Joshua 22

The two and a half tribes that would have their inheritance east of the Jordan river had obeyed the agreement that they had with Moses prior to His death. The fighting men of those tribes had stood alongside their brothers through the conquest battles in the land of Canaan west of the Jordan. Now the time had come for them to return to their own allotments with the commendation of Joshua. They had not forsaken their brothers. They had kept the charge of the Lord their God. These were great words to hear from the Lord's appointed servant.

On the way home, they began to fear concerning their position in Israel. Could it be that the unity that they now enjoyed with the rest of the sons of Jacob would eventually be forgotten? Would the Jordan become a barrier that would separate those who called upon the Name of the Lord?

They built an altar on the western side of the Jordan, a monument that could be seen from the east as well. Their purpose was unity with their brothers in the worship and life of Israel's God, but the other tribes misunderstood the meaning of their actions. They saw division in the building of this altar, setting up a new place to offer sacrifices to the Lord that would be more convenient to the lands west of the Jordan.

While Phinehas the priest was able to eventually understand and affirm the real intention of the two and a half tribes, the confusion gave everyone an opportunity to solemnly affirm what it was that held Israel together as a people. Israel was not merely a nation of common ancestry, or even just a people of common worship practices. At root, their unity was in God Himself. The eastern tribes affirmed this with these moving words: “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord!”

This altar was not a pragmatic or schismatic attack on the unity of the people of God. It was a plea for remembrance for future generations, that these tribes not be excluded from the oneness of the Lord's nation. The altar was a witness between the tribes on both sides of the Jordan, a witness to their mutual commitment to this most central truth, that the Lord is God.

The Lord IS God. We worship the same God as the Israelites worshiped so long ago. We have received not only the revelation of the Hebrew Scriptures, but most importantly, we have received the greatest revelation of all in the person of the Son of God. Our unity is in this: “Jesus is Lord!” Jesus, who died and rose again is our All in all. We confess one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is not only above all, but who is also in all.

Despite the various names and traditions that could cause us to question our oneness, we are the body of Christ. We have a remembrance of our unity that Christ gave to the church before he went to the cross: the communion ritual of the Lord's Supper. He commanded that the church do this meal in remembrance of Him.

The Lord is in our midst. We are one in Him, in His death, and in His resurrection. We must not make war against our brothers, but consider others more highly than ourselves, and treat all who profess the ancient faith with such mutual affection and care, that honest observers will be forced to admit this truth: “See how they love one another.”