Assumptions and the aftermath: on Joshua 22:12

"At this news, the whole community of the Israelites

mustered at Shiloh, to march against them and

make war on them.” –Joshua 22: 12

Out of context, one might read this passage and assume that the Israelites are mustering to go to war against an enemy, perhaps some nation that has become an abomination before the Lord. But, in fact it seems to me, a perfect sign of what is to come for God’s chosen people: in-fighting, mistrust, suspicion and jealousy; the human condition (one might say).

Here, near the end of the book of Joshua, when the battles are finished, and all of the tribes have been allocated their land, one would imagine –expect, even—peace to reign, at least for a chapter or two.  However, almost immediately after the fighting stops as the tribes of Rueben, Gad and “the half-tribe of Manasseh” head home, they stop and build an altar (possibly in Gilgal). In reading the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) how many times have we seen the great figures from Israel’s history stop and build an altar of stones to honor God? To memorialize some victory? To remember some great, life-altering event? Abraham does it (cf. Gen 12:7 -8;13:18; 22:9) . Jacob does it (Gen 35:7). Moses builds one (Ex. 17:15). Heck, even Joshua does it (Joshua 8:30).  But now, when the rest of the tribes hear of this particular altar they muster at Shiloh and prepare to march against them because they find it suspicious and threatening. Here they are, finally settled after 40 years of wandering and fresh from the seemingly miraculous victories over their enemies, and what happens? They declare war not a pagan enemy, but on their own brothers (and sisters) who have just fought along side them to win them their homelands. Already in this nascent moment, the community of God’s people is crumbling.

As a prelude to war, the priest Phinehas is sent (with ten elders) to declare to these three (or 2 1/2) tribes their sin and to demand an answer:

“What do you mean by this infidelity, which you have

committed against the God of Israel…?” (cf. 22:16)

Phinehas asserts that this altar puts all of Israel in danger.  But the two and a half explain that Phinehas (and the others) have been rather rash in their judgment. This altar has been built not out of idolatry, nor infidelity, but out of fear that these others –the tribes that sent Phinehas, et al—might some day forget that the Reubenites and Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh too are children of Abraham, and say to them:

“What connection do you have with the Lord, God of Israel? Has not the Lord set the frontier of the Jordan between us and you, you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the Lord.” (cf. 22:24-25)

They have built this altar as a witness for future generations, as a reminder that they too are a part of God’s people; they too have a stake in His blessing.  They have built it that they might point to it as an image of what they once stood near, as an assurance to future generations that they too “have a right to worship the Lord in His presence…” (22:27b)

            Oddly enough, nowhere in this story is there any mention of God’s approval or disapproval of the altar. The same God who was so precise and exacting in his directions to Moses for building a tent and an altar and special poles and bowls and tent cloths –even to the number of loops in the cloth—and who and when and where anyone could approach the altar-- doesn’t seem to have any opinion on this one.  So, I ask myself: what lesson are we to derive from this story? If it isn’t a lesson about altars and infidelity, then what is it? A lesson about trust? About faith? About rushing to judgment? About making assumptions? One side assumes the other is doing something sinful. The other side assumes that they will be forgotten. And neither side seems to remember God’s strangely reassuring words from Deuteronomy:

“It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess [this] land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you.” (Deuteronomy 9:5)

But as we see again and again in scripture, that is the key mistake people make over and over. We assume it’s all about us. God is rewarding us because we deserve it, or God is punishing us because we deserve it. At least for me, it is always about me. My wife is mad because of something I did. My kids are sick because I’m a failure as a father. My poem got rejected because I’m no good as a writer. But as we see in the book of Judges, every time things seem to start going right, every time the Lord blesses His people with victory and protection and peace, they begin doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord. It happens so often that it becomes a kind of refrain. The main lesson I am hearing from this passage is: Don’t assume this all about you. And don’t assume you know all the facts. And don’t assume you know God’s will…  And don’t assume that just because God loves you, He approves of everything you do.  In fact, just don’t assume.