Issachar gives us an example of a good early influence despite his odd beginnings. Among the negative influences we inherit, there are also some that work for our good. Observe the very strange beginning of Issachar. The Lord came to the help of Leah. She had stopped giving birth, but then along came Issachar.

Read Genesis 30:14-16

Leah actually hired her husband that evening, in exchange for giving Rachel her mandrakes. The competitiveness between the two sisters was bitter and real.  The idea of hiring out his strength in exchange for wages was a trait that Issachar inherited from his mother.

Read Genesis 49:14-15

Issachar hired out his natural strength in exchange for wages and so came to represent a tribe who were burden-bearers. It’s a good trait. This is the character trait which was inherited by his descendants. Observe the development of this characteristic in the tribe.

Read 1 Chronicles 7:1-5 and Judges 5:15

The tribe of Issachar was instrumental in protecting Israel from her enemies.  The tribe produced many mighty men of valour, and men who were discerning and knew what Israel ought to do in the various circumstances that confronted the nation, 1 Chronicles 12:32.

When King Saul died, the tribe of Issachar knew what Israel had to do, and they came in large numbers to support David and to help bear his burdens. Among all the other tribes that also came to help, they were the only ones, we are told, who knew what had to be done. The other tribes came to help but they did not possess that sense of responsibility, that sense of being a burden-bearer and a leader in the fight to establish the throne of David.  This is a good quality, a good characteristic to have.

SELF-DENYING SERVICE

Read 2 Kings 4:8-10

In Elisha’s travels as a minister, he often came to Shunem in the land of Issachar. Here we have a woman of Issachar who was prepared to serve the travelling man of God in such a wonderful way. She and her husband recognised and respected the holy office of Elisha, and they wanted to support and help him in any way they could. Can you see played out here that wonderful characteristic of Issachar? One who is willing to bear burdens on behalf of others.

Read 2 Kings 4:12-30, 36-37

Here we have the story of the blessing that came to this woman because of her faithfulness and self-denying service. We also hear of the death of her son, but also of the woman’s response. Once again, we are given an example of knowing exactly what to do.  Here we see faith and works in action.

GOD’S CALL TO SERVICE

Brother D’s testimony needs to be enlivened by the grace of God. He needs a new anointing, that he may be able to comprehend the magnitude of the work and devote his entire being to the advancement of the cause of God. The Lord has work enough to employ all His followers. {2T 645.2}

Not just ministers, but every church member. God has work enough to employ all His followers.

All can show forth His glory if they will. But the majority refuse to do this. They profess faith but have not works. Their faith is dead, being alone. They shun responsibilities and burdens and will be rewarded as their works have been.

Because some will not lift the burdens they could lift, or do the work they might do, the work is too great for the few who will engage in it. They see so much to do that they overtax their strength and are fast wearing out. God calls for laborers whose interests are fully identified with His work and His cause. {2T 645.3}

Here you can see the contrast between the ones who labour, the Issachars, and those who don’t. Which tribe do we belong to in regard to labour? Those who have that gift of labour and put effort into it, make up the tribe of Issachar.

NOT IMMUNE TO UNGODLINESS

Do these good qualities of laying the shoulder to the wheel, of lifting heavy burdens to make the work easier for others, make those who belong to this tribe immune to ungodliness? Who did Issachar join in the time of Jeroboam? Israel had split into two kingdoms – the north with ten tribes, and Judah with two tribes. Issachar went with the north. So even though they were a very productive, hard-working tribe, they still became corrupt like with the rest of the northern tribes.

Read 1 Kings 15:25-28  - Here was a man from Issachar, Baasha, who knew what to do to stem the tide of evil. That was good. But unfortunately, the narrative continues.

Read 1 Kings 15:29 – 30. God had already warned Jeroboam and his son that this would happen.

Read 1 Kings 15:32 - So, he reigned 24 years, but unfortunately his bad traits overruled the good. You can be a good worker and lose your focus on the Lord. This is what happened here. He succeeded in conquering the corrupt kings, but became corrupt himself, 1 Kings 15:34

Good traits don’t necessarily mean that they form part of the character forever; like a tender plant they need to be carefully cultivated.

The Issacharites fell with the rest of the tribes of Israel, but were they able to recover themselves? Were they eventually victorious?

