Going to war for our next generation

Numbers 32:16-17 (ESV)
Then they came near to him and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, [17] but we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

Then they came near to him. Moses' rebuke drew them not away from God, but they were shaken to draw themselves closer to Him. Moses warning scared them not away in fear for God's wrath, but provoked them to repentance. Why do we draw ourselves away from God when we are rebuked by Him? God's heart is not that by listening to His harsh words we run away from His presence, but that we run towards His gracious arms. God rebukes and chastens those He loves, not those He hates. If He hated us, He would have left us in the coldness of His silence and left us dead in our sins until the Day of Judgment. But because He loves us, He corrects us every day and His eyes test us at every moment. God loves the world, and that is why He sends prophets and messenger to warn them of their sins and of the judgment to come. It is the wrong response to His love for us to be drawn back by His chastening, but in faith we are to draw nearer to His throne of grace:
Hebrews 10:38-39 (KJV)
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. [39] But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul
Do we think that when God rebukes us for our sins God will destroy us if we draw near to Him? On the contrary, the above scripture says we will be destroyed if we draw back from Him. Let us thus be warned, and draw nearer to Him, believing that He will receive us. As the father received the prodigal son and clothed him with the best robe, God will cover our sins with His grace when we draw near. We have not come to the mount Sinai which no man could approach for the fear of wrath, but rather we have come to Jerusalem which draws us nearer and nearer to His arms:
Hebrews 12:22-24 (KJV)
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, [24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
We can draw nigh to God because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We can go near because Christ has paid the price for the sins we are being rebuked for. God has made the way for us, and made it possible for us to dwell in His holiness by His Son's death. Let us believe in Christ then, for by believing in Him more, we draw ourselves closer to our Holy God.

We will build sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones, but we will take up arms. We see here that this generation is concerned about their children as much as the first generation was. Remember how the first generation complained unto Moses:
Exodus 17:3 (KJV)
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
It is a natural thing to be concerned about our children, about their future and wellbeing. It is no sin to do this, but it shows our love for them. But the difference is how we respond to our concerns. We can see here that the first generation complained, while the second generation built. The second generation worked hard to build the future for their children and their livestock, while the first generation blamed God for bringing them out to die in the wilderness. True faith in God for our second generations works diligently to build a godly future for our children, while faithlessness complains to God about the harshness of reality. See what these two tribes said, "our children will live in fortified cities". They were willing to protect their children from the inhabitants by building high walled cities. We Christians must likewise build fortified cities of truth and faith for our children to dwell in, lest their hearts and mind be invaded with the decay of sin. This is tough work. Those with dead faith do nothing for their children's faith, and when destroyers come, they have nothing to defend their children. They complain of a wicked society, but do nothing to protect their children's souls. This is also what Lot did, and his daughters had no sense of morality since their minds were corrupted by the evil practices of the inhabitants of Sodom. Lot, probably so concerned about his business, simply failed to pass on his faith to his daughters. He built no fortified cities for them to prevent them from the Enemy's attacks.

But the biggest difference of the faithful parent is that he will fight for his children's future, as the men say, "but we will take up arms, and ready to go before the people of Israel". These two tribes were ready to fight for the next generation. They were not only ready to build cities for them to dwell in, but to fight their enemies for them. Are we fighting for our next generation of believers? Are we contending for the faith, to preserve it, that we may hand it down to our children untainted? Are we preserving the Gospel, so that the next generation can hear the Gospel that we preached and be saved, and also hand in down to their generation? Or are we careless in this battle? Worse yet, are we fighting against God, as the first generation Israel did, and not fighting for God's cause? Having become the friend of the world, have we become nothing but the enemies of God, not fighting for the believers of the future? Jesus Christ fought this fight for His children, by His own death, that He might make them dwell in the Fortress and High Tower, which is God Himself. Christ sacrificed Himself in this war that we His seed may dwell in safety forever. Let us also likewise sacrifice ourselves for our next generation.

Until we have brought them to their place. Another difference was that the second generation were willing to place the Kingdom of God above their own families. Reuben and Gad resolve to help their brethren first gain their inheritance, then only after they will return to their land. They cared for Israel above their own children, but this was what ultimately preserved their children:
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
It was this mindset that Moses and God was pleased with. Likewise we ought to seek the Kingdom of God first, even above our family, not that we may neglect them, or love them less, but that we may preserve them. We think keeping our family as the top priority is noble, even at the cost of neglecting God's kingdom. We think if we care for them above everything, even above God's Church, we are helping to secure their future. But we do not realize that our excessive love of family is idolatry, and it is what will destroy both us and our children. Remember how the priest Eli honoured his sons more than God and God's judgment came upon his house:
1 Samuel 2:29-30 (ESV)
Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?'' [30] Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ''I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,'' but now the LORD declares: ''Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Eli's family ultimately lost everything, because Eli loved his own family above God's house. Eli had no legacy to pass on to his generations, for God took it all away from him. The world is filled with people like Eli, who love their families above all else but despise God's family. They think it noble, but it is in reality selfishness. But Christians ought to realize that we have a spiritual family that is just as real as a natural one. We really are brethren, all linked by the blood and the flesh of Christ, and under one Father. Let us take care of our brethren as much as we take care of our families. Let us fight the war for our brethren first, and then take care of our flesh and blood. Will not God then honour our hearts and add all things for our children and their future? Loving God above our children is the best thing that we can do for our children. This is the war we must fight, that we love our children less than God - for their sake. Is not this what Abraham did, when he was willing to even offer his own son for the love of God? His love for God did not destroy Issac, but it was what secured the future of Isaac, Jacob and his generations to follow. For God loves to the thousandth generation those who love Him and place Him first:
Exodus 20:5-6 (ESV)
You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.