Confusion and Clarification (Part B)

When a Christian puts career decisions of worship troubles on the horizon that he received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches show the word, he becomes unfruitful.

So we have to be careful that over the years of ministry. Three decades now. I've watched Christians goal way some of them make sure they have a solid place of worship as best they can. From a distance and they do well this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching that appears Pastor Rick with part two of this message confusion and clarification in Joshua chapter 22 and if it indeed is true in certain that such an abomination was committed among you. You shall surely strike the inhabitants of the city with the edge of the sword only destroying it. That is in it.

It's livestock with the edge of the sword, so he saying in Deuteronomy. If you find a corruption to the faith. One of our cities.

This is how you have to deal with. While this is a corruption of faith doesn't have to be all the good could be a lot of things with the altar would be certain of over false author would be one unauthorized and unauthorized dealer you is worse than that. It is an unpardonable sin in Israel to have such a thing, it would suggest that God's commandments were meaningless and would undermine the entire faith and those who would do such a thing.

Of course, would be guilty of homemade religion New Testament theology answers. This also says that there are those that use the language of Christianity even may use the Bible they may love religion. They have this disappearance. Paul says it like this.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away. They act like they don't mean it just form is not genuine and course New Testament writers deal with false faith through throughout their writings and we look at this other section of verse 16 in that you have built for yourselves and altar that you might rebel this day against Yahweh again, no need for supplements we don't they didn't need it and we don't either for the Jews. There was one place for the blood sacrifices one place for tone for the Christian is saying the cross of Christ was no other way to heaven course there are. I believe unborn children automatically go to heaven and not just the unborn children.

There are exceptions in their laid out for us in Scripture. David said I the child should not come to me, but I should go to the child which presupposes child is in heaven. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days my life and I will dwell in the house Lord forever. Westward Amos is what I'm going as with the child is thank God for his great mercy. Verse 17 is the iniquity of PO are not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord. So the tribal elders, Phineas is part of them eased priestly represent a representative and they're saying to the tribe you billing is all for all you did you learn a lesson they not giving them a chance to speak if they will have you learned we learn this lesson already about PR. That's where Phineas Beard those who were sinning. He was there. Phineas was about PR he was intolerant of the apostasy at the hint of apostasy numbers 25 that he is the hears we see the advice of Valium taking shape.

Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. Now here comes and the people ate and bowed down to their gods was successful. So Israel was joined to better help your the anger of Yahweh was aroused against Israel and courses great play and slaughter. That's what's being referred to in verse 17 where he says we are not cleansed till this day's is a shaman since there was no way that the influence we start catching people were still blasting people had the sympathies towards these man-made gods verse 18, but that you must turn away this day from following Yahweh and show it shall be if you rebel today against Yahweh that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel seeing you putting us on the spot with these. This auxiliary altar.

If we don't deal with you guys going to deal with us to deal with you this monument that they had it seem like a good idea at the time brother since the spring monument are altar humans will remind us and remind our brothers that we we are brothers. They will forget us intention was good.

The idea was that some commentators tend to side with the ones who built the altar, I don't.

I disagree with them. I think the wrong because their wallet to sugar jump to conclusions.

It will not jump to conclusions a little L fake all over the gun writing down there and they see it now. They did dealing with it then, and these are the lessons that abound for us in the coming up in verse 19. Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean then crossover to the land of the possession of Yahweh.

Yahweh's where his tabernacle stands, take possession among us.

Do not rebel against Yahweh nor rebel against us by billing yourselves and altar.

Besides the altar of Yahweh our God is interesting if Phineas is doing the talking.

Whoever it is. I like to say Phineas. He skyped Peter of the group is the vocal one. His spiritual authority is one that was at about pure killing people for messing with God, but he refers to their land as the land of your possession. The, the east side of Jordan in the Transjordan size that's your possession, he says, but the land of the west side at the promised land of Israel. He refers to as the possession of the Lord. He makes that distinction. It's a subtle distinction, but it is quite profound.

He sank look.

If you if you need to come home to the west side cross Jordan come back will make a space for you to build assault. That's what the argument is so at this point I pause when talk about the un-promised land because that's where they were dwelling. These 2 1/2 tribes got enough promise that land that was planned be God in his mercy says you know if I shut them down. I got a deal with the fussing for the rest of the lives find you want these this land take what is planned be understand and they will be the first tribes to collapse.

Incidentally, but they were satisfied with what was just short of the promised land. How many lessons are in that granted we have these big ambitions for serving the Lord. We fall short. This same thing because the ambitions are still there, still right. We would love to have with these made a conscious decision.

You know what we like it over here. We haven't even been in the promised land.

We like this numbers 32 verse five.

