# 448 The Prophecy for Issachar

The Book of Genesis

Day 448

Ge 49:14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens;  15 He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves.

Jacob now blesses and prophesies for Issachar, and he likens him to a strong (willed) donkey. I get the picture here of a donkey fully loaded with burdens packed on each side, and then the donkey lying down and refusing to move. He saw that “rest was good, and that the land was pleasant.” (In other words, “I think I’ll stay right here) Or maybe this donkey is of the kind that just as you are about to load him up, he drops his shoulder in order to slip the load rather than receive it.

With this in mind, Issachar strikes me as being stubbornly lazy, and we all know what laziness leads to…..slavery. Pr 12:24 says, “The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.” And  Pr 24:33,34 reminds us: “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;  34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”

In the parable of the Talents, the servant who did nothing with his talent was called a wicked and slothful servant. His sin, was not investing his talent! God given talents (measures of grace) are invested in us when we receive the Holy Spirit, and these spiritual aptitudes are invested in the kingdom whenever we exercise faith, or confidence in God’s Word through obedience.  To not invest is a laziness that is equated with wickedness. In Heb 6:12 we are admonished to “not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

In this day and age of “feel good” religion, I sense the spirit of Issachar is alive and well. People stop by church  for their once a week shot of “feel good,” then out of pure laziness neglect the matters of faith. They lack understanding just as a donkey does. They think somehow that this burden of acting on God’s Word is too heavy, but that’s not what Jesus says! He says, “Come unto Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Do you think following Jesus is a load? Well, think about this! Why was He able to come into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday sitting on a donkey’s COLT!(Jn 12:14,15) I believe this was a physical demonstration  of a spiritual reality! Jesus’ burden is light! Succumb to it!

To be content with where your at in your spiritual walk is slothfulness! It is lukewarmness and Jesus tells the lukewarm that He will spew them out of His mouth! Any slothfulness in exercising faith will lead to enslavement. The way out of this dilemma is simply this: Turn to Jesus! Surrender to Him. Let Him lift your burdens. Don’t just go to church to “feel good.” Go to church to worship your burden lifter. Worship the one who has lifted all your sins. Worship the One who yearns to lift all your worries and concerns, and start exercising faith OUTSIDE the walls of your church, lest you become enslaved again!

It’s simple! Pray that God will speak to you through His Word, and when He does, (and He will speak to the surrendered) act on what He has told you! When you do, the spirit of the lazy Issachar will be defeated in your life.