Why was the altar in Joshua 22:10-34 such a big deal?

These men speak as representing "the whole congregation of the Lord" (v.16), letting the 2 ˝ tribes know that they considered it treachery against the Lord that these tribes had erected an altar for themselves, for it appeared to be rebellion against God's authority. They of course reasoned that a separate altar could not be God's altar, and therefore that these tribes were turning away from following the Lord. They remember "the iniquity of Peor" (v.17) and the plague God had sent on Israel because of the mixture of Israelites with Moab and their idols (Num. 25;9, and they want no repetition of such judgment. For if only these tribes turned away, then the Lord would be angry with the whole congregation of Israel (v.18). This is a solemn lesson for the Church of God too, and in some respects more deeply serious when there is departure on the part of some. For the Church is "one body", and "if one member suffers all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor.12:26). We may not see this result very plainly, but this is because of our sad lack of spiritual perception in realizing just how badly the testimony in the Church is affected by the disobedience of only a small part. But God is in perfect control even of this, and we shall in the glory see just how profoundly the Church has been affected by the actions of every member of the body.

Phinehas and the delegation with him thought that possibly the 2 ˝ tribes considered their land unclean, and still under the domination of an idolatrous god, since they placed their great altar there, and told them if so they should come to the west side of Jordan. They give one example of God's anger against all Israel on account of the sin of only one man, Achan (v.20). The sin of Peor involved the guilt of many, but Achan's sin was only his, yet it affected all Israel.

However, those of the 2 ˝ tribes had a different explanation of this than the rest of Israel had expected. They made it clear that they give every honor to "the Lord God of gods," and plead the fact of God's knowledge that understood what they were doing (vs.21-22). They say that, if this altar was raised in rebellion or treachery, then they would accept the judgment of not being saved that day. If they had built the altar to turn from following the Lord, or if in order to offer sacrifices on it, then let the Lord require this in judgment (v.23).

They explain therefore the real reason for the altar. They were apprehensive that in the future the children of Israel west of Jordan might question their right to any relationship with Israel because the Jordan came between them (vs.24-25). Therefore they decided to build the altar, not to offer sacrifices, but as a standing witness to their identification with the rest of Israel (vs.26-27). It was not an independent altar, but a replica of Israel's altar, but firmly declared as to be not for offering sacrifices (vs.28-29), but as a witness.

The wiser course in this case would have been to previously advise Israel of their intention to build such an altar, thus avoiding any misunderstanding. Nevertheless, the explanation was fully satisfactory to Phinehas and the other delegates of Israel, and Phinehas voiced their thankful approval of this, perceiving that this altar was really a confirmation of the unity of all Israel rather than a tragic declaration of division (vs.30-31).

When news of this was brought back to Israel, it was not only a relief, but a pleasure for them to realize that the 2 ˝ tribes were concerned to maintain as close a unity with the other tribes as possible (vs.32-33). Then it is added that the altar was appropriately named "Witness."

The altar had a central place among the children of Israel; for whole burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, peace-offerings, and sin-offerings were there presented to God. Blood too was put upon the horns of the altar, sprinkled upon it, round about it, and poured out at the bottom of the altar. The altar of burnt-offering was thus a connecting-link between the people and Jehovah; that which was done in service with it, while it was blessedly typical and instructive to us, was of a kind suited to a people who were outside the veil - a people in the flesh, with an earthly calling and hope, and outside the holiest of all, the place of God's presence.

The people were so identified with the altar that certain parts of some of the offerings thus presented to God were to be eaten. Hence we read, "Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" (1 Cor. 10:18.) This was their altar, and their jealousy was properly stirred if anything seemed to interfere with THE ALTAR for all Israel; for they knew that by it they were remarkably connected with Jehovah. When on one occasion the other tribes heard that the Reubenites had built an altar on the borders of Jordan - "a great altar to see to" - they were greatly alarmed, and severely censured them, because it appeared to be divisive of the one nation, and to rival the one altar which was for all the people who formed the one family of Israel; and they were only satisfied by the Reubenites assuring them that they had not built an altar by Jordan for offering sacrifices thereon, but for a witness. They said, "God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt-offerings, for meat-offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before His tabernacle." (Joshua 22:29.) It is clear then that Israel had an altar, and that altar was the altar of Jehovah their God, with whom they were in covenant relationship.

The last three chapters of Joshua are not, however, a formal prophecy of impending evil, such as, for instance, Moses' song. And the twenty-second chapter is not even a direct warning as to this, as Joshua's address is afterward. It is but the story of a well-meant attempt to provide against a possible breach, at an after-time, of Israel's unity. The two and a half tribes, sent back to their inheritance on the east side of Jordan, set up near the river "a great altar to see to," as a witness that they are of one faith with those upon the other side, and that their children of after generations might not be deprived of a place with them in the worship of their common Lord. It is all well, and their brethren (even Phinehas with his unflinching zeal for God) are satisfied with their explanations. Yet it is plain an uneasy sense of insecurity is already haunting them. The danger may never practically present itself from the quarter they anticipate: we do not read that it ever did; yet the sense of danger may be a true presentiment none the less; and while the door is barred in one direction, it may be wide open in another.

