GOD’S DESCRIPTION OF LOVE, Part 19 continued. - BEARING ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Issachar, the sixth son of Jacob, was prophesied over by his father, Jacob at the time of Jacob’s death: “Issachar is a strong ass crouching down between the burdens: And he saw the rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute” (Genesis 49:14, 15).

Prophetically, Issachar was to be a bearer of burdens. He could see that the land was pleasant. Possibly the only way to make the land profitable would be to bend both his shoulders down and get stuck in and do what had to be done.

All of this would result in well-earned rest. The Bible describes the rest as “good rest.” After working so hard to clear the land of rocks etc., and then to plant the garden and crops his rest would be good and well-deserved.

Whatever we face in life, whatever challenges and burdens, God has provided us with his great agape love to be able to bear it.

Jesus Christ, at the cross, bowed down and carried on His shoulders the burdens of all the sins of mankind, from the beginning of creation until the end. He knew that this was the only way He could enter into His final, “good rest,” along with all the redeemed of the earth.

Isaiah 53:11: “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

Galatians 6:2 exhorts us to: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

If Jesus Christ, our great King of kings and Lord of lords, should become the greatest burden bearer that ever lived or ever will live, why would we not bow down both of our shoulders like Issachar, who in this prophecy was a type of Christ? We should also whole-heartedly bear one another another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.

In a very true sense, the law of Christ was not fulfilled completely at the cross of Calvary. I realize that this sounds radical. On our behalf all the law of Moses was fulfilled and yet the law of Christ is still being fulfilled as we lay down our lives for one another and shoulder one another’s burdens.

If we do not bear one another’s burdens the law of Christ is not being fulfilled. How tragic is that?

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell