In Numbers 32:16-31, Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh made a request to Moses. They desired to have their inheritance on the east side of Jordan: the land of Jazer and Gilead that had already been conquered in their travel to the land of Canaan. They were allowed to have this land as their inheritance if they would fight with the rest of Israel in the conquest of Canaan. They promised, “We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance” (Num. 32:18). Moses warned them, saying, “If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:20-23).
These tribes were true to their promise (Josh. 22:1-6). They went with Israel and fought with them in the conquest of Canaan. They did not forsake their brethren as Demas forsook Paul (2 Tim. 4:10). God honors those who do what they have sworn even if it is to their own hurt (Psa. 15:4) but despises those who break covenants (Rom. 1:31). Vows are so serious that it is better not to make one than fail to fulfill it (Ecc. 5:5).
In Joshua 22, after the Lord had given Israel all He swore to give them (Josh. 21:43-45), these tribes began their return trip to their possession east of the Jordan. On the way, they did something that caused quite a commotion in Israel. They built an altar (Josh. 22:10).
Joshua’s departing words to these tribes include this exhortation, “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents” (Josh. 22:5, 6). Concern likely existed among both parties of the effect the distance and the divide of the Jordan river would have on their common faith as time progressed. Consider the tribe of Manasseh particularly which would be split in half geographically by their possession (Josh. 22:7). How would the common heritage of this tribe be influenced by this geographical divide? They needed to remember what bound them with the brethren who inherited Canaan. This was the reason they erected an altar at the Jordan (Josh. 22:22-27).
The rest of Israel heard of the altar and jumped to the conclusion that this was rebellion against the Lord’s established worship. “And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them”
(Josh. 22:11-12).
They sent a delegation of princes to ask what treachery they were committing (Josh. 22:16). The delegation recalled the iniquity of Baal of Peor (Josh 22:15), when Israel was wandering through the wilderness and committed harlotry with the women of Moab (Num. 25). The allurements of idolatry and false worship were still strong for Israel. The book of Judges shows how quickly they could apostatize. This delegation urged the tribes east of Jordan to come back west of the Jordan and worship where the tabernacle stood rather than rebelling against the Lord (Josh. 22:19).
Notice the attitude Israel had regarding worship and its relation to faithfulness to the Lord. Israel was to destroy the places of worship used to honor foreign gods and worship at the place God put his name (Deut. 12). At this time the tabernacle which housed the ark of the covenant where God would meet with His people (Exod. 25:22; 29:43; 30:36) was located at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1; 19:51). From the beginning, God has always designated approved worship and has not allowed alteration based on man’s whims (cf. Gen. 4:1-7; Heb. 11:4). Offering a sacrifice to the Lord upon another altar that was not the one the Lord had designated at His tabernacle was grounds for expulsion from the covenant people of Israel, “And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people” (Lev. 17:8-9). Even the accused tribes agreed that if they had made this altar to burn offerings in worship that it would be a transgression for which they should be punished, saying “Let the Lord himself require it” (Josh. 22:23), and “save us not this day” (Josh. 22:22). They said, “God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle” (Josh. 22:29). They explained that their altar’s function was not for sacrifice and burnt offering but to stand as a witness that the tribes on both sides of the Jordan were tied together (Josh. 22:26-27).
We should be concerned about purity and faithfulness to God across the brotherhood, but we must learn from this occasion in Israel that it is possible to jump to the wrong conclusion. Some of love’s crucial characteristics are it “is not easily provoked,” “rejoiceth in the truth,” and “believeth all things, hopeth all things” (1 Cor. 13:5-7). We should not be quick to put the worst possible twist on the actions of our brothers. Instead, be willing to pause, give a brother the benefit of the doubt, and take time to seek out the truth before accusing. This is part of having brotherly love (John 15:12-17; Rom. 12:10; 1 Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:17; 2 Pet 1:7). Proverbs 18:13 says, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” The tribes accused of rebelling against the Lord gave their defense that the altar was not to offer sacrifices but to stand as a memorial (Josh. 22:21-29), and it pleased the princes of the congregation so that they concluded these tribes had not committed a trespass against the Lord (Josh. 22:30-34).
As God’s people today, we must remember what ties us together. We do not need to create a memorial, for the Lord has given us one to observe (Luke 22:17-20). The Lord’s supper is a reminder that Christ’s death on the cross unites the saved in His fellowship (1 Cor. 11:23-26). This is why it is called a “communion” (1 Cor. 10:16). We should not twist the Lord’s supper into our own supper that causes division as the Corinthians did (1 Cor. 11:17-22).
Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant under which we live today (Mark 14:24; Heb. 9:15). Jesus lived the law of Moses perfectly during His earthly life, but the time was soon coming when the physical location of worship would no longer be an issue. Jesus nevertheless stood His ground on this matter with the Samaritan woman who, according to her tradition, worshiped at Mt. Gerizim (John 4:19-20). Jesus said, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:21-22). Proper worship is a salvation issue.
–Mark Day