Joshua and Judges: Acting without thinking it through and believing the best of someone who does so; Jos 22.

Title: Joshua and Judges: Acting without thinking it through and believing the best of someone who does so; Jos 22.  

 

Announcements / opening prayer:

 

 

Were the other tribes attempting to create a second altar or a second tabernacle? Did they imagine it would be too much to cross the Jordan and travel to Shiloh in order to offer sacrifices to God at the proper times?

 

God had instructed that if any of the cities of Israel had decided to sacrifice to false gods then the city was to be put under the ban and all the people and their materials were to be destroyed. So, arraying for battle against what seemed to be a violation of the one sacred altar could be seen as commendable zeal for the Lord. Yet, they immediately jumped to the conclusion that the altar was for sinful purposes. They will send a delegation to find out before they go to war, which is also commendable and according to the Law, but it would have been better for them to first state that they did not know why the other tribes set up and altar and then inquire.

 

They regarded it as a wicked violation of the commandment of God with regard to the unity of the sacrificial altar.

 

This zeal was perfectly justifiable, and  even praiseworthy, as the altar, even if not erected as a place for sacrifice, might easily be abused to that purpose, and thus become an occasion of sin to the whole nation.

 

They ought not to have erected such a building without the consent of Joshua or of the high priest. Good intentions do not make for proper actions.

 

Did they not think of how their brethren would perceive such an act? Did they not know that if they went to the high priest and had him inquire of God that they would have quickly discovered if such an act was justified and the rest of Israel would have discovered it with them? This whole business could have easily been avoided if they were impetuous in their intentions.

 

According to the law of God they send a delegation to inquire as to the reason for the altar.

 

DEU 13:14-15

you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. And if it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you, you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword.

 

In this instance they are instructive in the right way to do a thing.

 

Love bears all things, hopes all things, and believes all things. We are to believe the best until the truth becomes clear. A dumb decision challenged with gentleness is better than the challenge of contention, although anger is justified in certain situations. The believer must be spiritual and not fleshly minded in order to fully investigate the will of God in any situation.

 

GAL 6:1

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

 

"Looking to himself" = humility. Couldn't the spiritual man have also been caught up in the trespass or a similar one?

 

JOS 22:13 Then the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

 

JOS 22:14 and with him ten chiefs, one chief for each father's household from each of the tribes of Israel; and each one of them was the head of his father's household among the thousands of Israel.

 

JOS 22:15 And they came to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them saying,

 

Assuming at the outset that the altar was intended for a second place of sacrifice in opposition to the command of God, the delegates, with Phinehas no doubt as their speaker, began by reproaching them for falling away from the Lord.

 

JOS 22:16 "Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, 'What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the Lord this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the Lord this day?

 

JOS 22:17 'Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us [NUM 25:3], from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day [many still harbor idolatry in their hearts], although a plague came on the congregation of the Lord [24,000 died],

 

JOS 22:18 that you must turn away this day from following the Lord? And it will come about if you rebel against the Lord today, that He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow.

 

JOS 22:19 'If, however, the land of your possession is unclean [a place of inevitable sin], then cross into the land of the possession of the Lord, where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the Lord, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the Lord our God.

 

Note: Physical location is not the cause of apostasy, but the state of the heart. However, a believer should not put himself in a situation where he knows that he is likely to fall.

 

JOS 22:20 'Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.'"

 

Achan did not suffer alone and if you continue on this path then the entire nation will suffer.

 

The 2½ tribes are amazed at these accusations since they did not build the altar for sacrifices but as a reminder to their children that they are forever linked to the Lord with their brothers in the west.

 

In other words, the altar was constructed with the idea that it would teach their subsequent generations that the Jordan river was not a national boundary.

 

JOS 22:21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the families of Israel.

 

JOS 22:22 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord do not Thou save us this day!

 

In order to prove their fidelity to God they state His name three ways and repeat them a second time: El (mighty one); Elohim (supreme being); Jehovah (self-existent one).

 

There is a great emphasis here in which they resoundingly claim their innocence in the matter. The three names rise in ascending order; El, Elohim (plural - the fulness of divine nature), Jehovah (the most exalted name), giving God all the glory that is possible.

 

These names of God are stated in the same ascending order as they are in:

 

PSA 50:1

The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken,

 

They state their promise in the form of an oath.

 

JOS 22:23 "If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the Lord, or if to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the Lord Himself require it.

 

JOS 22:24 But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your sons may say to our sons," What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?

 

JOS 22:25 "For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in the Lord." So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the Lord.'

 

Their other apprehension is that in the future the sons of Israel in the west may think that the Jordan is a boundary and exclude the children in the east from worship in the tabernacle.

 

Their anxiety is warranted. These 2½ tribes live in Gilead and not Canaan proper, so when in the future the promises concerning the land are read, some in the west or even the east may think the phrase "land of Canaan" doesn't apply to them.

 

Their anxiety is warranted. They don't live in Canaan proper.

 

NUM 34:2

'When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders.

 

It's a very real and important concern, but they didn't think through their way of going about it. It was also a very real concern for the other tribes in thinking that they were grossly violating the law, but they shouldn't have immediately jumped to that conclusion. What if in their vigor of heightened emotions they attacked instead of sending an inquiring delegation and started a civil war?

 

Judge not lest you be judged. We are not to jump to conclusions before we have all the facts and even then we leave all vengeance in the hands of the Lord.

 

Judgmental Christians do not carry with them the sweet aroma of Christ. Although it is impossible to see a situation entirely from another person's mind, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. Some Christians think that God put them on the earth so that they can always be right about everything, but we are here as priests who have with them the ministry of reconciliation.

 

1CO 6:7

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?