Find Your Tribe: The Tribe of Issachar

Introduction

        During the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness, all the households encamped around the tabernacle in the presence of God. The Issacharites occupied the greatest area on the eastern side of the tabernacle facing its entrance behind the tents of Aaron and to the right of Judah under its standard. Today, God still camps with His people.-- Jesus dwells in the tabernacle within those baptized in His Spirit. He IS our standard.

        Issachar was Jacob’s ninth son and Leah’s fifth. The tribal offspring increased in numbers during the times of Moses and David. Census takers counted 54,000 fighting men at the first survey in Sinai (Num 1:29), 64,300 at the end of wandering in the wilderness (Num 26:25), and 145,600 during the days of David (1 Chron 7:5).

        They had some notables in their family, though not necessarily in deed. Tola was a judge (Judg 10:1-2), while Baasha and his son Elah were kings of Israel (1 Kgs 15:25-16:14). Both Baasha and Elah brought disaster upon the house of Israel.  

        Some call the Issacharites one of the lost tribes that disappeared after the Assyrian captivity, while others say their descendants live in modern Finland and Mexico. Regardless of where descendants live in contemporary time, Scripture in Rev 7:7 describes 12,000 people from the tribe of Issachar being sealed as servants of Elohim. They were dispersed abroad as mentioned in Jas 1:1, but not lost! Their land allotment lay south of West Manasseh and Samaria (Josh 19:17-23), north of Zebulon, northeast of the Sea of Galilee, east of the River Jordan in the breadth of Mount Tabor encompassing the fertile farmland of the Jezreel Valley. The territory then and now encompasses a rich parcel of land in Israel.

        His father Jacob prophesied would be like a strong (or raw-boned) donkey. A donkey can be strong and robust--bearing burdens, OR thin and weak--couching (or lying down) between burdens (the saddlebags over its back) to avoid work. The Talmud interprets the prophecy as the donkey bowing his shoulder to bear and becoming a servant unto tribute, meaning religious scholarship in the Torah among the Israelites. 

        The name Issachar means he will bring a reward is coming (Gen 30:18). Naming people at that time held significance as a great predictor of their attributes. What was critical about the name Issachar for future generations? They would bring a reward. God revealed certain things about the character of each tribe in Scripture. Perhaps, you'll see yourself as a member of this tribe in your situation, and in turn, what you can bring to the Body of Christ.

        Let me pique your interest about the tribe and how it applies to your life with one phrase -- The Issachar Anointing. The tribe of Issachar had the anointing of spiritual prosperity. The Issacharites were

• Mighty Men of Valor--The sons of Issachar had integrity and loyalty to the vision,
• Perceptive, Mission-Minded Strategists--The sons of Issachar worked behind the scenes as perceptive wise men, and 
• Scholars of the Word--The sons of Issachar gave an authoritative interpretation of Scripture. 

Valor

        So here's the first reason why you want to be in the tribe of Issachar: They were men of valor in their generation. Issachar's father Jacob told him in Gen 49:14a that he would be a strong donkey (raw-boned donkey). The donkey actually became their symbol. If you recall, Jacob's prophecy could mean the Issacharites would be strong and robust, able to bear burdens or thin and weak and unable to do so. Well, the sons of Issachar were men of valor. They were strong and robust, able to bear burdens. Men or women of valor

• Serve God with integrity,
• Have uncompromising loyalty to His vision (1 Chron 7:5), and
• Follow with heavenly audacity--Chazak Amats--to rush headlong into the most hazardous and impossible battles without pausing to consider the impossibilities.

First Chron 7:2-8 describes the census of men of valor in the tribe during David's reign:

• The Tola family counted 22,600 warriors in their lineage;
• The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah...36,000 in their lineage; and
• The extended families of Issachar accounted for 87,000 warriors.

       
        The complete number of valiant men of might from all the Issacharites totaled 145,600. Next to Judah, the sons of Issachar could supply the most able men to fight for Israel than any other tribe. The Transjordan tribes--Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh--numbered 44, 760. Perhaps, people view your family as thin and weak donkeys. If you study the lineage of Issachar, you see a diverse group of people in the family tree who were warriors. You, too can be valiant sons and daughters of might in Christ.

        Wake up! Hineni (hee-nay-nee), Hebrew for "Her I am." Make yourself available. Be a son or daughter of Issachar! Let God use you. Show valor for the Kingdom.

