Focus: The Blessing Of Gad

Text: Dt.33:20,21

"And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head. And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel."

Gad is Leah's son by Zilpah her maid. He comes as the seventh son of Jacob, after Naphtali. His name means troop, marauding band, or fortune. The name Gad means, in its verbal form, 'to cut, to invade, and to expose.' After his birth, Leah says of him, 'A troop is coming.' Just imagine a situation where one is a crowd or an army! You are surely more than you are aware of. There's more to you than what meets the eye. Gad is not just a troop; he is trooping.

Jacob's last word to him is: "Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last" (Gen.49:19). That's another way of saying, 'Gad, you will not suffer defeat forever. Victory shall be your final story. You will laugh at last. You will go from defeat to triumph. In the battle of life, you will win ultimately. You are built to last and are fortified to win.'

The writer of the books of the Chronicles describes the men of Gad as "strong men of might, men of war for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, their faces the faces of lions, and like roes upon the mountains for swiftness" (1Chron.12:8). The tribe of Gad is known to be warlike and fierce - able men who are ready to pounce and plunder. It is said of them in 1Chron.5:19-22: "They WAGED war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. They were HELPED in fighting them, and GOD DELIVERED the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they CRIED OUT to him during the battle. He ANSWERED their prayers, because they TRUSTED in him. They SEIZED the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also TOOK one hundred thousand people captive, and many others fell slain, because the battle was God's. And they OCCUPIED the land until the exile." God fought with, and fought for them. God took over their battle. 

We win our battles against the enemy with the help of God, and it is by praying and trusting God that we gain His help.

*Let's see how fortunate Gad is!

Moses pronounces a blessing on anyone who aids Gad to succeed. Bless Gad, and you are blessed. Help him succeed, and you will be successful. Enrich Gad, and your own life is made. Help to expand the frontiers of Gad, and you will enjoy God's blessing. How people treat Gad determines what becomes their lot in life. He who plots evil against Gad exposes himself to a great danger. No one can afford to be an enemy of Gad. The price is too high to pay for being his foe. That's how fortunate Gad is. He's a man you can't afford to be against. You decide your doom or boom by how you handle him. His fortune is rooted in divine favor.

*Let's see how fierce Gad is!

Moses says Gad dwells as a lion and tears the arm with the crown of the head. Gad is fierce and fearless; a force to reckon with. He is bold and daring. He subdues the strong and conquers sovereign powers. He fights to win. He is formidable. He is a winner, not a whimp; a victor, not a victim; a warrior, not a worrier. Jesus Christ promises the victor's crown to the overcomer. 

Life without battles never exists in this world, but faith in Christ is our winning power, and Christ causes us to win our battles overwhelmingly.

*Let's see how faithful Gad is!

Gad does not waste time in making choices. He takes first and second look at something, and then he makes up his mind. He is the first to choose his portion of land along with Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh. As soon as they saw the area and surveyed it, they knew it was good for them and their kind of business, which was animal husbandry. Moses the lawgiver hands over to Gad the first part of the land of inheritance at his request. But beyond their ability for quick decisions, is their commitment to divine judgment and social justice. Gad occupies a leading position in the land and delivers justice to whoever deserves it. He hates and fights injustice. He believes in right is right and wrong is wrong; no mixups. Gad is ever firm and fair in his dealings. For him, the justice of God must be upheld in the land of Israel. No one deserves to be treated unjustly. I believe that part of Gad's dictum is, Live and Let Live. Gad is faithful in upholding the divine law. He joins hands with others in Israel to uphold the justice of God.

Gad is divinely fortunate, but he must be careful not to turn good fortune into an idol (Isa.65:11,12). Prosperity should not take the place of God in the heart of a Christian. Nothing in this world should be allowed to displace or replace God. We can't afford to use God's blessing for anything that God is against.

Child of God, you are fortunate in Christ and highly favored. People get blessed for blessing you and get God's disapproval for opposing you. With God's armor you are fierce and formidable. No army of hell can defeat you, and as the church of Christ, the gates of hell cannot prevail against us. You are called to be faithful and fruitful. Always stand up for what is right, even if it means standing up alone. Make the right choices at all times, and also, make your requests known to God. Defeat, for you, is temporary. God has destined for you to score the winning goal and to emerge the winner at last. Fear not, for as a lion, you are a terror to the devil. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter