Got Tribe?

Since I have become more acutely aware of of the reality of my surroundings and what appears to be the inevitable end result, I have tried to learn all I can. In this learning process, I strain everything I take in through my personal filters, the primary being The Word of God.  As I've already stated, while these rantings do not meet nor are they suitable replacement for my responsibility to spread the Gospel, they are my interpretations of sound, Biblical practice in all aspects of life.  Even life as we face it today. 

There is alot of advice regarding an individual's ability to survive the current holocaust of the American Way of Life. One aspect of this is the idea of "tribe" which I'm interpreting to mean basically one's association with others of like mind in facing the difficulties which lay ahead. 

First, I am in total agreement with the need for such a weapon in one's arsenal though my view of it has basis in Scripture rather than any war experience.  Allow me to expand briefly.

My reference is Genesis 14:1-16.  This the account of a localized conflict between four city-states vs. five city-states.  In this mix lives a family whose patriarch, Lot, is nephew of Abraham, Father of the Jewish people.  Lot and his, being the unfortunate spoils of war, were carried away captive by the victorious set of kings.  When Uncle Abe got word of the tragedy, he took very specific, calculated action:

13 ¶  "And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
14  And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15  And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus."

He armed his servants(servitude not being a topic of debate nor discussion as it was what it was).  More importantly, he armed his TRAINED, HOME-GROWN servants.  This tells me several things.  Being capably armed was simply an accepted part of life. Being trained in the use of said armament was also an accepted part of life.  Abraham enlisted those who would be naturally closest to him outside of blood kinship.  It's my belief that there was no need for coersion on Abraham's part as these were men born, raised up and trained by a man not known for cruelty and wickedness but rather a quiet and peaceable man.  They had known no other way of life.  What they were called on to do was as natural to them as was any other part of their routine.  So they went to war because Abraham's family was in danger.  The result was a more seasoned, capable force was annihilated by three hundred and nineteen men with a just cause.

"Tribe" must have arms, training, cohesion through mutual trust and a just cause when the need to engage arises. 

A parting thought:  Abraham, though not a cruel nor unjust man, left few if any survivors.  This issue was settled at least for the remainder of his lifetime. 

Tribe for us is just a crucial.