Sermon Tone Analysis

Most movies that you go to see in theatres share a similar framework.

Something bad happens, or has happened, at the start of the movie, that leads to tension and conflict.

Eventually, there's a big climactic scene near the end of the movie where everything gets resolved.

At this point, the story is very nearly done.

There's no more tension; there's no more conflict.

But the movie writer can't simply shut off the lights, and send you home.

Why? There's usually loose ends that need to be tied up.

And if the writer doesn't tie those loose ends up, the audience might go home unhappy-- audiences want everything neat, and tidy, and happy.

The book of Joshua began with 3 open questions.

(1) Would Yahweh prove faithful?

(2) Would Joshua be strong and brave?

And the third was this: (3) Would the tribes obey Yahweh and Joshua?

And, specifically, and I can't explain why Joshua does this, the focus is on the 2 1/2 tribes that lived on the wrong side of the Jordan River-- on the side that originally wasn't going to be part of the land given to Israel.

At the start of the book of Joshua, these 2 1/2 tribes already controlled their land-- Israel had already defeated their enemies living there-- but the 2 1/2 tribes were told that they had a responsibility to their brothers.

The women and children were allowed to settle in the land, but Joshua told the men from these 2 1/2 tribes that they would be the tip of the spear in invading the land.

It would've been easy for these 2 1/2 tribes to shirk their duty to Yahweh, to Joshua, and to the other tribes, but they courageously obeyed.

They took the point (1:12-18).

And now that Israel has killed off all of their enemies-- the Nephilim kings are all dead, with a few exceptions-- Joshua gives them permission to return to their wives, children, land, and possessions.

The only thing he asks, at this point, is that they continue loving, and serving Yahweh with their whole being.

Their obligation to Yahweh is not something that ends after the conquest.

He then blesses them, and they go home:

(22:1) At that same time, Joshua was calling to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Menasheh,

(2) and he said to them,

"You kept all that he commanded you-- Moses, the servant of Yahweh,

and you heeded my voice in all that I commanded you.

(3) You didn't forsake your brothers these many days, up to this day,

and you kept the obligation of the command of Yahweh your Elohim/God,

(4) and now, Yahweh has given rest to your brothers just as he spoke to them,

and so then (=now), turn and walk to your tents-- to the land of your possession

that Moses the servant of Yahweh gave to you beyond the Jordan.

(5) Only , very much keep to do the command(ment) and the Torah

that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you

by loving Yahweh your Elohim/God,

by walking in all his ways/roads,

and by keeping his command(ment)s,

and by clinging to him,

and by serving him with all your mind and with all your inner being,

(6) And Joshua blessed them,

and he sent them away,

and they went to their tents,

(7) while to the half tribe of Menashah, Moses gave in the Bashan,

while to the other half Joshua gave with their brothers from beyond the Jordan to the west,

and, what is even more , when Joshua sent them away to their tents and he blessed them, (8) he said to them, saying,

"With much wealth return to your tents, and with very much livestock, with silver and gold, and with bronze and with iron and with very much clothing.

Divide the loot of your enemies with your brothers,"

(9) and they returned,

and the sons of Reuben and the sons of God and the half tribe of Menashah walked from with the sons of Israel from Shiloh that [was] in the land of Canaan to walk to the land of the Gilead-- to the land of their possession that they acquired of it by the mouth of Yahweh through the hand of Moses.

So at this point, we expect that we are done hearing about the 2 1/2 tribes.

We assume that AJ has very kindly, and neatly, wrapped up the details for us so we can finish the book happy.

But real life is messier than Hollywood, and we find ourselves still reading about them in verse 10:

(10) And they [the 2 1/2 tribes] went to the region of the Jordan,

that is in the land of Canaan,

and the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menasha built there an altar on the Jordan-- a large altar in appearance--

(11) and the sons of Israel heard, saying,

"LOOK!

The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menasha built the altar opposite of the land of Canaan, at the region of the Jordan on the other side of the sons of Israel,"

(12) and the sons of Israel heard,

and all the community of the sons of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go up against them for the battle,

Yahweh is particular about how, and when, and where, people offer sacrifices.

Yahweh placed his Name in the tabernacle; his throne is on the ark of the covenant.

So if you want to offer sacrifices, that's where you go.

You can't offer sacrifices anywhere you want.

You go to Yahweh.

The very first thing the 2 1/2 tribes do, after being obedient for decades, after being reminded to stay obedient, and after being blessed by Joshua and sent home, is build an altar by the Jordan.

Why?

Are they immediately turning to worship other Elohim?

Do they not care about how Yahweh wants to be worshipped?

We don't know.

All we know is, this is unacceptable.

This is apostasy.

And so the Israelites gather at Shiloh to attack their own brothers.

But before they actually begin the fighting, they send delegates to the 2 1/2 tribes, wanting an explanation.

I mean, there has to be a reason why they would do this, right?

So they prepare for the worst, but hope there's an explanation.

The story continues in verse 13:

(13) and the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half tribe of Menasha, to the land of the Gilead, Phineas the son of Eleazor the priest,

(14) with ten leaders with him,

one leader from each family of all the tribes of Israel,

with each one the head of the house of their fathers-- they of the clans of Israel,

(15) and they went to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menasha, to the land of the Gilead,

and they spoke with them, saying,

"Thus all the community of Yahweh has spoken:

"What is this disloyalty,

that you acted disloyally against the Elohim of Israel,

by turning today from after Yahweh by building for yourselves an altar,

by your rebelling today against Yahweh.

Was it too little for us, the sin of Peor,

which we have not cleansed ourselves from it even up to today,

and the plague came against the community of Yahweh?,

(18) and you, you are turning today from after Yahweh,

and then, you are rebelling today against Yahweh, while tomorrow toward all the community of Israel He will be angry.

(19) However, if the land of your possession is unclean, cross over to the land of the possession of Yaweh,

where the tabernacle of Yahweh stands there,

and acquire a possession in the midst of us,

while against Yahweh may you not rebel,

while with us you shall not rebel by building for yourselves an altar, apart from the altar of Yahweh our Elohim.

(20) Didn't Achan son of Zerah act disloyally a disloyalty with the kherem,

and on all the community of Israel it was anger,

and one man alone didn't die by his sin?

Yahweh expects total loyalty from his people.