84 - Trust Him He keeps His word

Chareen's Thoughts

• All the Lord's promises to His people are now fulfilled and they are living in the Promised Land.
• The Reubenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Reuben have fulfilled their promise to stand with the house of Israel until all the land had been taken.  Joshua blesses them and releases them to go home with an admonition to keep the statutes of the Lord.
• When they returned home they built an altar for themselves to the Lord on their side of the river.
• When the rest of Israel heard this they gathered together to go to war against their brothers because they were offended with the altar. They went over and challenged them.
• The Reubenites explain that the altar is not for burnt offerings but as a symbol to remind themselves and their brothers across the river that they are a part of the covenant. It is merely a replica to remind everyone they are a part of the nation of Israel.
• The name of the altar is: Ed [witness], saying, It shall be: A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God.
• The priests reported all this back to the house of Israel who were satisfied with the report and went home.

 It is so important to keep each other accountable on our walks with he Lord to make sure that we do not twist His word or break His commands.  More importantly however it is that we approach one another for clarification for perceived misconduct and hear what and why something is going on.  I think many minor family wars could be avoided if we just took the time to ask and listen.

⁴³And the Lord gave to Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and dwelt in it.

    ⁴⁴The Lord gave them rest round about, just as He had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies withstood them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands.

    ⁴⁵There failed no part of any good thing which the Lord had promised to the house of Israel; all came to pass. Joshua 21:43-45

I can trust Him He keeps His word.

Blessings
Chareen