1. 2 ½ Transjordan Tribes Joshua 22 Dr. Joseph Chang 11/10/2013 BOLGPC

3. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites A. Joshua’s Command 12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: 'The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.' 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers (Joshua 1:12-14)

4. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites A. Joshua’s Command 15 until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise." 16 Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. (Josh 1:12-16)

5. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites They obeyed Joshua’s command. 12 The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, armed, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. 13 About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war. (Josh 4:12-13)

6. According to Numbers 26:7, 18, 34 Men of Reuben: 43,730 Men of Gad: 40,500 ½ of Manasseh: 52,700/2=26, 350 Subtotal = 110, 580 40,000/110,580 = 36% of the men served as the front troop of the Israelites, 64% guard the cities, protect women, children and livestocks.

7. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites B. Result 1. Blessed by Joshua 1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2 and said to them, "You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3 For a long time now--to this very day--you have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you. (Josh 22:1-3)

8. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites 4 Now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." 6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. (Josh 22:4-6)

9. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites B. Result 2. Brought back spoil to share with families in east 7... When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them, 8 saying, "Return to your homes with your great wealth--with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing--and divide with your brothers the plunder from your enemies.“ (Josh 22:7b-8)

10. I. Faithfully Fighting as Forerunners for the Israelites B. Result 2. Brought back spoil to share with families in east 9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan to return to Gilead, their own land, which they had acquired in accordance with the command of the LORD through Moses. (Josh 22:9) 27 Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. (Num 31:27)

11. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. Risking being misunderstood, built Witness Altar 10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. 11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them. (Josh 22:10-12)

12. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. 21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 "The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the LORD, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the LORD and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD himself call us to account. 24 "No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, 'What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

13. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. 25 The LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you--you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the LORD.' So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the LORD. 26 "That is why we said, 'Let us get ready and build an altar--but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.' 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no share in the LORD.’

14. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. 28 "And we said, 'If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord's altar, which our fathers built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.' 29 "Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle." 30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community--the heads of the clans of the Israelites--heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased.

15. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. 31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, "Today we know that the LORD is with us, because you have not acted unfaithfully toward the LORD in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord's hand." 32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. 33 They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived. 34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God. (Josh 22:21-34)

16. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. B. Gad is a raider. 19 "Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. (Gen 49:19) `bqE)[' dgUïy" aWhßw> WNd dWdåG> dG"ß WTT Genesis 49:19

17. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. C. ½ Manasseh were brave soldiers 23 The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). 24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. (1Chr 5:23-24)

18. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. D. 2 ½ tribes were depending upon the Lord 20 They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. (1Chr 5:20)

19. II. Concern that the Next Generation Will Continue to Serve the L ORD. E. They were still well in Jeroboam II 17 All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel. (1Chr 5:17) F. King Ahab was able to master mass chariots to ally with Arameans against Shalmaneser III of Assyrians.

20. III. Downward Spiral A. Israelites worshipped the Golden Calves as the L ORD. King Ahab brought in the Baal worship. B. King Ahab did not want to credit to God the victory, he was killed in the battle against Ben Hadad, king of Aram. C. King Joram, the Grandson of Ahab feared Molech, the god of Moab, he lost a winning battle.

21. III. Downward Spiral D. Isa 8:4, When Emmanuel was 2, Damascus would be destroyed, Samaria plundered.—732 B. C. 4 Before the boy knows how to say 'My father' or 'My mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria." (Isa 8:4)

22. III. Downward Spiral E. Isa 7:16, When Emmanuel was 12, Israel would be destroyed.—722 B. C. 16 But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. (Isa 7:16)

23. III. Downward Spiral 2 ½ Tribes 25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day. (1Chr 5:25-26)

24. III. Downward Spiral Israel 7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8 and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. (2King 17:7-8)

25. Application A. It is a lips and teeth relationship btw the Transjordan and Cisjordan. B. Our children is our 2 ½ tribes, they need our support and eventually become our buffer to this world.

26. Application C. Israel supposed to be first fruit of the world. 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. 3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD. (Jer 2:1-3)

27. Application C. Israel supposed to be first fruit of the world. 11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! (Rom 11:11-12)

28. Courage is fear that has said its prayers.