When we hear that fellow Christians have done wrong, let’s pause long enough to hear their side.
Here’s the King James version of Joshua 22:34, “And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.” Did you ever hear of Ed? It almost caused a civil war! Here’s the conclusion at the end of chapter 21: “The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand” (v 44). But sometimes it isn’t the enemies that cause trouble; it’s our brothers and sisters! Here’s the story. Joshua had been impressed with the military service of the eastern tribes when fighting with the others in taking Canaan. “You have not left your brethren…up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God” (22:3). But he warned them of the dangers of being separated from the other tribes by the Jordan River. It wouldn’t be as easy to come up to the feasts. They must be careful to maintain faithfulness themselves and for their children’s sakes. So, thinking this would help, “the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar” (v 10). News traveled fast, and the other tribes jumped to the wrong conclusion: they were rebelling against God! The men gathered at Shiloh, ready to fight. Thankfully a delegation went first, discovering there was no intention to sacrifice on that altar. Just the opposite, it was a replica to prevent coming generations from forgetting the link they had with Israel’s God. Ed means “Witness,” and we must also give witness of the Lord to our children and grandchildren. “Tell it to the generation following” (Ps 48:13).