CHAPTER 6
LUKE WARM:
THE BIBLICAL ISSACHAR
“THE ISSACHAR SPIRIT”
“... Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
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Virtuous sat speechless in the family den watching the credits. She had the house to herself. Instead of reading her latest novel she watched a video of Issachar’s grandfather, Luke Isaac Warm, whom Izzy called Poppy, preaching. The Pastor of Son City Ministries found the video in the archives, at the church, and gave it to her.
No one, in the family, had seen this one yet, but her. The Pastor said he would leave it to her discretion to show it to the rest of the Warm family. Virtuous knew that Issachar’s Poppy or grandfather was a bible teacher and licensed minister. She had heard some of his tapes and saw some of his other videos, but not this one.
It was a teaching on Genesis 49:14-15 about a man named Issachar. Virtuous had NEVER heard of him before and she’d been in church her whole life.
She had always wondered why his grandfather named her husband Issachar and where he’d gotten the name. She was surprised that Issachar was a real bible character.
She read: “... Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV). In the video Poppy described Issachar as “...a strong ass...” He talked about the ass, which is another name for donkey, being a POWERFUL animal, with a STRONG body that could patiently carry its burdens. The ass was also considered a SWIFT, DOMESTIC beast of burden.
The ASS, which carried its burden and was a strong and powerful enough animal to do so. However, it was often perceived, by MOST people, as lazy and stupid. But the ASS may not be lazy or stupid at all, but REBELLIOUS.
For years, in human history, the ASS has helped and contributed to human labor, agriculture, travel, transportation, was ridden by soldiers in the Calvary, and pulled chariots. That didn’t sound lazy or stupid to Virtuous. Asses were also VERY valuable, at one time, and associated with the wealthy.
Further, they suffered great abuse, because of their stubbornness to OBEY commands. God often tells humans NOT to think more highly of themselves than they should. ASSES would stop working because they “instinctly” knew their LIMITATIONS.
In addition, stupid is also associated with ASSES, but, again, “rebellious” is a MORE appropriate description.
It is possible that their REBELLIOUS nature made them appear unwise, senseless, thoughtless, irresponsible, injudicious, rash, imprudent or STUPID, but they are and were NOT.
Virtuous believed the label STUPID really derived from the fact that “this” animal WANTS to do what it wants or CHOOSES TO DO.
On another note, the ASS may really be SMARTER than humans give them credit for. They have great stamina, they need less food, they are not easily startled, they know what they can or cannot do, and maybe these qualities are what make them “SEEM” stupid and BECOME too stubborn for their own good.
Mankind gave the ASS the human labels of stupid, lazy, and stubborn, but God, the Holy Spirit, created this animal. EVERYTHING God created was good and had a divine purpose. Being an example of rebellion, to teach mankind lessons, is PURPOSE too.
“... Issachar is a strong ass...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV). Issachar, the ASS, may have had great stamina too, was not easily startled by life, knew what he could or couldn’t do, and maybe those qualities made him unwise or too stubborn for their own good.
My husband, Issachar is an ASS. She had actually said those words to him. It was a stubborn Spirit. The Issachar Spirit.
Like the Word of God says, “... Issachar is a strong ass [that is found, in the bible]... couching down between two burdens...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
Issachar CROUCHED, bent, bowed, squatted, stooped, hunkered DOWN "between” TWO places.
During Issachar’s time this referred to sheepfolds or PENS, where sheep or cattle were put during the night. These sheepfolds or PENS were DIVIDED into two parts where one was for the larger animals and the other for the smaller animals so had a place to “hunker” down for the night.
“... Issachar is ... [found]... couching down between two burdens...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
Crouching down between TWO burdens also meant an ASS would have sacks of corn hanging on one side and bales of goods hanging on the other when they came to a good pasture or place. They would lie down with BOTH burdens on their backs and would rise up with them too. Thus, “...between two burdens...”
Issachar made a WILLFUL decision to CROUCH down between TWO BORDERS, which was symbolic to couching down between two BURDENS.
One BORDER he shared with his people (tribe) and the other BORDER he shared with foreigners.
Issachar SAW the land he wanted and stubbornly rested there instead of GOING into the battle, or the tented fields of war, or the struggle for freedom with his TRIBE in order to get to the PROMISED LAND.
Issachar was equipped, but didn’t want to put up the effort or exertion it would take for the necessary devotion to agriculture and pastoral pursuits. “... Issachar ...saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
So he willingly choose to STAY “couched” on the BORDER, which meant he would have the BURDEN of paying a TRIBUTE to his foreign neighbors, especially if he wanted to secure their protection.
He also established a close connection with Zebulon, his foreign neighbor, too who was the sovereign leader. “... Issachar ...bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
Thus, Issachar submits to BOTH or two burdens willingly choosing a life of a burden bearer and a payer or “servant” of “forced” or “false” tribute. He becomes a HIRELING by disposition as his name implies.
