The Sons of Issachar: Knowing What Israel Should Do Part 1

In the past couple weeks, we began examining the implications and applications of the biblical example of the Sons of Issachar for the Christian artist.  In First Chronicles 12:32, these men are specifically noted for being those “. . .who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. . .”; their example there forming a two-pronged model for artists (and Christians of any other calling, for that matter) to follow in effectively practicing their vocation before God and the world.

Those two prongs are “understanding the times” and “knowing what Israel should do,” which, as we’ve seen in past weeks, equate respectively to (1) understanding our historical and cultural situation so that we can, with good effect, influence our society by our artistry toward obedience to Christ, and (2) knowing Holy Scripture as the Blueprint for what we are to do and believe in the times we live in.  Up until now, we’ve looked primarily at what “understanding the times” means for us, seeing that we are to work to understand the historical development of our culture, so that we can extend Truth to it in ways that it can grasp, and that we are to see our own artistic development in light of the history of our art-form, seeking to better the practice of our art by subjecting it through apprenticeship to those more advanced in its practice (e.g., those better at it than we are).  Thus, “understanding the times” is largely about history and traditions.

We turn now to a consideration of what the second part of the Issacharians’ example, that of “knowing what Israel should do,” might mean for Christian artists.  Israel, of course, was the holy nation of God’s people, and as the New Testament clearly teaches (Eph 2:11-22; Gal 4:21-31; Rom 2:28-29; Gal 3:6-9, 26-29; Rom 4:9-16; etc.), the Church is now Israel spiritually.  Knowledge of what God’s people should do can be based only on the Bible, the Church’s only Standard and Infallibly True Guide to faith and duty (Prov 29:18; Isa 8:20; Gal 1:8; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17, etc.), which is the Light of our path (Ps 119:105).  Scripture, as God’s written Word, speaks to the entire spectrum of human experience, providing men with guidance and illumination for every situation humanity will ever face.  

Because God has spoken to us in His Word (2 Peter 1:20-21) as the Creator from beyond history, and as the One Who has created our history (Gen 1:1; Rev 1:17), His Word will remain forever, though our history will end (Isa 40:6-8).  This means that, though historical situations change constantly, the Bible’s Message remains unchanged and constant, and is applicable to any and all of history’s fluctuating periods.  This is important because it shows us that the Message remains the same, though our ways of communicating that Message will change, to some extent, in reflection of current historical cultural development (in other words, the way our culture communicates artistically).

At this point, we must realize that the two prongs of the Sons of Issachar’s model work in tandem in respect to communicating artistically as Christians.  It’s obvious from the Scripture that traditions and history are vitally important concerning the artist’s task.  In point of fact, however, without the Bible’s guidance, having an understanding of cultural history is relatively meaningless, much like sailing a ship without a rudder.  Tradition is extremely important, but like all human experience, it must be subjected to the Eternal Standards of God’s Word.  Only those parts of tradition (this includes forms, content, etc.) that are in accord with Scripture’s Standards are worthwhile or useful for the Christian (this will leave us with a spectrum of experience and expression that is both wider and narrower than might at first be expected, as we’ll see in the future).  This truth must never be forgotten as we essay to faithfully perform our calling as Christians, because to depart from this practice is to depart from God’s Perfect Blueprint for our lives and callings.

The Bible alone provides us with the necessary eternally true perspectives by which we can judge our fallen history and traditions, rejecting the parts of those that are at odds with God’s Holiness, but holding to and building upon that which is in accord with God’s Will.  This is the path of true Christian progress, artistic or otherwise.  In order to “judge not according to appearance, but make a righteous judgement” (John 7:24), we must truly know God’s Word in all of Its Aspects, so that we can “know what Israel should do” in our day in time.