divine intervention.

John 14:12-14 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Those who seek after Kingdom positioning

It is a sad sight to see an increasingly number of church leaders jostling for positions and places of influence in the world rather than seeking after Kingdom authority. The church of today is desperately in need of leaders who cease from being caught up with the affairs of this world. Leaders who know how to reposition themselves above the daily wheels and gears that keep the motion of the chronos world, and operate on a time clock of the “charis”, opportune, Divine moments that make room for the supernatural to occur.

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Both David and Esther were not obvious candidates if we followed human conventions. Yet God chose them to replace the old leadership that operated in the flesh. One came in through battle the other through beauty. The common denominator though was both their Divine destinies had people who “understood the times”. There is a desperate urgent need for such leaders. I pray you will earnestly seek to be like these ones.