1 chronicles chapter 5 verse 22 (NIV)
and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.
1 Chronicles chapter 5 verses 24-26 (NIV)
These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.
John chapter 15 verse 5 (NIV)
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
We read that the battle fought by the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh belonged to the Lord. It was He who had equipped and enabled the heads of their clans to be able to fight and win.
Yet those men allowed their talent and fame, which was God-given, to go to their heads. So we read that God left them to fight under their own steam, and they were defeated and taken captive.
We need to be careful not to forget who it is who gives us the gifts and abilities to do His will. Without Him we can do nothing. We also remember that pride does indeed come before a fall.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us all that we need to do Your will. Help me to remember the Giver of the gifts, and never to focus on the gifts themselves. For indeed we are only branches in the vine. Without Christ we can do nothing. Amen.