257 Joshua: Rush to Judgment
They were ready to fight. They thought they knew the truth. They were wrong.
Joshua 22 shows how fast things can go wrong when we rush to judgment.
As the Israelites were making their way northward toward Canaan, some of the tribes found the land east of the Jordan to be quite attractive. They asked to settle there, and permission was granted for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh to stake their claims.
The only stipulation was that the troops from those tribes were to assist their brothers in conquering the territory west of the Jordan. Once the fighting was done and the land divided, the Reubenites, Gadites, and men of Manasseh, returned to their land and families east of the Jordan.
But when the troops got to the edge of the river, somebody probably said, “Wait a minute. Suppose, sometime in the future, someone would say to our descendants, ‘You can’t really be God’s people – you’re on the wrong side of the river!’”
They decided, as a safeguard against that and to preserve their connection with the western tribes, they would build a monument. The text says that it looked like an altar – a place for sacrifice and worship. But it was never intended to be that. It was simply to be a reminder that they were part of the people of God.
Seems so innocent, doesn’t it?
Not to the western tribes. They jumped to the conclusion that the eastern tribes had built their own place to worship God—something strictly forbidden. “This is heresy!” they thought. And they strapped on their swords, intending to go to war against their brothers.
The problem was, they didn’t pause to look into the situation first. Instead, they rushed to judgment and nearly destroyed untold lives.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. They sent some elders to get the facts. Their eastern brothers were horrified that their efforts to mark unity could be so badly interpreted. But because someone took the time to look into it rather than jump to conclusions, a split among God’s people was averted.
Such close calls still happen today among God’s people. And all too often, the tragedy isn’t averted. Misunderstandings arise. Assumptions are made. Accusations follow. And in the end, friendships are lost. Partnerships are ended. Churches are split.
So, given this, let me offer you several points to remember lest you rush to judgment.
Set your default to think the best not presume the worst.
Get the facts before you draw your conclusion.
Let your commitment to unity trump your need to be right.
If we hope to live a life of courageous faith and be communities of courageous faith, we must commit to love and unity. In the words of St. Paul:
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:2-3
Text: Joshua 22
Originally recorded on November 27, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN