The Altar Built on the Banks of the Jordan (Joshua 22:10–16)
The Altar Built on the Banks of the Jordan (Joshua 22:10–16) 2/1/2026
As the conquest of Canaan was being brought to completion, a serious internal conflict arose among the Israelites. On their way back, the three tribes who had first received their inheritance east of Canaan built an altar on the banks of the Jordan River. To anyone who saw it, it looked like a shrine for idol worship (10).
Mistaking this for idolatry, the rest of the Israelites assembled an army. At that point, they sent Phinehas, the son of the priest, along with representatives of the remaining ten tribes to investigate the matter. After hearing the explanation, they realized that this altar was not for idol worship. Rather, it was built as a witness so that future generations on the west side of the Jordan would not mistake the Israelites on the east as a different people. They were on the verge of war, so this was truly fortunate. Why is this incident important, and why was it recorded?
First, it was a record for future generations. It teaches us to pass on to our descendants all the ministries we carried out while holding firmly to the covenant. The gospel movement we are engaged in has faced much persecution and has shown many shortcomings. Yet the judgment of how pleasing this gospel truly is to God must be left to future generations. That is why, through Remnant University and through our church, we seek to leave behind many testimonies as evidence for the sake of the next generation. This is our absolute mission and method to leave behind for them.
Second, whether in institutions, families, or individuals, we must be cautious of such conflicts even when we are living in God’s blessing. Misunderstandings like this can arise, and when they become a channel for Satan, they can destroy all the blessings that have been built up.
If a war had begun among the Israelites because of this incident, all the labor they had invested in holding onto the covenant until then would have come to an end.
- When problems, conflicts, or crises come to us, how should we resolve them?
Even God’s saved people can face such times. We have been deemed righteous (justified) by the blood of Christ and restored to the status of God’s children. Yet within us still remain wounds and habits shaped by a self-centered, flesh-centered, and world-centered nature. Satan attacks these areas to make us fall again, but God tells us to turn such times into three kinds of opportunities.
1) If there are shameful events or failures, use them as opportunities for renewal.
① God sometimes allows us to go through hardships in order to make us whole. How many failures did Israel experience in the wilderness? There were endless complaints against one another, accusations, and unbelief toward God. Why did God allow this? “To humble you and test you, and in the end to do you good” (Deuteronomy 8:16).
② When someone misunderstands or criticizes us, we should instead listen for God’s voice in it and find what needs to be renewed in us. Building a large monument at the Jordan was too one-sided. With just a little communication, the misunderstanding could have been prevented, but it was not.
2) Use them as turning-point opportunities. Satan may exploit our weaknesses to cause suffering and injustice (Joseph is a prime example). Yet God turned that into Joseph’s opportunity to the palace and a means to save many nations (Genesis 50:20). Historical works such as John Milton’s Paradise Lost and John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress were also born out of such circumstances.
3) Make them times to grow deeper as people of God and to enjoy deeper blessings.
① The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26), and the Lord at the throne intercedes in prayer for us (Romans 8:34). —absolute bartizan. Through this, our relationship with God deepens, and our relationships with important people also deepen (1 Samuel 22:1–2).
② Being in the gospel does not mean problems will never come. It means that when problems come, they are transformed into answers and blessings (Jeremiah 33:2–3). The same applies to families and churches. In the end, with these testimonies, they go on to save the world and the nations.
- There is training we must now go through so that we can evangelize the world and leave blessings for future generations.
1) We must train ourselves in communication.
① Communication with God. We must communicate with God daily through the “three todays” (as the priest did daily in the sanctuary). Only then can we experience God’s depth, height, and breadth in every problem and circumstance (Isaiah 55:8–9). We must hold onto the Word given for today. Otherwise, we will end up living by our own thoughts, nature, and destiny. We must gain strength through today’s prayer. Then God reveals His deep things and the grace He has given us even in the midst of problems (1 Corinthians 2:10, 12). We must make everything a testimony through today’s evangelism. This is why God promised to establish us as witnesses (Acts 1:8).
② Communication with ourselves. We must be able to give ourselves answers and messages. In every problem and situation, we should examine our past, present, and future. Is this issue connected to a wound from my past? If so, I must rise above it. God is healing me. Is the present reality trying to break me down again and become a channel for Satan? Then boldly break the darkness and enjoy Immanuel. Believe that God is with me now, comforting me and leading me into blessing. Cast away worries about the future and entrust everything fully to God. As long as I am in the gospel, He has perfectly prepared my path (Psalm 71:18).
③ Communication with others. Communication with family, co-workers, and fellow believers is crucial, as is communication with people we meet in the field. Communication with those above us is important. The incident in the passage failed in that regard. The three tribes should have asked Joshua. Communication with those beside us is important. Working without communication only creates issues. It makes one a troublemaker who works alone. Communication with those below us is important, so we can understand their circumstances, help them, and raise them up.
2) Daily sharing and relationships of trust are important. Many misunderstandings arise because there is no relationship of sharing and trust. Paul had many good co-workers who supported him, all bound together by deep sharing and trust in the gospel.
① When Paul sent Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippian church, he said this. Timothy was one “who will sincerely care for your situation” (Philippians 2:20), and Epaphroditus was distressed because the believers had heard of his illness and were worried about him. Such attitudes cannot exist without regular sharing.
② When Paul sent Tychicus to the church in Colossae, he said this. “He will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord” (Colossians 4:7). In the workplace, in the church, and within families, we must pray and strive to build such relationships.
3) People of God must create oneness (one mind) in the gospel. We have together become people of the covenant, and in Christ we are one family, one body, and one entity (Ephesians 4:16). Creating division and conflict is Satan’s work (1 John 3:8), but the Holy Spirit brings unity (Ephesians 4:2). We must train ourselves to guard this unity.
Conclusion – This incident was not merely about resolving misunderstanding and conflict and achieving reconciliation. It created the history of “Ed” (“a witness between us that the Lord is God,” v. 34). It confirmed a relationship that could have collapsed together under Satan’s deception and instead turned it into a deeper relationship of blessing and covenant. I pray that in our families, churches, and fields, every conflict will be transformed into such a blessing.
2.1.26 The Altar built on the bank of the Jordan