{"id":51868,"date":"2024-06-03T17:19:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T21:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jarissagarcia.com\/?p=51868"},"modified":"2024-06-18T17:13:10","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T21:13:10","slug":"the-importance-of-understanding-the-times-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jarissagarcia.com\/en\/the-importance-of-understanding-the-times-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Understanding the Times (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but prophets are in fashion. The prophetic is trending in most Christian circles. Especially in charismatic environments, the highest praise that many pursue is to be recognized or called “prophets.” And I think we should practice better discernment in associating or identifying people, events, or movements as “prophetic.”<\/p>\n\n

And this is not just my recommendation, but the Apostle John warned us that we must test the spirits: <\/p>\n\n

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Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. <\/p>\n1 John 4:1 NLT<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n

I am convinced that the failure to prove or search out the spiritual source of people puts us at risk of being deceived. A spiritual laziness permeates our ecclesiastical circles making people susceptible to believing everything they hear. Furthermore, I suspect that the desperation of individuals to receive “a word” or “a prophecy” is where the danger lies. And honestly, I think many practice a form of idolatry by focusing on prophecies instead of focusing on relating to God directly. <\/p>\n\n

Please do not misinterpret me. I believe in prophecies. Therefore, I believe in the prophetic gift and in the office of the prophet.<\/strong> However, I argue that we need to discern (and evaluate) just as the Bible prescribes. <\/p>\n\n

I write all this because I have recently heard a lot about the sons of Issachar. And as I reflected and meditated on them, I perceived some things that many preachers do not say or point out. <\/p>\n\n

Introduction about the sons of Issachar<\/h3>\n\n

When people preach about “the sons (or descendants) of Issachar,” they always invite the listener to BE LIKE the “sons of Issachar.” Preachers encourage believers to imitate the skill (or gift) and grace in which they operated. Many preachers associate the sons of Issachar with being prophets. <\/p>\n\n

The famous verse about the “sons of Issachar” that many preach is the following: <\/p>\n\n

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And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were 200; and all their brethren were at their commandment.<\/p>\n1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n

The interpretation of this passage leads many to conclude that the descendants of Issachar were skillful and accurate counselors. The fact that “everyone followed” their advice tells us they enjoyed credibility backed by hard facts. Many conclude that Israel’s war victories were directly related to the council of the “sons of Issachar.” <\/p>\n\n

The verse from 1 Chronicles 12:32 is intertwined with the story of David’s process of becoming king over all of Israel. In this chapter of the Bible, the reader is made aware of the number of people who joined David’s army to confirm him as king. It is an impressive story because it emphasizes the unity of the Israelites as they distance themselves from King Saul to ally themselves with David. <\/p>\n\n

Several details are significant in the narrative. But, in this post, I want to focus on a small detail. <\/p>\n\n

Let’s look at the numbers and figures<\/h3>\n\n

Due to my experience as an engineer, I have a mathematically inclined mind. Therefore, numbers almost always catch my attention. As I began to meditate on the sons of Issachar, the number of chiefs in their tribe intrigued me. <\/p>\n\n

Notice the Bible says “200 leaders.” Other versions write “200 chiefs.” Let’s focus on the number 200.<\/p>\n\n

Now, compare this figure with all the other numbers of warriors and officers who joined David from each tribe (1 Chronicles 12<\/a>:23-37): <\/p>\n\n