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Day 220 – Witness Joshua 22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept everything Moses the servant of JEHOVAH commanded you and obeyed my voice in everything I commanded you. 3 You did not leave your brethren these many days, up to this day, but kept the charge of the commandment of JEHOVAH your Elohiym. 4 Now JEHOVAH your Elohiym gave rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now, therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of JEHOVAH gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 However, take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of JEHOVAH commanded you, to love JEHOVAH your Elohiym, to walk in His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with your whole heart and with your whole soul.” 6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents. 7 Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half of it, Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. Indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with many riches to your tents, with much livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.” 9 Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of JEHOVAH by the hand of Moses. 10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, 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. 11 Now the children of Israel heard someone say, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan—on the children of Israel’s side.” 12 When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them. 13 Then the children of Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, 14 and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel. 15 Then they came to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 “Thus says the whole congregation of JEHOVAH: ‘What treachery is this that you committed against the Elohiym of Israel, to turn away this day from following JEHOVAH, in that you built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against JEHOVAH? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of JEHOVAH, 18 but that you must turn away this day from following JEHOVAH? It will happen, if you rebel today against JEHOVAH, that tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the land of the possession of JEHOVAH, where JEHOVAH’S tabernacle stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against JEHOVAH, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of JEHOVAH our Elohiym. 20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on the entire congregation of Israel? That man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’” 21 Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel, 22 “JEHOVAH Elohiym of elohiym, JEHOVAH Elohiym of elohiym, He knows, and let Israel itself know—if it is in rebellion, or if in treachery against JEHOVAH, do not save us this day. 23 If we built ourselves an altar to turn from following JEHOVAH, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let JEHOVAH Himself require an account. 24 However, in fact, we did it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel? 25 For JEHOVAH made the Jordan a border between you and us, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in JEHOVAH.” Your descendants would make our descendants cease fearing JEHOVAH.’ 26 “Therefore, we said, ‘Let us prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice, 27 but for a witness between you and us and our generations after us, so that we may perform the service of JEHOVAH before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, “You have no part in JEHOVAH.’” 28 “Therefore, we said that it will happen, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of JEHOVAH which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.’ 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against JEHOVAH, and turn from following JEHOVAH this day, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of JEHOVAH our Elohiym which is before His tabernacle.” 30 When Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions of Israel with him, heard the words the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. 31 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that JEHOVAH is among us, because you did not commit this treachery against JEHOVAH. Now you delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of JEHOVAH.” 32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 It pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed Elohiym; they spoke no more of going against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. 34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, “For it is a witness between us that JEHOVAH is Elohiym.” God’s names: JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal Elohiym – Supreme God Yeshuwa – Jesus Hagios Pneuma – Sacred, Holy, Breath, Spirit God’s character: Holy How do you celebrate when you complete an important task? Most people celebrate with parties to show everyone what they accomplished. When Israel conquered of the land, Joshua told the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh to return to their possessions on the other side of the Jordan River. When they did, they built an altar as a witness to Israel that they were part of the tribes of Israel. When the tribes of Israel saw what they did, they did not understand why they built the altar until the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh explained it was not for sacrifice, but to stand as a witness that they were among the tribes of Israel. With complete understanding, they praised Elohiym and blessed Him because they did not need to go to battle against their brothers. Do people know you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, or do you need to show them? Do your actions indicate a changed life, or do they question everything you do? Israel questioned the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh when they built the altar. They already knew they stood by them in battle until they conquered the land. The explanation the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh gave them satisfied them that they were not in rebellion against Elohiym. When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, your life should be a witness that you belong to Elohiym. You do not need to build an altar to show everyone you belong to Him. You also have the Hagios Pneuma as a witness to your changed life. When people see your changed life, they will accept you for the new person you became. They might not understand it, but they will accept that you are different. Your difference stands between you and them as the altar the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh stood as their witness that they did not rebel against Elohiym but lived to serve Him. Let your life shine as a witness that you belong to Yeshuwa and not the world. Let’s pray: Father, let my life shine as a witness for You. Let Your Holy Spirit show the change You made in me when I became Your child. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 25 August 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.