What I Noticed Today (Joshua 22-24)
Joshua 22
In verses 1-8, Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
- He blessed them and sent them on their way back across the Jordan to their land.
- Joshua first commends them for their faithful service in helping the other tribes secure their land.
- Then he commands them to keep the Law of God, to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him faithfully.
- And finally, Joshua cautions them to share the spoils of the land with their brethren.
In verses 9-12, when the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over to the east side of the Jordan, they built an altar. At first, this was misunderstood by the other Israelite tribes who threatened to go to war thinking the eastern tribes had already abandoned God.
In verses 13- 29, the Israelites sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and ten leaders, one from each tribe, across the Jordan to confront the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
- They accused them of treachery, in turning away from God by building the altar.
- They implored them not to turn away from God like Peor and Achan who brought destruction upon their people.
- The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh responded saying the altar was not for offering sacrifices but served as a reminder of their relationship with the Lord and the rest of the Israelite tribes. The altar was a witness to future generations so they would never rebel or turn away from the Lord.
In verses 30-34, Phinehas and the ten leaders were pleased with the explanation given by the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh. They returned to their land across the Jordan and reported the good news to the rest of the Israelites.
Joshua 23
Joshua gives his farewell address in Joshua 23.
- Joshua summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officers to make his farewell remarks.
- Joshua first magnified God, reminding the people of all that God had done for them as a people.
- But then he challenged them to keep trusting and serving God.
- Joshua spoke of all God’s good promises that had been fulfilled, then warned them that God would judge them harshly if they abandoned God to serve other gods.
Joshua 24
Joshua 24 includes Joshua’s final charge to the leaders and people of Israel.
- Joshua assembled all the tribal elders, leaders, judges, and officers at Shechem and they presented themselves before the Lord.
Note: Shechem was an important place to the nation of Israel. Besides being at the center of the Promised Land and the place where the Tent of Meeting was, Shechem was where God appeared to Moses (Genesis 12:6-7), and Jacob gathered his family there (Genesis 35:1).
- Joshua reviewed all of the blessings the Lord had bestowed upon the Israelites people from the time He brought them out of Egypt.
Note: In verses 1-13, God recounts all He had done for the Israelites people. The personal pronoun “I” is used 18 times. This serves as a reminder that the Israelite people did not do this on their own, but it was God’s actions that led them from Egypt to the Promised Land.
- Joshua admonished the leaders to fear God and worship Him sincerely and faithfully.
- He commanded them to get rid of their foreign gods and commit themselves to serve God.
- If they promised to serve God at this point, and then rejected Him, God promised to utterly destroy them (Joshua 24:20).
- The people swore to Joshua that they would worship the Lord and obey Him.
- Joshua renewed the covenant between the Lord and the people by recording their agreement in the Book of the Law of God (Deuteronomy 31:24-27). He also inscribed the agreement on a stone as a witness to the people’s agreement to the covenant.
In verses 29-33, Joshua died when he was 110 years old and was buried in Ephraim. Eleazar, son of Aaron, who was a contemporary of Joshua’s, also died and was buried at Gibeah.
Note: The people worshipped God faithfully during the lifetime of Joshua and the lives of the elders who outlived him. However, we will see (in Judges) that it didn’t take long before they abandoned God.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- The recounting of the Israelites nearly going to war over misunderstanding the purpose of the altar is a stark reminder of the importance of not acting on rumor or jumping to conclusions. Perhaps if the people had asked first, seeking to understand, tensions would not have risen so quickly!
- God’s promises are always fulfilled while His children are faithful to Him. But, rejecting God in any way ultimately leads to judgment.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
