Joshua 22

The Difficulty of Transitions

Text: Joshua 22

Introduction

While this chapter does not present a whole lot of theological depth, is does shine light on certain transitions that you and I experience today in our own lives.

This chapter really is a spot of their history where “transition” is the focus.

How many of you can remember back to transitions you had to make and possibly the emotional impact it had on you?

Examples: 1) When we built our house; 2) Building projects of this church.

There will always come time for certain transitions to be made.

1) Parting Ways

VERSES 1-9

A. Joshua demobilizes the 2.5 tribes of Israel

a) Joshua gives a commencement speech (v1-4)

Q — Does anyone have an estimated time all 12 tribes spent together during the conquering of the land?

ANS: 5-7 years

Q — What kind’s of connection happens during a time frame of 5-7 years? Not just “time” but the context surrounding why they were together during that time?

Encouraging each other, getting through difficulties, growing their faith together, facing setbacks together, rejoicing about God’s blessings together, etc.

b. Moses had allowed the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to occupy the east bank of the Jordan.

He had done it on the condition that the warriors of those two and one-half tribes would cross over the Jordan and help the other nine and one-half tribes conquer the land. (John A. Huffman)

Joshua 1:12–18 “12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 15 Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. 16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.”

B. Joshua cautions their devotion to God (v5)

While the Biblical record shows that even those in the Promised land proper struggle with remaining devoted to God, it would be these 2.5 tribe who would historically fall much quicker.

Historically, the 2.5 tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh) living east of the Jordan River quickly fell into spiritual apostasy, abandoning the worship of Yahweh for the idolatrous practices of neighboring nations. This spiritual decline, driven by their isolation from the central sanctuary, led to them being the first to be conquered and exiled by Assyria.

1 Chronicles 5:25–26 “25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.”

This should be a lesson to all of us, when we enter into certain transitions, we best consider the vulnerability it can present to our faith.

C. Joshua rewards them for their service

They completed their task with faithfulness and bravery. Something must be said to the fact they spent that time away from the wives and children. They all did!

Joshua urged them to share the wealth: “divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.” (v8)

Importance of community.

“down through the Judean hills into the Jordan Valley and back up into the hills of Gilead. They couldn’t wait to get home. You can imagine their sounds of celebration.” (John A. Huffman)

Like any kind of transition, you usually hit a “low point.”

As soon as these 2.5 tribes crossed the Jordan, Israel was never quit the same.

APP — Transitions are not something to do everything in your power to prevent, but rather make sure they are God’s best plan for your life. That way, when many things change, your faith don’t!

2) Rumors Spread

VERSES 10-29

A. They took serious measures to uphold Joshua’s charge

They built an altar to hopefully prevent them from losing their identity as part of the nation of Israel.

This altar would serve to remind them and their future generations they are Jews and the real altar is in Shiloh.

While God saw their hearts, the other tribes did not.

Because of the geographical distance between them, they had lost their close connection.

B. Distance promoted rumors

After the conquest of Canaan, while Joshua was still alive, an altar was built that caused quite a stir and almost led to civil war in the newly founded nation of Israel. WHY???

When God revealed the Law of Moses, God prohibited the building of altars other than those He had commanded (Deuteronomy 12:1–14).

Yet the tribes on the east side of the Jordan River—Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—constructed an altar in Joshua 22.

As a result, the western tribes felt the Law had been violated and intended to go to war against their own people.

Why such a strong response from the 9.5 tribes?

Turn to: Deuteronomy 13:12–16 “12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, 13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; 14 Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; 15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. 16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the Lord thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.”

There were two not so distant tragedies that motivated them:

First — (Numbers 23-25) There, as the people of Israel were camped in the highlands of Gilead prior to entering the Promised Land, they observed the Midianites who had an outbreak of the bubonic plague (1 day incubation period before death).

Participated in pagan rituals to prevent contraction of the disease.

Because of such sexual actions commited to please the angry spirits, Phinehas the priest put death a Hebrew man and a Midianite princess.

Peor was about making the wrong sacrifice to the wrong god in the wrong way.

Second — Achan’s immoral use of wealth

However, they were basing their actions toward the 2.5 tribes on hearsay.

It would have been awfully hard to spread a dishonest rumor between those with whom they were engaged in a common enterprise. When distance, physical or emotional, is established, communication breaks down. It’s when each person is starting to do his or her own thing that misunderstandings arise and are fueled by rumors. We human beings like to act on our emotions. It doesn’t make a lot of difference that the flames of those emotions may be fueled by the gasoline of incorrect information.

Quote: “Unattended rumors can be disastrous in producing misunderstanding. Yet rumors, when investigated, can produce positive results.” (John A. Huffman)

There was truth on both sides!

Never completely discount rumors. We should take the time to investigate to find out their validity.

Remain calm while figuring out the details.

3) Restoring Peaceful Connection

Verse 31

The altar they saw as divisive and leading to the worship of false Gods was intended to remind those on the east bank of the one true God and to help them maintain their identity with the tribes in the newly conquered land.