Word of Encouragement (04/19/2023)
And of Zebulun he said, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents. 19 They shall call peoples to their mountain; there they offer right sacrifices; for they draw from the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand." (Deut. 33:18-19).
In these verses, Moses blesses Zebulun and Issachar. Zebulun was Leah’s sixth (and last) son; Issachar was Leah’s fifth son. They are mentioned together here for their close connection. They would also share a border in the promised land.
Though close in family relations, they are far apart in their characteristics. Zebulun seems to be more extroverted; he will be blessed in his going out. Issachar, on the other hand, seems to be on the introverted side; he will be blessed in his tents. But they will share common blessing—joy. So, Moses starts his blessing on them by saying, “Rejoice...!”
There is a simple but important lesson here: God can bless us with joy in all kinds of circumstances. We can see “going out” and “[staying] in tents” as a merism. A merism is “a contrasting pair meant to include everything in between,” such as “heaven and earth.” We see many merisms in God’s promise of blessing for Israel’s obedience: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.... Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out” (Deut. 28:3, 6).
God is able to do this because He is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. There is no square inch in this entire universe where God does not exert His sovereign authority. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are in the city or the field, whether you go out or stay in your tent. God is there in the city, which is crowded with people and bustles with all kinds of activities. God is also there in the field in its quietness and serenity, in the sunshine and the gentle breeze, in the singing of the birds and the chirping of grasshoppers, etc. God is there when you step out of the house into the company of others or your office. God is also there when you stay home in the corner of your room. Moses also mentions “their mountain,” “the seas,” and “the sand” (v. 19). In all these places, God can grant you the joy of the Lord.
God is also the sovereign Lord of time. As an eternal God, He transcends time; He is not trapped in time; the entire span of history is exposed to Him in His eternal present. He alone can be the Lord of time because He is not confined within it. As the Lord and Master of time, He makes each moment meaningful according to His eternal counsel. He can also grant joy to His people at any moment, especially because joy is something deeper than the pleasure we derive from things and circumstances. If God (who is the God of joy) is with us, we can experience joy in good times and bad times, in moments of weakness and strength, while we are alive and as we lie dying.
This blessing on Zebulun and Issachar is fulfilled in you, who believe in Jesus Christ, isn’t it? So, Paul tells the Philippian Christians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4)! This command is for you, too, because you and they share the same source of joy—“the Lord”! Let us pray that we will enjoy this blessing of joy at all times!