What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Is the apostasy of Gilead (Hosea 6:8) already recognizable in the land division (Numbers 4), when Gad, Manasseh and Reuben demanded territories east of the Jordan?"
Answer
The documents suggest that the later apostasy of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh was already rooted in their decision to occupy territories east of the Jordan. This choice was marked by a certain selfishness and resulted in them being spatially separated from the sanctuary and living closer to the pagan influences of their neighbors.
Although these tribes faithfully fulfilled their military obligations in the conquest of Canaan, their isolation and nomadic way of life already caused great concern among leaders such as Joshua. This spatial and spiritual distance fostered more frequent apostasy, which eventually led them to be the first taken into captivity.
The Insecurity of the Eastern Tribes
»Although the territories that Reuben, Gad, and the half‑tribe of Manasseh set their hearts upon were remarkably fertile and beautiful, they were very insecure... Apostasy from the true faith appears to have broken out among them more frequently than among the other tribes, due to their proximity to so many idol‑worshiping neighbors. For this reason they suffered harsher chastisements and were the first to go into captivity.«
Prefigurations of the Isolation Beyond the Jordan
»They were now to dwell at a great distance from the Lord’s sanctuary, and Joshua watched their departure with a concerned heart, knowing how strong the temptations would be in their isolated and nomadic life to fall into the customs of the pagan tribes that lived at their borders... If this was the purpose of the altar they built, then, should it be allowed to stand, it would lead the people away from the true faith.«
The Selfish Character of the Land Choice
»The same selfish character was evident in the fact that the tribe of Reuben wanted to take possession of the first conquered land when they came out of Egypt. Moses clearly recognized their motive in the request, yet he granted them their possession on the “other side of the Jordan.” As a result of this request, they were among the first taken into captivity around 740 B.C. by Tiglat‑Pileser, the king of Assyria.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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