Joshua 22:1-2 – At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you."
The 22nd chapter of Joshua continues with the 'wrapping up' of the conquest of the land.
Before Israel ever crossed the Jordan, the Lord had promised Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh the territory that formerly belonged to Sihon and Og. They received land and cities without being involved in the lot (Deuteronomy 3:1-22).
But there was a stipulation connected to their inheritance – the military personnel of these tribes had to cross the Jordan and assist the remaining tribes until the land was subdued by Israel.
Deuteronomy 3:18, 20 - �The Lord your God has given you this land to possess.� All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel� until the Lord gives rest to your brothers� and they also occupy the land that the Lord your God gives them beyond the Jordan.� Then each of you may return to his possession�
(See also Numbers 32, Joshua 1:12-18).� Consequently, a combined total of about 40,000 soldiers crossed the Jordan to assist their brothers in the war.� They faithfully fought alongside the other tribes until the conquest of the land was complete.�
The conquest of the land was estimated to have taken 5-7 years. However, it should be noted that while the 2 � tribes maintained a continual presence of about 40,000 soldiers that whole time, they were not necessarily the same men. It has been speculated that the men rotated home on occasion, in order to take care of business and to see their families.
It is also possible that at various times of rest or breaks in the wars of Canaan that all or part of these 40,000 men were able to travel home for brief periods. Whatever the case may have been, the soldiers of the trans-Jordan tribes were faithful to keep their word; they actively served in the national army along with the other tribes as long as the war lasted.
At this point in the history of Israel, it is clear that the land as a whole had rest - it had been conquered to the point where the Canaanites were no longer in power; they were no longer able to amass an army that could fight against the people of God. There were still pockets of Canaanites to be subdued, but it was now the responsibility of each individual tribe to remove these enemies from their inheritance.
Therefore, it was now time for the fighting men of the 2 � tribes to be discharged from their duty to the nation.� To this end, Joshua assembles these warriors at Shiloh, says a few remarks, and sends them home.
Joshua 22:3-4 – "You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan."
In his closing remarks, Joshua gives strong words of praise to these 40K men.� He publicly acknowledges that they have kept their part of the bargain; they willingly and whole-heartedly gave their military assistance to the remainder of the nation.� They followed all the orders Joshua gave them, no matter how difficult or dangerous.�
Notice that their service was not just a command of Joshua, it was a charge or duty given to them by the Lord himself.� This means that these soldiers had been obedient and faithful to a divine law/command.� In so doing, they exhibited several key Christian traits – faithfulness, obedience and sacrifice.� Let's take a more in depth look at these traits.
OBEDIENCE: Obedience is defined as compliance with an order, request or law; it requires submission to the authority of another.�
Everyone is required to submit to some kind of authority. Scripture tells us that even Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father:
John 6:38 – For I [Jesus] have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Philippians 2:6-8 – [Jesus] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
If Jesus was obedient to the Father's will and authority, we should expect to do the same. Scripture teaches that obedience is one of the key elements in our spiritual walk.
Children are to be obedient to parents (Colossians 3:20), servants are to be obedient to masters (Ephesians 6:5-7), citizens are to be obedient to those in civil authority, as long as that authority is in harmony with divine commands (I Peter 2:13-16), and believers are to be obedient to spiritual authority in the church (Hebrews 13:17).� Christians are to submit to the authority of Jesus as head of the church.
In fact, even our salvation is dependent upon obedience, because in order to obtain it, we must follow the requirements set by the Father – we must confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God has raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10).
The soldiers of the trans-Jordan tribes had their obedience rewarded with possession of the land east of the Jordan as well as 'very much' livestock, money, clothing, gold, etc. This blessing was in accordance with God's kingdom principles/laws:
Isaiah 1:19-20 – If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat of the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
We too can expect good things to happen when we obey the laws and commands of the Lord, because his laws bring life and peace to us while simultaneously keeping trouble out of our lives:
Proverbs 22:4 – The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Psalms 25:12-13 – Who is the man who fears the Lord? He shall instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.
For example, God's law says that the person who borrows money is a slave to the one who lends to them (Proverbs 22:7). The person who chooses to ignore or live in rebellion against this law will go out and live beyond their means. Instead of exercising self-control and budgeting to go on that dream vacation (and/or buy a house/furniture/car, etc), they simply borrow money so they can have whatever they want the moment they want it.
But later, when they want to switch to a lower paying job, or they want to support a missionary, or they have an opportunity to make a good investment, they can't – because they have trapped themselves with their debt.
Factors outside their control (like inflation or a job lay-off) can also increase their financial burden to the point of bankruptcy, foreclosure, or total financial ruin.� This, in turn, would be devastating to every other area of their lives as that kind of stress can wreak havoc on a marriage (and other relationships) and ruin your health.�
By contrast, the person who chooses to obey the law of God and live within their means, can expect to be blessed as they generously give to the poor, support the gospel, and wisely plan for the future.� They will be able to take full advantage of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.� Money will not cause stress in their marriage or keep them awake at night.�
So let me just say it again: Obedience to God's laws brings life and peace to us while simultaneously keeping trouble out of our lives. You should definitely consider being obedient!