When Israel saw that Rueben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had built an altar on the other side of Jordan they were so outraged that ‘the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them’ (Josh. 22:12). Thankfully, however, they first sent Phinehas to make enquiries. The two and a half tribes explained that they had no intention of offering sacrifices on this altar, that it was meant to show future generations that they served the God of Israel, etc. So a war between brethren was averted at the last moment. Having said this, their position on the wrong side of Jordan was the source of a whole range of complications that were not only dangerous but also a hindrance to the enjoyment of the land.

They erected, after their homegoing, a great altar (Hebrew: An altar great to the sight). It was of immense size, so that it might be seen far and wide as a silent witness. When the rest of Israel heard of this altar, and thinking that it meant a separate worship, instituted by these two and a half tribes, they were ready to go to war. They exhibited great zeal for the Lord and were ready to carry out His Word. See Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 7:5-13; 8:7-13. But while they were zealous, they also exhibited wisdom and sent Phinehas with ten princes to investigate the supposed apostasy. The explanation follows and is accepted. The altar was then called Ed, which means "witness." It was to bear witness between them, that the Lord is God, and that the tribes, though separated by Jordan, are one people. But where is today the witness in Christendom that there is one body? That witness seems to have been lost.

The warriors of the two and a half tribes, who had chosen their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, had faithfully fulfilled their promise to fight with their brethren for possession of the land of Canaan, and were returning to their homes, but, as they reached the Jordan, they were aware that the river separated them from their brethren, and they feared lest, at some future time, they would not be acknowledged as belonging to Israel, and so built "an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to" (Joshua 22:10).

At first, the other tribes viewed their act as rebellion against the Lord, and were afraid that divine judgment might overtake them on account of this new altar. Phinehas and ten princes of Israel were sent to enquire into the matter, and spoke faithfully to their brethren, speaking of this altar as "an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God". They offered them a possession where God's tabernacle was, if their portion was unclean. They also recalled to them the sin of Achan, which brought judgment on all the nation.

After they explained their fears, saying that the altar was not for sacrifices, but only as a witness that they belonged to Israel, the explanation was accepted, and the brethren parted in peace. The fears of the two and a half tribes would never have arisen had they not decided to remain on the east of the Jordan, to stop short of God's purpose for His people; nor would they have given rise to the fears and exercises of their brethren, who recalled the solemn judgments that had earlier fallen upon the nation because of the sin of some in Israel. The altar of Ed, which means witness, remained as a witness that the two and a half tribes were of Israel, though also telling that the rich pastures of them from having their portion beside the tabernacle of the Lord.

Returning to their land, these men of the two and one half tribes immediately erect a very large altar by the banks of the Jordan River (v.10). It is understandable that when the other tribes heard of this altar they were alarmed, for God's altar in Israel was to be in the place that He would choose. At that time it was at Shiloh because Israel did not have possession of Jerusalem, which was to be God's center. But God recognized only one altar on which Israel was to offer their sacrifices, for the altar typically speaks of Christ.

The two tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh are then called and blessed and sent away by Joshua in Joshua 22. On their return to their possessions beyond Jordan they built an altar by Jordan, "a great altar to see to." The report of this altar at once roused the whole congregation of the children of Israel, who gathered together at Shiloh. Before proceeding to war however, they sent Phinehas, and with him ten princes representing the other tribes, who taxed them with their trespass against the God of Israel in rebelling against Jehovah. As yet they realized the solidarity of Israel and the honour of Him who dwelt in their midst, and urged on their brethren's consciences the iniquity of Peor and the sin of Achan, offering them room on this side of Jordan, if their land were unclean. To this the two and a half tribes called the God of Israel to witness how far from iniquity or rebellion it was that they had built the altar, for it was with no thought of offering upon it in independence of God's altar, but lest their children should cease from fearing Jehovah: "A witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of Jehovah before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in Jehovah." This appeased the rising wrath of their brethren, who owned themselves delivered from the hand of Jehovah for the trespass they had dreaded. Whether it was not an invention of man — in divine things always dangerous, as being a substitute for faith in God and His memorials — is another question.

Again, at the close of the Book of Joshua, we find the whole congregation of Israel arming and going to battle against the two and a half tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. They had heard of the altar their brethren had built by Jordan; they judged that these tribes had corporately departed from the Lord; and they appeal to the histories of Peor and Achan, where the whole congregation had suffered for the sin that was among them, to show that the whole congregation of Israel would suffer unless they put away the sin (Joshua 22:15-20). Their challenge of this altar proved their jealous loyalty to their Lord; though the answer of their brethren showed that their fears were groundless.

The two and a half tribes who had chosen their inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan, were demobilised to their homes and families by Joshua with a blessing. But they soon discover what their sorrowful choice had cost them. They had lost the place in the land where the Lord had recorded His name. Where also in the priesthood and the sacrifices He had provided for their worship, and their restoration when defiled. The returning tribes build an altar by Jordan, "A great altar to see to," lest the children of the other tribes should say to their children in time to come—"Ye have no part in the Lord." They name the altar Ed (witness), for "it shall be a witness between us that Jehovah is God." (Joshua 22:34.) But was it not a witness that they were not in the place of privilege where they might have been, though within the limits of Israel's promised possession? (Gen. 15:18, etc.)