The PROMISED LAND belonged to JACOB’S descendants, which included Issachar, the fifth son, of Jacob and Leah. “...And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession...” (Genesis 47:3-6 KJV).
“...Jacob said to Joseph, “The Strong God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. He said, ‘I’m going to make you prosperous and numerous, turn you into a congregation of tribes; and I’ll turn this land over to your children coming after you as a permanent inheritance.’ I’m adopting your two sons who were born to you here in Egypt before I joined you; they have equal status with Reuben and Simeon. But any children born after them are yours; they will come after their brothers in matters of inheritance. I want it this way...” (Genesis 48:3-6 MSG).
Issachar was part of the promised INHERITANCE, but he WANTED to do it HIS WAY. That’s why “... Issachar is ... [found]... couching down between two burdens...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV). Issachar BECAME a tributary servant which meant he paid servitude to a foreign sovereignty, Zebulun, as long as he stayed “couched” on that border. It required LABOR and “FORCED” tribute whether Issachar liked it or not.
Virtuous was speechless. She now understood why his grandfather had named him Issachar. For years he was simply Luke Warm then on his own volition he began to go by Issachar.
Both names had prophetic implications to the life her husband had lived and maybe many other co-called Christians too.
Virtuous never knew her husband when he was Luke Warm. He met him after he started calling himself Issachar. Plus, she’d always called in Izzy for short.
Virtuous remembered an old Sunday school verse on lukewarm Christians. She went to look up the passage and read it. “...So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth....” (Revelation 3:16 NASB).
She’d learned about this verse in her youth. Deacon Meadows taught them that “spew” or “spue” meant to vomit. When someone vomits it is their body’s way of protecting them from something HARMFUL. It is a NATURAL response to EXPEL HARMFUL things from the body.
Thus, it is a supernatural response for God, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus to EXPEL the lukewarm Christian from the church body. “...because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue (vomit) thee out of my mouth (my body)...” (Revelation 3:16 KJV). “...Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says: “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless...” (Revelations 3: 14-16 KJV).
“...He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth...” (Revelations 3:13-16 KJV).
Virtuous was beginning to understand that the lukewarm Christian derived from those who attempted to serve God, the Holy Spirit, and serve the sinful nature too. They are STUCK between TWO opinions or CROUCHED between two burdens.
“...And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word...” (1 Kings 18:21 KJV). “... couching down between two burdens...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
“...No man (woman) can serve two masters: for either he (she) will hate the one, and love the other; or else he (she) will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon...” (Matthew 6:24 KJV).
The lukewarm does a LOT of religious things, but doesn’t really care about what they’re doing. Thus, the lukewarm faithfully do their duty, put in their time, contend with religious duties, attend to their moral tasks, but it is only a FORM of godliness that denies the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “... Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth...” (2 Timothy 3:5-7 KJV).
“...Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people...” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 MSG).
“...These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors...” (2 Timothy 3:6-9 MSG).
Lukewarm people have NO “real,” heartfelt concern about giving Glory to God, or the interest of Jesus Christ, or his truth. This was the condition of Laodicea Church in Revelations. This is the condition of many co-called Christians today.
God, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus, his Word says he WILL “vomit” lukewarm people OUT of his body! “ … the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these …” (Galatians 5:20-22 NASB).
“... immorality, impurity, sensuality ...and things like these …” (Galatians 5:20-22 NASB). These kind of sinful practices include adultery, fornication, and uncleanness.
These kinds of deeds justifies or condones having sex outside of marriage, with a married person, single person, same sex person, bestiality, with the lusts of the eyes through pornography, prostitutes (male or female), lusts of the flesh, whore-mongering (male or female), incest, rape, sexually abusing another, or any other form of sexual perversion.
It also includes apostasy or unfaithfulness to God with idols (people or things), denying the power of God, or lukewarm-ness. In addition, all immoral behavior is anything in opposition of purity and holiness, including being lukewarm.
“... I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...” (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB).
Virtuous didn’t know Izzy when he went simply by Luke Warm, but she KNEW Issachar. They were different SIDES of the SAME coin as the saying goes.
Her husband was both lukewarm and the ASS that had crouched down between TWO burdens. Virtuous concluded that she, the children, the ministry, and his businesses were one of his BURDENS. What was the other?
Issachar lied down with BOTH burdens on his back day after day, year after year and he’d rise up with them too. So did her husband.
Issachar made a decision to COUCH down between these two BURDENS or places. Issachar SAW the life he wanted and stubbornly rested in “that” place. “... Issachar ...saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant...” (Genesis 49:14-15 KJV).
His grandfather had said the biblical Issachar BECAME a tributary servant which meant he paid servitude to a foreign sovereignty as long as he stayed “couched” on that border. It required LABOR and “FORCED” tribute whether Issachar liked it or not.
Virtuous put her bible, journal, and study books away. Who was Issachar paying “forced” or “fake” tribute to? Who was the “golden calf” or IDOL in his life? She knew what she had to do next.
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