We are definitely seeing Joshua wrapping up, but chapter 22 brings us back to the beginning of the book. Cities have been destroyed. Kings have been killed. Some of the land has possessed and the rest of the land has been divided into the tribes' inheritance. But in Chapter 2, we see Joshua honor a covenant made by Moses. Remember the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Chapter 1? They had gone to Moses back in the day and said they didn't want to possess the land. They wanted their inheritance on the West side of the Jordan, not actually within the Promised Land. For them to receive their request, they told Moses they would fight alongside the Children of Israel as they sought to possess the promise. Joshua in Chapter 1 reminded them of their promise to Moses.
In Chapter 22, we see Joshua call the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manesseh. He told them they had fulfilled their promise. They didn't leave their brethren, but kept all the commandments of the Lord. Then Joshua released them from their service to the Children of Israel and gave them permission to return to their tents on the other side of the Jordan. He did send them away with a note of caution:
Joshua 22:5 But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Basically, Joshua was saying don't forget where you've been and what God has said. The three tribes (two and a half, really) went on their way after keeping their promise. Jesus said this:
Matthew 5:33-37 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not Swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' (34) But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; (35) nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (36) Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. (37) But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Jesus begins by saying "you have heard it said of old..." So, this is not a new topic. It has been said that if the people were going to swear or make a promise they needed to do so in truth with the intent to follow through. If a promise is made to the Lord, then perform the oath unto the Lord. Don't make a promise falsely with no intent to follow through. Don't we make promises to God in the form of bargains from time to time? "If you will, then I will..." or "If you do for me, then I will do for you..." Or "God, if you will just do this..then I promise I will do that...."
Jesus says no, don't swear at all. Just say yes or no, but do what you say you will do. We build character and integrity this way. Doing what we say we are going to do is important in the trust factor we all want to have in our character traits. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh were true to their words. They fought alongside the Children of Israel then gladly went back to their portion. They did not try and take anything that wasn't theirs, they just went back to what they had already been given. Wouldn't it have been easy for them all to want more after they had spent all that time fighting, too? Don't you think they could have felt entitled to ask for more when they had fought and bled? Yet, they didn't.
Keeping your word to someone is important in building a rapport with others. If we are the light and salf of the earth, if we are the City on a Hill, then what people will think about Jesus will somewhat depend on how we present ourselves and whether we are trustworthy. If we are not and we represent the King of Kings, then how can anyone think He is also trustworthy to fulfill His word?
This message today is not to apply pressure that none of us can live up to or fulfill, but is a lesson on keeping our word. Honoring what we have said we will do and asking nothing more in return is what will help us to show just one aspect of God's character to those around us: He does what He says He will do and He does not ask for more in return. So, how can we do anything less?
Join the discussion today on Facebook.
In Chapter 22, we see Joshua call the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manesseh. He told them they had fulfilled their promise. They didn't leave their brethren, but kept all the commandments of the Lord. Then Joshua released them from their service to the Children of Israel and gave them permission to return to their tents on the other side of the Jordan. He did send them away with a note of caution:
Joshua 22:5 But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Basically, Joshua was saying don't forget where you've been and what God has said. The three tribes (two and a half, really) went on their way after keeping their promise. Jesus said this:
Matthew 5:33-37 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not Swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' (34) But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; (35) nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (36) Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. (37) But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Jesus begins by saying "you have heard it said of old..." So, this is not a new topic. It has been said that if the people were going to swear or make a promise they needed to do so in truth with the intent to follow through. If a promise is made to the Lord, then perform the oath unto the Lord. Don't make a promise falsely with no intent to follow through. Don't we make promises to God in the form of bargains from time to time? "If you will, then I will..." or "If you do for me, then I will do for you..." Or "God, if you will just do this..then I promise I will do that...."
Jesus says no, don't swear at all. Just say yes or no, but do what you say you will do. We build character and integrity this way. Doing what we say we are going to do is important in the trust factor we all want to have in our character traits. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh were true to their words. They fought alongside the Children of Israel then gladly went back to their portion. They did not try and take anything that wasn't theirs, they just went back to what they had already been given. Wouldn't it have been easy for them all to want more after they had spent all that time fighting, too? Don't you think they could have felt entitled to ask for more when they had fought and bled? Yet, they didn't.
Keeping your word to someone is important in building a rapport with others. If we are the light and salf of the earth, if we are the City on a Hill, then what people will think about Jesus will somewhat depend on how we present ourselves and whether we are trustworthy. If we are not and we represent the King of Kings, then how can anyone think He is also trustworthy to fulfill His word?
This message today is not to apply pressure that none of us can live up to or fulfill, but is a lesson on keeping our word. Honoring what we have said we will do and asking nothing more in return is what will help us to show just one aspect of God's character to those around us: He does what He says He will do and He does not ask for more in return. So, how can we do anything less?
Join the discussion today on Facebook.