Therefore, they said if we have found favor in your sight that this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over Jordan you which is saying had all Israel felt this way. Who would have entered the promised land at all. Israel felt this way would God's will have been done see this is the lessons that we have to choose one we could read this. Let me think about this now, am I one of the Transjordan types or my wanting to go into the land that Moses was punished. Moses punishment involves not getting in the land so I would say, wait, wait, so if that was a punishment. I don't want to voluntarily stay out of the little one doing the land. Moses is not impressed by the way when he gets in the land.

Centuries later, Jesus is just talking with the Lord him and lodging is not like this is no righteousness and has nothing usually where I come from.

Location location location so the choice made, they made based on material can convenience the Cisco for pastor's we have all these flocks. This is good gone missing. I got something better knowing up to Goodenough so they decided that almost there was good enough said that I want to say again, the Levites servants of the Lord.

They were dragged into this because three refuge cities and in other promise territory was for them for their cattle and and so they had to endure. This also. I don't know if I was a Levite living on the east side of Jordan as I sure wish I were closer to Jerusalem. I wish I was on the other side, but I got is my duty station okay and faithful servant. This same attitude is it shows up in Esau. Esau did not want to stay in his father's land that was given to him, given to his father. He left the land of promise and his brother for greener pastures.

I have a hearing. Genesis 36 verse six then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters and all his possessions as households, cattle's animals all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan went to the country away from the presence of his brother Jacob PC away from his the presence of his brother Jacob with their possessions were too great to dwell together in the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau felt, you know what I'm out. I can leave my brother. I'm go so some of that attitude is there. He's not the only one there is lot lot. Genesis 13 verse 10 Lot lifted his eyes saw all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. As you go towards all the laws corrupt.

Incidentally, just like Sodom and Gomorrah would be that reminiscent of that attitude found in lot and and Esau. Those other tribes he sick much overdoing it understood the lesson that's coming out of the page when beating up on the tribes alluded their part of the story.

When a Christian puts career decisions above worship troubles on the horizon that he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

So we have to be careful and over the years of ministry. Three decades now.

I've watched Christians all move away some of them make sure they have a solid place of worship as best they can.

From a distance and they do well. I don't know of any of them that moved away not putting their worship first that did well.

I know of them that did not do well. It is serious thing that's will begin the lessons that come off the pages. These those who stayed in the un-promised lands and will when you get to the second Kings chapter 10 you read about very clearly. These were the first tribes to begin to fall.

They were separated. This environment of separation they created. God did not create this first 20 did not ache in the son of Sierra commit a trespass in the accursed thing. The wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel, that man did not perish alone in his iniquity is family did with it because they were part of the cover-up. And that's what they're saying them still not giving them a chance to defend themselves and their presenting their their their case to the prosecution's speaking charges in the same remember Aiken he paid for his sin what he thinks will happen. You were 21 then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and so that is telling us this because I lost sight of it somewhere and have the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel. Verse 22 Yahweh God of God's Yahweh, God of God's he knows that Israel itself. No, if in rebellion, or if in treachery against Yahweh.

Do not save us this day. Okay, so now they're getting to defend themselves, and I mentioned that Joshua is old. He's not part of the groupies are part of the meeting when he spoke to you know there was passion in his words, but it was I would believe a subtle in all not run on the signal coming out fiery but this passion is fire me, not angry, but passionate, instantly send the words let us look at verse 22 Yahweh got of God's Yahweh, God of God. When you repeat something it is for a fact it is an emphatic, is making it clear that Yahweh is God and all the other ones junk. Verse 23.

If we have built ourselves an altar to turn the following Yahweh or if to offer on it burnt offerings of grain offerings or if to offer peace offerings on it that Yahweh himself require an account. In other words, go ahead and judge us for 24 but the fact but in fact we have done it for fear for reason saying in time to come. Your descendents may speak to our descendents, saying, what have you to do with us or with Yahweh, God of Israel, so there there so okay we built the altar because we want to keep the bond between us. We don't want our descendents to to lose sight of each other and and and be separate but this happens when people think that they need to and improve or embellish God's directives today didn't need this guy had already built this into his word. He did not need them to do this, they were to teach their children the Scriptures.

The Scriptures that we call the tour of the Pentateuch, the first five books and their loaded with what Reuben and Gad, Manasseh and half the tribe of their loaded with this, the bond is an unmistakable. That's your your memorial, but thinking that you going to put it on this little GPS is little footprint and that somehow all the tribes are going to see it and benefit from, and this is not very farsighted. Their creative amendment was a pain in the neck from the very beginning because somebody had a good idea to this day people, have a good idea.

Leadership sets the stuff good ideas work placing more things still cause problems. God again did not need this good idea. He already had plans.

Exodus 23 verse 17 three times in a year all your males shall appear before Yahweh God, there's one how you want to forget is the tribe of Gad and Ruben and half the tribe of Manasseh. Let's all say it again, so I that there is Deuteronomy 6.

