43_Lord_I_wait_for_your_salvation 16“Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned viper in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, So that its rider falls backward. 18 For Your salvation I wait, Lord. Billy Graham once recounted a profound meeting with Konrad Adenauer, the German chancellor who helped rebuild his shattered country after World War II. Adenauer, a man of deep insight and conviction, asked Graham a startling question: “Mr. Graham, do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?” Graham affirmed his belief without hesitation, and Adenauer responded, “Outside of the resurrection of Jesus, I do not know of any other hope for this world.” This statement echoes through time, resonating with the human heart’s cry for a salvation that transcends the brokenness of our world. It is the same hope that Jacob clung to when he beheld the future of his children, marred with failures and fraught with tragedies. His cry, “For Your salvation, I wait, Lord,” stands as a beacon of faith amidst uncertainty. Dan, one of Jacob’s sons, was born to Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, during a time of personal turmoil for Rachel. Unable to bear children herself, Rachel saw Dan as a symbol of vindication and justice. His name, meaning “he judged,” reflected her sense of relief at being freed from the stigma of infertility. However, as time unfolded, the tribe of Dan came to embody a complex and often troubling legacy. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, the tribe of Dan was allotted territory near the Mediterranean coast. Yet, they struggled to secure their inheritance, hemmed in by stronger foes like the Philistines. Dissatisfied with their lot, they sought new territory, ultimately migrating north and seizing the peaceful town of Laish. Along the way, they stole idols and adopted idolatrous practices, demonstrating their cunning but also their disloyalty to God. Judges 18 paints a vivid picture of their descent into spiritual apostasy, as they set up graven images and followed a path of idolatry that would mark their history. The Danites' fall can be traced to two key failures. First, they were discontent with God’s sovereign provision. Instead of trusting in His goodness and fighting in His strength to claim their inheritance, they relied on their own might and cunning. Their unwillingness to submit to God’s authority left them spiritually impoverished and vulnerable to idolatry. Second, they failed to repent when faced with frustration and adversity. Rather than examining their hearts and returning to God, they persisted in their self-will, leading to their eventual exile and downfall. This pattern stands in stark contrast to the example of Caleb from the tribe of Judah. Caleb, filled with faith and courage, took possession of the mountain of Hebron, overcoming formidable foes to claim his inheritance. His victory was not just physical but spiritual, as Hebron became a city of refuge and a place of fellowship with God. Caleb’s story underscores the power of faith and obedience, while the Danites' story serves as a cautionary tale of what happens when we