JOSHUA CHAPTER 22 “The altar of witness” SESSION 11 Hugh Clark JOSHUA CHAPTER 22 “The altar of witness”

JOSHUA CHAPTER 22 “The altar of witness When the chapter begins, the Lord had given Israel all the land He had promised. Israel had conquered their enemies, and was at peace

v1-6 The portion of the two and a half tribes Background

The portion of the two and a half tribes v1-6 Background “.........if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given us for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan” (Numbers 32:5)

Numbers 32:16-19 show how the men of the two and a half tribes promise that:

Their men will cross Jordan armed, with the other tribes. Numbers 32:16-19 show how the men of the the two and a half tribes promise that: Their men will cross Jordan armed, with the other tribes. They would build sheepfolds and cities on the east side of Jordan. The wives and children would not cross Jordan, but stay on the east side. The men would return to them, after Israel had obtained their inheritance over Jordan They would none of them inherit over the Jordan, because their portion was “on this side Jordan eastward”

Moses gave them what they asked for (Numbers 32:33)

From the above, we can see that: The loyalties of the men of the two and a half tribes was divided The women and children had no part in the crossing of the Jordan, and the promised land, while some of the men did cross and fought

The return to Bashan v7-9 They returned with Joshua's blessing. But was it what God would have chosen for them? East of the Jordan was never part of the Canaan, promised to Abram(Genesis 12:7) (Nor does it feature in Israel's borders as described by Ezekiel 48)

Immediate consequences The two and a half tribes would be separated from the tabernacle, the altar, and their brethren Evidently, the tribes felt something of this separation, including their consequent lack of an altar The Jordan flows between them and their brethren Shiloh is to the west of the Jordan

So, they do something about it!! The altar by Jordan - “a great altar to see to” v10

Because of the distance between them, this altar must be a“great” one The simple altar of shittim wood, covered with gold (2.5 by 1.5 by 1.5 cubits, or approx 1m by 0.75m by 0.75m) would not meet the case It must be something big that could be seen from both sides of the River Jordan

The problem for Israel v11 to 20 When the children of Israel heard, they gathered themselves together at Shiloh – to go to war against their brethren But they first sent to enquire: a prince from each tribe And Phinehas , the son of Eleazer, the son of Aaron Lessons here?

A word about Phinehas: In Numbers 25 (Baal Peor), he dealt with immorality and idolatry by direct action. He thrust a javelin through the bodies   of the idolaters. “So, the plague was stayed from the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:8)

What will he do in this case?

Phinehas and the ten princes spoke to the two and a half tribes Told them what they had done, and asked whether it was rebellion Reminded them of Baal Peor Pointed out the consequences of turning away from the Lord Offered them places among their brethren if the land they had chosen was unclean Entreated them not to rebel, or build an altar additional to “the altar of the Lord our God”

The answer of the two and a half tribes v21-29 They were not intending to rebel The altar was not for offerings, But it was built to be a witness that they had not turned from God They feared that in a time to come, their children might say, “what have ye to do with the Lord our God”?

“God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar...................beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before His tabernacle.”

Phinehas and the princes listen v30-31 They distinguish between (a) enemies and idolatry (Numbers 25:11) and (b) the people of God and mistaken zeal (Joshua 22:10)

Reconciliation – peace is restored between the tribes v32-34

The two and a half tribes called the altar Ed “for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God” Joshua 22:34

AT THE END OF THE STORY, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? 1) Phinehas has shown us how to resolve conflict, and avoid open warfare between the tribes – all of whom were Israel BUT 2) The altar of witness was not required or suggested by God 3) It had the appearance of idolatry, although not the intention(and, what were the heathen nations to make of it?) 4) Shiloh was the place of the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1), and there was an altar of “the Lord our God” (22:19). Thus creating another showed a spirit of independency at work