SACRIFICE:� To sacrifice is to give up, renounce or suffer the loss of something, especially for an ideal or belief.�
Did the fighting men of the trans-Jordan tribes sacrifice anything?�
I believe they did.� They gave up time with their families.� They gave up opportunities to plant vineyards or establish businesses.� They gave up the chance to be safe from harm (some of them no doubt perished in the wars of Canaan).� They gave up the freedom to travel and study and other things too.
They sacrificed these things in order to serve God by furthering the kingdom of Israel and God blessed them because of it.
We too are blessed by making sacrifices for the kingdom of God. In Matthew 19, Jesus has a conversation with his disciples about giving up things for the kingdom of heaven. This is what he said:
Matthew 19:28-29 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."
Don't ever think that the sacrifices you make for God go unnoticed. He sees everything you offer to him – even when the world does not – and he will reward you for it (Matthew 6:1-7, 16-18), even when your sacrifice is a mere cup of cold water (Matthew 10:42)!
Consider this as well: What is the most valuable commodity we all have?
I believe it is time.� Each of us has been granted a specific amount of time on earth, and we can't manufacture any more for ourselves.� So our time is very precious.� Whatever amount of time we spend doing kingdom work is essentially a sacrifice, because we could have used that time to satisfy our own desires.�
FAITHFUL:� Firm adherence in observance of duty; steadfast in affection or allegiance; loyal.
The highest and most profound example of faithfulness is God's faithfulness to us. Even though we fail and continue to sin over and over again, he is always faithful to forgive our sin and cleanse us from unrighteousness (I John 1:9). His steadfast love and care for us never ceases (Psalms 100:5).
The armies of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh are also a good example of faithfulness.� They made a solemn vow to aid their brothers in their war to subdue the Canaanites; they were faithful to keep that promise.�
All throughout that 5-7 year period, they steadfastly continued to encounter the enemy in battle after battle.� They were present in the battle for Jericho.� They marched against the five-king alliance.� Even when things became really frightening (in the battle against the northern confederacy), they continued to show up and actively fight.�
Their loyalty must have been a real encouragement to the nine other tribes mentally as well as physically. Their faithfulness certainly played a part in the victory of Israel.
We too need to be faithful stewards in the house/kingdom of God. God has a master plan for this planet and for the race of mankind. As we look around today, it may seem as though the enemy is winning the war, but don't believe that. God is in control. At the exact right moment, he will change the tide of this war; there will be an end time revival where millions of people come to Christ.
So be faithful to the Lord and continue to stand on his promises!
Joshua 22:5-6 – "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
Joshua's closing advice to the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh is interesting.� He does not advise them to diligently farm their land, increase their herds, fortify their cities or enlarge their own territory now that they are seasoned warriors.�
Rather, he admonishes them to continue to carefully follow all the commands of the law.� He particularly admonishes them to love the Lord with all their hearts and souls and to earnestly cling to him.�
It was vital that the men of the 2 � tribes follow this command closely.� They were about to leave their brothers behind and go to the other side of the Jordan.� Even though some of the Levites lived among them, they would be quite a distance from the tabernacle, the altar, and the service of God.� This disconnection may have increased their temptation to serve the false idols that still persisted in the land.
When you cling to something, you are very unwilling to let it go.� The implication is that the thing you are clinging to is vitally important to you; you treasure it and/or understand the value of it.
Joshua was giving these men very sound advice. They were about to go home where they would now be reunited with their loved ones and they would be able to enjoy all their blessings – new homes, fields, vineyards, clothes, possessions, and wealth.
While all these material things were blessings given to them by the Lord, they had to be kept in proper perspective. In the New Testament parable of the sower, Jesus tells us that some of the seed grew among the thorns or weeds, which choked the plants and rendered them unfruitful. As he explains the parable, Jesus tells us that these thorns represent the riches, cares and pleasures of this life:
Luke 8:14 – And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
These thorns/weeds can render us unfruitful in the kingdom of heaven, if we allow them to choke out the word of God (good seed) in our lives.
How do weeds choke out good plants? They compete with the plants for water, sunlight and the nutrients of the soil. If given the chance, they will take everything and cause the good plant to die. Short of that, they will only leave the good plant just enough to survive, so that bearing fruit is impossible.
If you've ever had a backyard vegetable garden, you understand this completely!
Now might be a good time for us to examine ourselves.� Do we have riches or pleasures in our lives that are not inherently sinful, yet they are preventing us from bearing fruit in God's kingdom by stealing all of our time, attention and resources from spiritual matters?� If so, how can we limit or remove these things in our lives?�
Joshua also stresses our love and devotion to God for another reason – the best proof of our love for someone is our conduct towards them. In other words, if our love for God is genuine, then we are rooted and grounded in him and it will produce practical proof in our lives. If we truly love God, we will be devoted to his service, diligent to repel false beliefs and eager to abide by his laws.
In a way, we could say that the trans-Jordan tribes were isolated or separated from the rest of the Israelites.� The danger was that this separation would cause their love/service to God to grow cold, so Joshua warns them to cling to the Lord and serve him only. ��
Joshua 22:7-8 – Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them, he said to them, "Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."
