Three (well actually two and a half) of the tribes of Israel are now ready to claim the land they wanted on the east side of the Jordan. You may remember they thought this land was suitable for their needs, but first they had to help the rest of the Israelites conquer the Promise Land. Well, they promised they would and they did and now they get to return to the land they wanted. Joshua warns them to be careful to keep the commands and to love God and walk in all his ways.
Over the past several weeks at our church (the sermons are here on this website), we’ve talked about holiness and walking in obedience. Not unlike the message that Joshua is giving to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh; obey God, but do so out of love. If you love someone, you find yourself wanting to please the other person, the same is with God. If you love Him with your whole heart and soul, you will find serving Him, obeying Him is not so difficult.
Well, it doesn’t take long before there is some tension between the tribes, but I love how they resolved the issue of whether those living on the East side of the Jordan were violating God’s commandment by setting up an altar for sacrifice. They sent a representative, Phinehas, and 10 other leaders to discuss the situation, and by the end they understood, why they had built an altar, not for sacrificing (that was reserved for the altar in the Lord’s tabernacle) but as a symbol, to help them remember they too were a part of Chosen People and this altar would help to remind their children and generations to follow that they all worshipped the same God.
We also say good bye to another of the great leaders of the nation of Israel. Joshua has the people renew their covenant agreement and tells them to choose whom they will serve. 24:15 is one of those passages of scripture that strike such a truth in us and calls each of us to ask ourselves “whom do we choose to serve?”
As for me and my household, we choose to serve the Lord. Now if I can just get the rest of my family to make that same commitment.
Blessings
PK