 

Perceptive Mission-Minded Strategists         So, here's the second reason why you want to be in the tribe of Issachar. Its descendants were perceptive mission-minded strategists who understood the divine times and seasons.         Of the 145,600 Issacharite mighty men, 200 of its chiefs and kinsmen under their command joined David's forces to return him to this throne. Other tribes sent thousands, but the 200 chiefs contributed vital services to David's forces. The Issacharites area powerful military tribe as perceptive strategists.         The 200 chiefs had a unique discernment about God's plan for Israel for the past, present, and future. Think of them as biblical astrologers in times and stars that might show Israel to do! Being able to read the heavens, and having knowledge of moon cycles and solar time was vital.         Again returning to what Jacob prophesied over Issachar, he said, "Issachar is a strong donkey couching between two burdens" (Gen 49:14). A donkey is a valued beast of burden--Burden translates to "sheepfold." Sons and daughters of Issachar seek God's voice about the sheepfolds. For believers in Christ, perhaps these sheepfolds are the Church and Israel.         You might wonder why only 200 chiefs out of the 145, 600 fighting men joined David's own forces. Just 200? Were they valued beasts of burden or thing and weak donkeys--couching between burdens to avoid work? No! the sons of Issachar were powerful people because of their divine understanding. The 200 chiefs were leaders of the Sanhedrin and made decisions their contemporaries accepted (1 Chron 9:32)/         When David assembled his army, many tribes joined him. But, only the sons of Issachar "understood the times and knew what to do. They were divinely, perceptive mission-minded strategists. They understood the times (status), discerned what God's people should do (mission), and knew what God wanted (vision). Their gift changed the course of an entire nation.         God wants us to understand the times, not only things that happened, but those things that will follow. He's not concerned with our background. Understand the times. Prepare. Let God move through you! Take the mantle of the sons of Issachar!         Rise up! Hineni! Here, I am! Be perceptive, mission-minded strategists. Let God use you. Be one of Christ's divine, wise strategists with prophetic insight!   Scholars of the Word         Last, here's the third reason why you want to be in the tribe of Issachar: The tribe's descendants were scholars of the Word.         In modern times, people tend to view donkeys as sleepy, dull, and dumb. However, the Issacharite ancestors revered the donkey, as opposed to the wide ass likened to Ismael. The ancients saw donkeys as gentle and patient, even when bearing a very heavy burden. The donkey loved his master. It would run to his master to find him, even in a crowd.         Donkeys have more going for them than people realize. So too, with the Issacharites. The people of Israel recognized the farmers from the Jezreel Valley for their knowledge of the Torah. Their symbol showed the interpretation of Scripture as authoritative. They studied the Law constantly and looked for the ways and mysteries of God.         Although the ninth son of Jacob, the prince of the tribe during the time of Moses was the second to bring the offering for the dedication of the altar (Num 6:18-23) for the reason the tribe was well versed in the Law. Additionally, it was critical to show intelligent and learned classes like the tribe of Issachar united with the military and declared their allegiance to David. Also, they were the most influential in making proselytes (Deut 3:64), Gentile converts to Judaism.         Rise up! Hineni! Let God use you. Be scholars of the Word.   Close         Remember why you should choose the tribe of Issachar...because of the Issachar anointing.         Reason 1: You are the sons and daughters of Issachar, Christ's mighty men and women of valor--at war for souls. Be a strong and robust donkey, bearing burdens for the Name of Jesus. You have a commitment and steadfastness to follow Christ as His disciples. Souls must be saved! Grit your teeth for battle and pray like spiritual warriors against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12).         Reason 2: You are the sons and daughters of Issachar, Christ's mission-minded strategists with prophetic insight. Romans 13:11 says "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for new is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Rise up. you have the gift of discernment with an understanding of the times from wisdom through the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God wants you to have knowledge. In the last days, you need to be stubborn like a donkey with the truth of God's Word and stand in righteousness against the world's adversity in the Name of Jesus.         Reason 3: You are the sons and daughters of Issachar, Christ's scholars of the Word. Remember the donkey colt Jesus rode through the city of Jerusalem? Zechariah 9:9 predicted Jesus' entrance: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass." The donkey was set aside to carry the Word made flesh into Jerusalem for His offering as a sacrifice for salvation. Be the donkey that submits to the Master. Learn Scripture and let it ride upon your back as you bring it into Jerusalem and all the nations.         Wake up, Sons and Daughters of Issachar! Hineni! "Here I am!" Bring your reward under the Issachar anointing. The above was adapted from a sermon at the Lighthouse Church of All Nations from the Find Your Tribe series.