Joshua
22:11-12 And the people of Israel heard it said,
“Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of
Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the
region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.” And
when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of
Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.
The land God promised to Moses and
subsequently to Joshua was the land of the Canaanites. This was an area of land
bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the mountainous desert areas
to the east. From the north, the land extended from Mount Hermon to the
southern areas around the Dead Sea. This area was divided, west from east, by
the Jordan River. The area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea
was considered the Promised Land “proper”. The areas to the east of the Jordan
and to the north beyond the Sea of Galilee were viewed by the Israelites as
outside the “Promised Land”.
The tribes in the outlying areas
were of special concern to those in the Promised Land. Within these areas
remained peoples who could influence those tribes that settled there. Of most
concern was the influence of pagan worship and cultural practices on those
settlers.
The altar that Ruben, Gad and
Manasseh constructed in the land they settled was a reminder of God’s provision
of the land and that they were still a part of the greater group of Israelites.
Yet when the altar was constructed the other tribes jumped to the conclusion
that they had fallen under the influence of the pagan tribes around them.
When confronted with the accusation
of apostasy the tribes were quick to show their faith and trust in God. They
presented their case and called on God to make their position clear to Phinehas
and the other leaders.
In the end, Phinehas and the leaders were given the
wisdom of God to see and understand that their first impression of the evidence
was incorrect. They submitted themselves to the truth and were again reconciled
with their brothers. The Promised Land was reunited in their testimony to the
Living God.