RETURNING TO THE LORD

Read 2 Chronicles 30:17-18

Some of the northern tribes invited by King Hezekiah to the Passover in Jerusalem, went along.  Issachar was with them. However, they did “eat the Passover otherwise than it was written.” They did not follow the cleansing ritual that preceded it.

Read 2 Chronicles 30:18 -20 

So, although they were corrupt and not cleansed, King Hezekiah prayed for them. He prayed that God would pardon everyone that prepared his heart to seek the Lord.

If we fall, if we go astray, we can seek the Lord and prepare our hearts again to receive Him. The tribe of Issachar possessed many good qualities and laboured hard, but they went astray. However, they could recover themselves. Returning to God, as they did, will not be in vain.

Invitation upon invitation was sent to erring Israel to return to their allegiance to Jehovah. Tender were the pleadings of the prophets; and as they stood before the people, earnestly exhorting to repentance and reformation, their words bore fruit to the glory of God. 

Through Micah came the wonderful appeal, “Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel.

“O My people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. {PK 325}

Despite their many failures, God still appealed to them to seek the Lord with all their heart.

In the days of apostasy in Judah and Israel, many were inquiring: “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil?” The answer is plain and positive: “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:6-8. {PK 326.1}

As some of the men from Issachar came and prepared their heart to meet the Lord, they were asking, What should we do? They didn’t have the cleansing offerings but King Hezekiah prayer for them. And the answer came, “I am not looking for the cleansing by symbolism; what is required is that you should do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

In urging the value of practical godliness, the prophet was only repeating the counsel given Israel centuries before. Through Moses, as they were about to enter the Promised Land, the word of the Lord had been: “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and His statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” Deuteronomy 10:12, 13.

From age to age these counsels were repeated by the servants of Jehovah to those who were in danger of falling into habits of formalism and of forgetting to show mercy. When Christ Himself, during His earthly ministry, was approached by a lawyer with the question, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40. {PK 326.2}

Even though the tribe of Issachar went astray, many inquired of the Lord and returned to Him.  This is why the tribe of Issachar is among the twelve tribes of the 144,000. Among them will be those who are hard-working like Martha. Martha was diligent and hard-working, but she wasn’t like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus. However, if the Marthas of this world respond to the call of Jesus to make Him first in their life, they will be among the saved. Those who do so will be privileged to be among the 144,000.

Money cannot be carried into the next life; it is not needed there; but the good deeds done in winning souls to Christ are carried to the heavenly courts. But those who selfishly spend the Lord’s gifts on themselves, leaving their needy fellow creatures without aid and doing nothing to advance God’s work in the world, dishonour their Maker. {Ibid.}

However, if we respond to His call, God will ‘give back to man those spiritual gifts lost because of sin’.  Isn’t that encouraging?

ISSACHARS NEEDED

When emergencies arise we need Issachars.

But when an emergency arises, and help is needed, no worker should say, That is not my work. The helper who has the idea that he is only to do the work assigned him, and no more, who feels no responsibility to help wherever and whenever help is needed, should at once dismiss this idea from his mind. He should never feel that a wrong is done him if in an emergency he is asked to work overtime. When extra help is needed, let the workers assist willingly, in Christian meekness, and they will receive a blessing. {MM 176.4}

The world and the church need Issachars. They will lift the burden, even when the burden is not their responsibility.

It may be that some will rebel when they are asked to do the small, common duties. But these are the duties they need to know how to perform. It is faithfulness in little things that prepares us for usefulness in larger responsibilities. The most successful toilers are those who cheerfully take up the work of serving God in little things. . .  Those who desire to be useful can always find employment. Time will never hang heavy on their hands. {MM 177.1}

Issachars are needed, especially in these last days when difficulties arise. When people drop out, who is going to do the job?

I was shown that some ministers among us fail to bear all the responsibility that God would have them. This lack throws extra labour upon those who are burden bearers. . . Important decisions are to be made; but as mortal man cannot see the end from the beginning, some shrink from venturing and advancing as the providence of God leads. Someone must advance; someone must venture in the fear of God, trusting the result with Him. Those ministers who shun this part of the labour are losing much. They are failing to obtain that experience which God designed they should have to make them strong, efficient men that can be relied upon in any emergency. {3T 13.3}

Issachars are needed. Even though they may have fallen, they need to take courage and prepare their hearts, and those qualities which they lost will be restored to them.

Revelation 7:7 . . . Of the tribe of Issachar [were] sealed twelve thousand.