Let's discuss at the division of the spoil. Notice that Joshua did not give the men any commands about exactly how the plunder should be divided. That's because God had already addressed that issue much earlier – when Moses led Israel to victory over Midian.
Numbers 31:26-24 – Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast� and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.
The men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh could be divided into two groups.� The fighting men who crossed the Jordan made up one group.� The other group consisted of the men who stayed east of the river, tending the flocks, sowing the land, protecting the women/children and building the cities.� Both jobs (protecting the home front and serving in the army) were equally important and therefore every man/family received an equal share of the spoil.
This is reflective of the way in which the New Testament church operates. Paul likens the church to the body of Christ. In order for the body to be fully functional, it needs all the different parts – eyes, fingers, back bones, kidneys, knees, ankles, glands, etc. It should be apparent that we cannot compare ourselves to other Christians, because God has uniquely created each person and assigned each one of us different goals to accomplish.
It also means that every Christian – EVERY CHRISTIAN - is an essential part of the body.� So I can say with all confidence that the body of Christ needs YOU!� You bring essential talents, skills and ministry to the church.� Please don't cripple the body of Christ by not showing up to church or by not using your talents and skills!���
Joshua 22:9 – So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by the command of the Lord through Moses.
Many bible scholars find this scripture to be a picture or parallel of our lives on earth and our subsequent rewards in heaven.
The job of the 2 � tribes was to assist their brothers by fighting in Israel's army. They delayed the enjoyment of their own inheritance while they helped others obtain theirs.
The moment we receive Christ as our Savior, are co-heirs with Christ. The inheritance that awaits us in eternity is so amazing we can't even conceive the extent of it. But like the trans-Jordan tribes, God tasks us with remaining on 'this side of the Jordan' (on earth), so that we can assist others to obtain their own inheritance (salvation).
For now, we must remain here on earth, putting on the full armor of God and fighting against our common enemy. Just like the trans-Jordan men, we must go wherever our commander (Jesus) sends us, and do whatever he orders us to do. We must never fear, complain, or grow weary in our work, because we know that God himself will give us victory.
We can take comfort in knowing that as we are faithful, as we obey and as we make sacrifices in this seemingly endless war, Jesus will notice and he will reward us in heaven, just as the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were rewarded with 'very much' wealth for their service.�
And then one day, our fight will be over; God will discharge us from earthly duty to go home to heaven (sometimes referred to as crossing the Jordan), where we can enjoy our everlasting reward.
It should be noted that when we cling to God – loving him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength – it becomes easy to enter the battle and stay until the victory is won. That is why Joshua admonished the trans-Jordan men to keep their eyes on God and obey the covenant.
Let me offer you some encouragement:
Joshua admonished the men of the trans-Jordan tribes to keep their focus on the Lord and not let their love for him grow cold.�
When Jesus walked on earth, he gave the disciples (and all New Testament believers) the exact same warning - to be on guard, lest we also lose our focus and grow cold:
Matthew 24:12 - And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold.
As we read this scripture, it's easy for us to dismiss it – we are sure that our love for Christ would NEVER grow cold. While I hope that is true, we can't just dismiss the possibility of it, because Jesus is the one who said it was true!
Therefore, we need to constantly guard against growing cold in our faith, especially when we look around and see wickedness everywhere. When times get tough, we must be obedient and faithful to Jesus our commander, because victory is found in him.
Let me offer you some relief:
God has never lost a war and he isn't going to lose the one for planet earth either!
God is in control of what happens on this planet and in your individual life. He promises that if we remain faithful and obedient to him, he will welcome us into his eternal kingdom.
Matthew 24:13 – But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
The simplest way to 'endure unto the end' is to take life one day at a time.�
- Read your bible – today.�
- Spend time in prayer – today.�
- Witness to a sinner – today.�
- Give to the poor – today.�
- Stand for righteousness – today.�
- Worship – today.
I think you get the point! A faithful and obedient life to God is built one day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow; just serve the Lord TODAY.
Let me offer you some strength:
Are you concerned that you won't be able to remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and accomplish the tasks he has assigned to you? Are you worried about making sacrifices for the kingdom? If so, let me assure you that God has paved the way for you to be victorious over your flesh!
Do you remember who Zerubabbel was? He was the man who led the first group of Jews back to the Promised Land after the Babylonian captivity. The task God assigned to him was absolutely monumental. It was fraught with peril and Israel's enemies undermined his work every chance they got.
In the second year after they returned to the land, Zerubbabel was given another task – to construct an altar to the Lord and lay the foundation for the replacement temple (the temple of Solomon had been destroyed when Israel was exiled).
Again, this seemed like an impossible task – and it would have been if Zerubbabel relied on his own strength and power. But he didn't. God sent an angel to remind him that through the power of Holy Spirit, he could do what seems impossible:
Zechariah 4:6 - Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. �
Likewise, you and I don't need to worry or fret about staying faithful and obedient to all that God has called us to do, because God has given us Holy Spirit to assist us.� If we listen to his voice and do has he instructs, we will find wisdom, protection, resources and victory as we walk here on earth. �