Life Lessons From The Altar Of Ed
Perceptions can create dangerous scenarios which this passage of history best demonstrates.
A group of people create something novel…
“And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. (Joshua 22:10)”
…and rumors of their deed spreads to the masses…
“And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. (Joshua 22:11)”
…which the masses then decide on the whim that it’s evil.
“And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. (Joshua 22:12)”
Before they can destroy their “treacherous” brethren they decide to finally confront them…
“And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, (Joshua 22:13)”
…with very prestigious & important people…
“And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. (Joshua 22:14)”
…in order to accuse their brethren publicly to their face…
“And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying, (Joshua 22:15)”
…with a deadly accusation.
“Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord, But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the Lord, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. (Joshua 22:16–18)”
Being “merciful” a way out of the deadly confrontation is provided…
“Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord ’s tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God. (Joshua 22:19)”
…followed by a reminder of sins of the past.
“Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity. (Joshua 22:20)”
Now it’s time for the accused to speak:
“Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it; (Joshua 22:21–23)”
What I like about the accused response to their accusers is that they remind everyone that God is their judge & would ultimately know if they were rebelling against the Almighty.
However in order to avoid war they provide an explanation for the altar.
“And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel? For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the Lord:so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. (Joshua 22:24–28)”
The story continues in the rest of the chapter (with the Altar later on named Ed which means Witness).
That said it is a perfect reminder to everyone (myself included) that we shouldn’t be quick to judge others with “wrath and glory” based on our perceptions of what they are doing.
Instead of rounding up the masses to declare war, it’s best to actually talk to the people allegedly doing “the evil deed” (as they probably have a reasonable explanation for their actions).
