Understanding the Times

The Sons of Issachar

Charlie Steinmetz was a dwarf with a deformed body. However, he possessed one of the greatest minds in the specialty of electricity the world has ever known.

He built the generators for Henry Ford’s first auto plant. One day, those generators broke down, and production came to a halt. A few mechanics and technicians worked effortlessly, but could not solve the problem. Every hour the plant was down meant a large loss of money. Finally, Ford called Steinmetz back to the plant. The genius came in, tinkered around for a few hours, threw the switch, and the plant returned to full operation.

A few days later, Henry Ford received a bill from Charlie for ten thousand dollars – a considerable sum of money in those days. Although Ford was extremely wealthy by this time, he returned the bill with a note that said, “Charlie, isn’t this bill just a little high for a few hours of tinkering around with those motors?” Steinmetz returned the bill, stating, “For tinkering around on the motors: $10; for knowing where to tinker, $9,990. Total bill: $10,000.” Henry Ford paid the bill.

1 Chronicles 12:32 “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;”

2 things here: 1) They understood the times. 2) They knew what needed to be done.

I walked into the men’s restroom the other day and heard something that got my attention. I knew water was running somewhere. I couldn’t see it, but I could hear it. I knew there was a problem. I opened up the doors underneath the sink and I saw water coming out and I knew we needed to get that turned off, but I did not know how to fix the problem. Handyman work is not my forte! I did, however, know that I should talk to Mark, because he does have that skillset.

It’s important to discern the times, but if you don’t know what to do with that information, it really doesn’t help.

Understanding- know, notice, hear of, learn; reveal, be or become known; realize, perceive

Genesis 19:30–38 NKJV

Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

Lot did not know when his daughters came in or left. That word no is the same word we read about in regards to the sons of Issachar.

Yet here, Lot was spiritually asleep. He was trying to drown out his sorrows and not feel his pain. He was drunk and he was not vigilant to what the enemy was doing.

This twisted account of the sin of Lot’s daughters led to the creation of 2 satanic nations who would be a thorn in the flesh of Israel over and over.

The enemies of Israel were created by a failure to recognize what was going on. A failure to discern what the enemy was doing.

How many enemies do we create ourselves, because of our bad choices?

How are some ways that the enemy distracts us from understanding the times in our lives and world and knowing what we should do about them?

2 Chronicles 20:1–22 NKJV

It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them—here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high. So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.