The people of Israel were one nation but they were organised into 12 tribes. Like any nation with different people groups there were similarities and differences between the tribes. There was life in this, but naturally it also led to squabbles and disagreements between them. In my readings today I came across a fairly major one.

On their way into the Promised Land, 2 and a half of the 12 tribes asked for land that wasn’t technically in the Promised Land they were due to enter. The land was instead located to the East of the Jordan river. This was a strange ask considering how long they had journeyed and how much they had focused their hearts on the Promised land. However, Joshua agreed to it as long as the tribes who weren’t entering the Promised Land agreed to help the other tribes claim the land they were trying to inhabit on the other side of the river.

The tribes honoured this promise.

In Joshua 22 we find those tribes heading back to their land on the other side of the river. Joshua had blessed them to go and instructed them to worship the Lord.

When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. Joshua 22:10

At the time there is no mention of why they did this. We also dont know it they meant it to be imposing or not but either way its how the other tribes saw it. In fact so much so that when the other tribes saw this altar decided to go to war against them.

That is quite the reaction!

It’s hard to know why this caused such a reaction. But we get a clue what is going on pretty soon after the ten heads of the other tribes went to the priest and they delivered a message to the eastern tribes.

The whole assembly of the LORD says: ‘How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the LORD and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now? Joshua 22:16

What it was about the altar that made them think it wasn’t for the Lord? Maybe it had some strange design that they took as an idol, perhaps they thought they were trying to rival the central altar that the Levite priests used, or maybe they were breaking one of the rules (that I can’t remember) but whatever they have done it clearly irked the other tribes.

As the story unfolds it becomes clear pretty quickly that the other tribes are mistaken in their assumptions about the motivation of the eastern tribes. Here is the eastern tribes response to their questions

The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the LORD, do not spare us this day. If we have built our own altar to turn away from the LORD and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD himself call us to account.“No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel. Joshua 22:22-24

Actually what they have done is incredible. They are obeying what everyone had been instructed to do – passing on the Lords story to the next generation. They continue,

On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD.’ Joshua 22:27

Their response satisfies the rest of the Israelites

When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of the Israelites—heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is with us, because you have not been unfaithful to the LORD in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the LORD’s hand Joshua 22:30-31

War cancelled! That was a close one….. but did it even need to be that close?

How often do we jump to conclusions because of the actions of someone else, or group of people? And if we are being honest, how often are our initial conclusions and reactions wide of the mark? Depending how we have handled those initial reactions they can have devastating consequences. I see this happen everywhere – even in the church! In fact these kind of reactions happen in the church world way more often than they should. Given that we are called to be a people of grace and mercy surely these reactions should happen much less often?

Looking back, I guess the two things the other tribes did well was that they checked with the eastern tribes before physically reacting and once they had received a satisfactory response they believed it and changed their minds about war. That is something that is quite rare in my experience.

In my time on earth I have found very few people whose sole intention is to cause trouble just for the sake of it. In truth, I have found even fewer of these people within the church than elsewhere. However what I have found, both inside and outside the church, are good people who don’t always make the right choice, or the choice I would have made (honesty moment – these tend to be the same thing for me). I have also found people who are immature, or who are on the road to maturity, who make some foolish choices because they are unaware of the long term, and sometimes short term, consequences of their actions. Here’s the thing I’ve learnt about these people.

I am not required to go to war with many, if any, of them

Some will require a conversation, not so I can correct but so I can understand their why. Their ‘why’ is a huge deal – that can change it all, just like it did for the Israelites, Some simply require my trust in them whether it works out or not. Some may need an intervention (after listening) especially if the consequences would be hugely detrimental.

What am I trying to say here? I guess I am simply saying lets be slow to jump to conclusions, lets be quick to trust, listen and learn, especially when we don’t understand the ‘why!’