Misunderstanding
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A few of the tribes of Israel had chosen to stay on the far side of the Jordan river and
not to cross over into the promised land. The rest of the tribes heard that they had built
an altar over in their land...and not where God commanded for it to be built and Israel
was ready to go to war against the tribes on the other side of the river. They knew and
had seen the importance of obeying God’s commands and they were very concerned
that any disobedience would bring destruction upon the entire nation.
After meeting with the three tribes, they found out that the purpose of the altar was
different than they thought. It was not in rebellion against God or His commands, but
was simply as a witness between the tribes so that they could offer sacrifices and teach
their children about God as well.
If we all had this attitude toward doing right our world would be a wonderful place. First,
they were willing to confront the other tribes when they thought they were doing wrong.
They didn’t just accept it or let it go. Second, they actually talked to them about what
was going on before they came to a proper conclusion. They made sure that what they
thought was going on was actual reality. Many times our disagreements would be
quickly settled if we would just talk to one another about them.
Joshua 22 [22:1] Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh, [2] And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of
the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
[3] Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the
charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. [4] And now the LORD your God
hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and
get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant
of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan. [5] 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. [6] So
Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents. [7] Now to
the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto
the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward.
And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, [8] And
he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very
much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much
raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren. [9] And the children of
Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed
from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the
country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed,
according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. [10] And when they came
unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and
the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great
altar to see to. [11] 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.
[12] 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. [13] And
the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and
to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the
priest, [14] And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the
tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the
thousands of Israel. [15] And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the
children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they
spake with them, saying, [16] Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What
trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day
from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this
day against the LORD? [17] Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not
cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,
[18] But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing
ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole
congregation of Israel. [19] Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean,
then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD'S
tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD,
nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.
[20] Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath
fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
[21] Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of
Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, [22] The
LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it
be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) [23] That
we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt
offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself
require it; [24] And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to
come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the
LORD God of Israel? [25] For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and
you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall
your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. [26] Therefore we said,
Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: [27] But
that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we
might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our
sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in
time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD. [28] Therefore said we, that it shall be,
when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say
again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for
burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. [29] 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. [30] And when Phinehas
the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel
which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. [31] And Phinehas the son
of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and
to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us,
because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered
the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD. [32] And Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the
children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of
Israel, and brought them word again. [33] And the thing pleased the children of Israel;
and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in
battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. [34] And the
children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness
between us that the LORD is God.
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@dddoo7 said in Misunderstanding:
If we all had this attitude toward doing right our world would be a wonderful place. First,
they were willing to confront the other tribes when they thought they were doing wrong.
They didn’t just accept it or let it go. Second, they actually talked to them about what
was going on before they came to a proper conclusion. They made sure that what they
thought was going on was actual reality. Many times our disagreements would be
quickly settled if we would just talk to one another about them.This is a great lesson
