Jumping to Conclusions

 

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

 

There was an incident. The tribes of Israel had arrived and were settling in the Promised Land.

The tribes of Rueben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh received land on the opposite side of the Jordan River from the rest of the tribes.  Joshua sent them there with his blessing after they had helped their brother tribes and had completed the mission that the Lord had given them.  When they got there they “built an imposing altar.” (Joshua 22:10).

They were afraid that they would forget God because they did not have the same reminders of His faithfulness without the tabernacle that was on the other side. They were also afraid future generations would forbid them entrance to the tabernacle.

They built this altar to help them remember God (not to make any kind of offerings to any other gods).

When the Israelites heard about this altar “the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.” (Joshua 22:12).  They thought that these tribes were breaking faith with the God of Israel, that the altar had been built in rebellion.  (Joshua 22:15-16).

In a moment of wisdom, Phinehas was sent to speak to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh and ask why they had built it.  They explained that they feared future generations would need this reminder that the God of Israel is their God, too.

Phinehas reported this to Israel and they backed down from the threat to go to war against them.

There was wisdom in sending Phinehas to ask about their motives for building the altar.  Too often, we hear about something that has happened in the church (or a ministry); a decision, an act of church discipline, or a change in staff, and we judge it.  We have no more idea what the motives of the people involved were than the Israelites had about why these tribes had built their altar. But, we decide who was right and who was wrong based on our own understanding.

Occasionally,  Christians, especially on social media , go public with the criticism before consulting the one (or a leader of the ministry) about to be criticized. I am sure the remaining tribes of Israel were relieved that they did not go to war. Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh defended their actions as a reminder for themselves and the future generations on the other side of the Jordan, that they might never be kept from taking part in the worship at the temple.

I am not opposed to challenging those who are deliberately rebelling against God and His Word. Let’s just not jump to any conclusions before we know the truth – even at home with our husbands and children. It is okay to ask if we are seeing it right – or if we have jumped to a conclusion that isn’t true.