Crossing the Jordan: Choosing the West Side

Verse: Numbers 32:9 – “For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.”

In Numbers 32, we find the Israelites on the brink of their long-awaited entry into the promised land. After their previous failure to possess the land due to fear and unbelief, the new generation has been given a second chance. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad, along with the half-tribe of Manasseh, make a surprising request to settle on the east side of the Jordan River, just before entering the promised land. This decision highlights the tendency we have to settle for what is visible and comfortable, missing out on the abundant blessings and supernatural experiences that await us on the west side of the Jordan. 

Consider that the Jordan River represents the barrier between the familiar wilderness and the undiscovered promised land. It symbolized the transition from the natural to the supernatural. It is the threshold where the Israelites had to choose to either embrace God’s promises or settle for less.

The Israelites of Reuben and Gad saw the adequacy of the land they were currently in and deemed it sufficient. They allowed what was visible to blind them to the immeasurable greatness that lay across the Jordan. Their decision to settle for the east side reflected a compromise, a settling for what they could see instead of pursuing God’s best for them. Thus, they missed out on the Godland, the promised inheritance that awaited them.

Familiar Land vs Godland

Similarly, in our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves standing on the edge of a decision that determines whether we will settle in the familiar or step into His undiscovered promises. I wonder if there are places in your life where you have missed out on HIS best, HIS promises, HIS abundance because you settled for what you could see. Does your familiar land keep you from your Godland? Have you settled for what you can see instead of chasing down what is unseen?

As we choose to prioritize the spiritual over the natural, we can experience a West Side Story in our lives—a story of divine encounters, blessings, and abundance. Don’t settle on the East side of the Jordan, rather pursue the West Side and live in the land of His supernatural promises.