Sunday, July 26, 2015

Joshua 22 - Getting it Right

The nation of Israel is not known for getting a lot of "Atta-boys". For years they struggled with obedience and their fickle hearts left them wandering for forty years in the desert. But here in this chapter, we have a great story about getting things right. 

If you remember for earlier chapters (see Num 32), at the first battle where land was conquered the Reubenites and Gadites saw all the rich pastureland on the east bank of the Jordan and asked Moses for their inheritance right there. Moses commanded them to go across and continue the claim of land for their brother tribes and they would not rest in their land until all the tribes had their portion. Now many years later, Joshua is commending them for their service and releasing them to return to their land. They received their portion of the spoils of war including livestock, gold, bronze and iron they could take to enrich their people. 

When the Reubenites, Gadites and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh built a large altar on the bank of the Jordan (Josh 22:10) their brother tribes were alarmed and fearful that the tribes easy of the Jordan had given into idol worship and rightly sent the priests to confront them. As Christians we have a responsibility to our fellow believers to encourage them in holy living and to redirect when they have gone astray (in love). 

The priests noted (Josh 22:18) that the entire nation might suffer as a result of their sin. We do not sin in isolation.  Just as Adam's one sin has been passed down through the ages, so our sin impacts others. When I consider our own nation and the way we have treated God, I am fearful like the western nations at this time were. God must judge sin; He won't continue to allow His name to be defamed. 

The Reubenites, the Gadites and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh clarified the purpose of the altar was a holy one to assure the tribes on both sides of the Jordan that there was one God who united them and who is Sovreign over the affairs of the nations. They saw the how the boundary of the Jordan might one day be seen as a divider of the nation and they wanted to be sure that their descendants had a reference point they could look to and be reminded of who they were. Not only had they done well they had taken a proactive effort to preserve the unity they had as God's people. 

There is so much for us to take from this passage.  

1.  Like the Eastern tribes we should faithfully serve for the benefit of all. As Christians we are called to look out for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

2.  Like the western tribes and the priests we should be ready to quickly address sin in our midst and confront it in love when we see a brother or sister straying from their walk with the Lord. We are not independent believers, but the body of Christ. Note: when confronting sin we should use the utmost care and humility to ensure we do not allow this sin to divide us but to use our common faith to unite us and direct us. 

3.  We should proactively establish guards in our lives that will keep us from straying from the faith. If we evaluate our lives we can see the places we have strayed and anticipate ways we might be tempted in the future and establish guards for ourselves and our family. We should make every effort to protect the faith. When we are in good spaces - in right relationship to God - we are in the best place to establish protections for the future. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

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