Joshua 22:5. “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and soul.”
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. The sound of clashing swords and the shouts of fighting men has ceased The calls between men are not of fear and anger, but peaceful words Children and women are moving into new homes and daddy is home The sounds heard around the quiet fields are those of glad working.
The land is at rest.
The young, strong men are setting aside trophies and instruments of war Groups of men are moving out in different directions to their allotted places Even though they may never see each other again, they have a common bond God had told them to unite against the common enemy until victory is won. And the land is at rest.
Promises are made to give God His rightful place among them Blessings are given to those who kept their word to fight to the end Leadership is acknowledged still and authority is not questioned All seems well as the great army returns to a quiet and peaceful life. The land is at rest.
The Jordan is crossed and some have traveled many days to get to their homes It is a long way back to Shiloh and we live here, this is our land We need an altar here of our own, impressive, a great big one Not like the smaller one in front of the tabernacle. Trouble looms.
This one is not built by the pattern of God’s choosing but by the choice of men And across the peaceful land bad news flows like the wind And men reach again for their swords and the weapons of war This time, to go against their own brothers, war is still in their blood Trouble is here.
Hasty conferences are called and men run to meet and make a statement While others form marching groups, one group makes a declaration It seems plausible but the words are smooth and placating The words sound right and reasonable – and peaceful. Trouble is averted – for now.
“O God, preserve me from making hasty judgments against any of my brethren. I know what a thing looks like to me and in my eyes is wrong. But I do not know his motives. His thoughts and reasons may be perfectly just and right. Help to learn the lesson of finding out from one who looks at things differently than I do; why he does them and what is the motive behind it. Keep me from unrighteous judgments, I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”