How does Joshua 22:23 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? Setting the Scene • Joshua 22 recounts how the eastern tribes built a large altar by the Jordan after receiving their inheritance. • Alarmed, the western tribes feared this altar signaled rebellion—an act that would violate God’s exclusive worship commands. • In verse 23 the eastern tribes swear innocence: “If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from the LORD…”. The Heart Behind Joshua 22:23 • The tribes acknowledge only one rightful place for sacrificial worship—the altar before the tabernacle (cf. Deuteronomy 12:13-14, “Take heed…you must offer your burnt offerings in the place the LORD chooses,” excerpt). • Their oath appeals to God as immediate Judge: “may the LORD Himself call us to account” (v. 23 excerpt). • By invoking divine judgment, they show unwavering loyalty to the Lord and reject any hint of idolatry. Echoes of the First Commandment • Exodus 20:3 states, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” • Joshua 22:23 safeguards that command by: – Rejecting alternative deities: building an unauthorized altar for worship would introduce rival loyalties. – Preserving exclusive worship: only the true God receives sacrifice. – Emphasizing accountability: the tribes invite God to punish them if they ever violate His supremacy. • Together these texts reveal a consistent biblical theme—God alone deserves worship, and any substitute altar or god is intolerable (see also Deuteronomy 6:13; Matthew 4:10). Lessons for Today • Guard the purity of worship: maintain Scripture-defined ways of honoring God. • Preserve unity around God’s truth: the tribes built the memorial altar to remind future generations of shared faith, not to create competing worship. • Live under God’s watchful eye: welcoming His scrutiny keeps hearts aligned with “no other gods.” |
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