Grasp the Gospel — Bible Comprehension Quizzes

Joshua 22 Devotional

One Lord on Both Banks

“So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.””Joshua 22:34 (BSB)

The eastern tribes have kept their word, and Joshua sends them home blessed, with a charge to love the LORD and hold fast to him (22:1-6). But on the way they build a large altar by the Jordan, and the rest of Israel gathers to go to war against them (22:10-12). They remember Peor and Achan, and how one group's unfaithfulness brought wrath on everyone (22:17-20).

Before any fighting, Phinehas and ten leaders go and ask. The altar is a copy built as a witness, not for sacrifices, so that the western tribes' descendants could never tell theirs that they had no share in the LORD (22:24-28). Phinehas concludes that the LORD is among them (22:31), and the altar is named Witness, because it testifies that the LORD is God (22:34). The unity of God's people rests on the one God they worship, and Paul urges believers to guard that unity in peace (Ephesians 4:3). Because the same Lord holds you both, it is worth asking before assuming the worst.

To think about: Is there a fellow believer whose actions you have judged without first asking what they meant?

About Joshua 22: The Eastern Tribes and the Altar

Joshua praises Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh for their faithful service and sends them home east of the Jordan. When they build a large altar by the river, Israel nearly goes to war, but Phinehas and ten leaders learn it is only a witness to their shared worship of the LORD, and peace is restored.

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