May the mumbling commence!
Do you need a witness? Our faith provides us with many opportunities to give witness. There are a few examples of these kinds of witnesses in today’s readings that finish up the book of Joshua. In chapter 22, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and Manasseh were released to return to their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Before they crossed over the Jordan River, they built a large stone altar.
This altar caused much trouble to arise in Israel. They feared that these tribes were wandering from the Lord. It seemed that they were building an altar to sacrifice to the Lord rather than going to the place that the Lord would choose for His name. The other tribes were afraid of a repeat of the problems that Achan caused by taking the devoted things. They also mentioned the sin of Peor.
So, what was the sin of Peor? It was when the men of Israel began to commit sexual immorality with the women of Moab and Midian. These women began to lead the men of Israel to worship their gods and bow down to them. The Lord sent a plague among them that was stopped when Phinehas killed an Israelite man and a Moabite woman who were committing this sexual immorality among the leadership of Israel. It seems right, then, that Phinehas was leading this group of Israelites to confront the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
The tribes who built the altar replied that the altar was not meant for sacrificing. They built the altar as a witness between the tribes of Israel who are west and east of the Jordan River. It was a reminder that the tribes east of the river were a part of Israel who followed the Lord. They wanted to prevent the children of the tribes west of the river from thinking the tribes east of the river had no part in the Lord. All the tribes, then, accepted the altar as a replica and a witness between them and their descendants.
Another witness occurs in chapter 24. Joshua chapter 24 has challenging words of choice. My family has this quote from Joshua hanging on a plaque in our front room, where it can easily be seen. It comes from verse 15: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Who do I choose to follow? Who does my family choose to follow? Who does my faith family choose to follow? These are important questions. We must be careful how we answer them. Just as Joshua cautioned Israel to be careful. The Lord is a jealous God. He will not take second place to anyone or anything. If we choose to serve the Lord, there is no turning back. Our thoughts, words and actions will be witness either for us or against us.
In verses 25-27, Joshua sets up a stone reminder under a tree as witness. Joshua wrote the words of the Book of the Law on the stone. The stone was set up to be a witness, a reminder. When children grow up knowing nothing of the miracles of the past, the stone would cause discussion. It would give parents the opening to teach their children the way of the Lord.
As we move forward in our walk with the Lord, witnesses to our past are important to construct. Witnesses give us opportunity to share our faith walk with those new to the faith. We may explain the meaning of the garden near the church building or the stain glass windows in the sanctuary. We may explain the plaques on our walls at home or the bumper stickers on our vehicles. We may explain the messages on our t-shirts.
And because of these things, we need to be careful to guard our thoughts, words, and actions so that they will match the witnesses that we have constructed around us. Just as Joshua reminded the Israelites, I remind myself (and you) that I need to be careful to follow the call of the Lord to love the Lord, walk in His ways, obey His commands, and serve Him with all that I am (Josh 22:5).
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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