Joshua 22 - The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Joshua 22 Listen: (6:16) Read: Philippians 3 Listen: (3:21)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 22.24-28

24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord. 26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’ 28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

Hebrews 13.10, 15-16

10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Reflection: The One True Altar

By John Tillman

As a kid, “altars” confused me.

Our church’s “altar” was just steps up to where the preacher, music minister, and choir stood. But altars in scripture weren’t about teaching or singing. One memorable sanctuary had red-carpeted steps. I couldn’t imagine cutting up animals there. (But maybe that’s why they were red?)

“Altar calls” confused me. They happened anywhere, without red-carpeted steps. At evangelistic events in giant sports stadiums or around campfires at camps, we had “altar calls” with no altar in sight.

The confusion was partly linguistic. English uses “altar,” from the Latin “altare,” meaning a raised structure for offerings. But in Hebrew and Greek, the words more explicitly mean “to slaughter” or “to sacrifice.” To Hebrews especially, an altar without sacrifices was a strange thing.

This is why the western tribes assumed the eastern tribes’ altar violated the covenant. Instead, the eastern tribes explained, it was a non-functional, symbolic altar, a “place of sacrifice” without sacrifices. It represented the true altar where sacrifices were made. It was not a symbol of disunity, but a reminder of unity.

As Christians, our strange “altars” with no sacrifices, and our calls to come to the metaphorical altar do a similar thing. Hebrews makes clear that our altars point to the true and better altar—the cross of Christ.

The western tribes feared the eastern tribes betrayed the one true altar. The eastern tribes feared losing access to the one true altar. In reality, both altars pointed to the one true and better altar we all access. All altars point to Jesus and the cross.

Modern altars point back to the cross and every altar of God’s people in the Old Testament points forward to it. In a very real sense, there has only ever been and only ever will be one true altar—the cross. All other altars were and are only symbols.

When we corporately worship at or on a stage, we bring a sacrifice of praise, professing the name of Jesus. “Altar calls” call people to the cross. Our prayer lives happen at the altar of the cross.

Are you regularly approaching the true altar? Christ’s altar is one of unity. Don’t make the mistake of accusing believers of betrayal if their altars point to Christ’s altar.

Individually and corporately, make sure you regularly approach the true altar, bringing praise, repentance, and thanksgiving to Jesus.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. — Psalm 84.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Sacrifices Celebrating Peace

Whether financially, by labor, or by time, give and make sacrifices that establish or celebrate God’s peace.

Sacrifices Celebrating Peace

Scripture Focus: Joshua 22.21-23
21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.

Student Writers Month:
This month, The Park Forum welcomes college and seminary student writers pursuing ministry careers. For more info about our yearly Student Writer program, see our website.

Reflection: Resolving Misunderstanding
By Sylvester Ngonga

This chapter’s plotline is captivating and full of suspense. In the backdrop of a concluded military victory, the tribes to the east of river Jordan built a memorial altar even though they knew of Moses’ command to only offer sacrifices at the altar at Shiloh (Leviticus 17.8-9). Fears of betrayal motivate the tribes to the west to attack but not before sending a high-level inquiry delegation to allow the eastern tribes to explain their actions. Will this delicate misunderstanding escalate to a full-blown civil war, or will it be resolved?

Feeling isolated, the eastern tribes intended the altar as a symbol of unity. Unfortunately, the western tribes misinterpreted it as disloyalty. Today, we may not be separated from our brethren by the river Jordan but we are separated by divisive political and religious ideologies which breed fears of betrayal. These fears propel us often to the precipice of civil wars and religious conflicts.

In our isolation, the ever-lurking impulse is to build culturally compliant monuments to express our faith. The divisive nature of competing scriptural interpretations fuels misunderstandings in our perception of God and each other. The eastern tribes, when confronted to explain themselves, appealed to God confidently about their action. Can we do so? Have we simply built memorials or are they altars to the gods of our man-made ideologies?

The gospel should bind us together. Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, was offered up for us once and for all (2 Corinthians 5.21). In our reasonable service, all that is required is to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12.1). Sadly, many today want to hear God without listening to him. We want to worship God in any way that pleases us rather than in unity, spirit and truth (John 4.24).

This truth of God’s word should help us confront and respond to each other lovingly about misunderstandings regarding God’s holiness. Whenever there is a misunderstanding, our first appeal should be to God, not popular opinion. Understanding our accuser’s perspective helps to shape our reaction.

Both sides were assuming the worst of each other. The eastern tribes assumed that they would be excluded and the rest of Israel assumed that they were rebellious. We must seek clarification lovingly rather than impute evil motives on others. Our unity in diversity is a tapestry of beauty, and God is pleased when we dwell in harmony (Psalm 133.1)!

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and glorify your Name for evermore. — Psalm 86.12

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Joshua 22 (Listen – 6:16)
Acts 2 (Listen – 6:35)

Read More about Readers’ Choice 2021
It is time to hear from you about the posts from the past eleven months (September 2020 – July 2021) that have challenged, comforted, and helped you find new meaning in the scriptures.

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Read more about Good and Pleasant Unity?
In such a divisive and cynical time, words like “unity” raise eyebrows, hackles, and suspicion.

Good and Pleasant Unity? A Prayer for Election Week

Tag: Joshua 22

The One True Altar