These words which I command you today shall be in your heart you should teach them diligently to your children you shall talk of them when you sit in your house when you walk by the way, when you live down when you rise up those words. All of these saying we teach easier children. They involve this brotherhood. Didn't they realize that it wasn't about unity with each other.

It was a palpable obedience to God that would produce the unity and all the other things that come with that they created this environment and would just we can do that we can create and cultivate an environment that is not necessary and cause problems. So we had the confusion. Here's the clarification. But how many lessons come out of this real life lessons for us. Why can I not just be content with acts 242. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine study of the word of God, the Bible fellowship and prayer.

In that sense of companionship and camaraderie with Christ himself that he allows us, and when Christians say that's not enough.

You need new Cadillac.

You need this you need that messes everything up you know any Christians that cannot be content with just a simple with simple expository teaching of the Bible just opening up the Bible. This is what's going on here you know Christians as not enough. I need some chandeliers to swing on. I need something sensational.

I need something more than acts 222 well sometimes you can do that not get in trouble but I think it has heard Christianity more than it is helped by far. Verse 25. Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between you and us.

You children of Ruben and children Gad, you have no part in Yahweh. So your descendents would make our descendents cease fearing Yahweh well first off what he says Yahweh has made the Jordan aborted between you and us. He has not. You made border.

When you said we want the lamb on the side of the Jordan, you establish the border and are not up to no good. So you really can't slam these men they really meant well.

Their motives were right, but it was still a bad idea and got everybody up in arms and they were that close to Civil War and massacre.

It would've been a slaughter.

Verse 26 therefore we said, let us now prepare to build ourselves altar not for burnt offerings are set for sacrifices that it may be a witness between you and us in our generations after us, that we may perform the service Yahweh before him, the burnt offerings without sacrifices that peace offerings. Your descendents may not say to our descendents in time to come.

You have no part in Yahweh. Yeah all unnecessary and so he's saying we we were no plan to obey the law. This is not going were not violating anything the test on our intent. Verse 28 therefore we said that it will be when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say here is a replica of the altar of Yahweh which our fathers made the not for burnt offerings over sacrifices, but it is a witness between you and us. Well, if you're so concerned about isolation and being separated the come across Jordan live with us with CCR earlier. Phineas made that clear. Also going on here is some hypothetical paranoia me just what if later on.

So why don't we just make up some other fears is unnecessary all their fears never came out. Incidentally, verse 29. If you as I'm reading is your same with this is kinda boring what just imagine if you were up here reading, so Feel better to half listen far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh in terms of following Yahweh this day to build an altar for burnt offerings of grain offerings for sacrifices besides the altar of Yahweh our God, which is before his tabernacle so they making clear the one before the tabernacle.

That's the only place we can offer bloodsucker vices verse 30. I would Phineas the priest and the rules of the congregation. The heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him heard these words that the children of Ruben the children of Gad and guess who have to tribe of Manasseh spoke it it please them. Remember, Phineas is a guy most of us don't know someone who's who killed people with Javelin as fear, and men and women he needed an and so you know when he talks. I think everybody's listening asked him.

Proverbs 15 one.

How how effective is this verse talk about a solid proper soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger will doesn't always work that way sometimes you get a person they are just determined to be in a little delusional fit to have their for you not to take it from what the reason is not the work you're sorry I've gone into the emotional zone.

I'm really liking this and if you try to reason with me is getting worse so you have to learn how to read that it's so disappointing someone gets there. Is it not the reason you shuts down and all that matters is what they want to feel and do and say in their position.

It could be them against everybody. No evidence, no proof yet they still angry and says so what you do Job.

How forceful are right words but when when the words lose their force then the feelings take over and this is a problem, but all of us have been there. I think all of us and there's anybody so self-controlled you'd never lost self-control.

If you are here you are.

Very irritating person to the rest of us. So maybe the next time someone loses some of that self-control says something harsher mean maybe we can remember to be kind enough to just take it on the chin, turn the other cheek and and not file it away against them for later because that's a practice that does not bear fruit. What does rotten fruit poisonous routine even poison ivy as fruit little white berries. I would need in verse 31, then Phineas, the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Ruben this day we perceive that Yahweh is among us because you have not committed this treachery against Yahweh. Now you have deliver the children of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh.

I'm gonna look it up after service will not tonight when I get home tomorrow something but when I get home tonight. Maybe tomorrow at some point I'm going to find out how many times did he have to write that in this chapter Ruben, Gad, have to tribe verse 32 and Phineas, the son of Eleazar the priest rules returned from the children. Ruben to the children of Israel and brought back word to them. Verse 33. So the thing please the children of Israel and the children of Israel blessed God. They spoke no more going against them in battle to destroy the land with the children of Ruben Gladwell verse 34 children of Ruben and the children of Gad, call the altar witness is a witness between us that Yahweh God better off without is no indication anywhere and didn't serve any meaningless purpose ever anytime and is forgotten who thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com to find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so, you'll be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com. Glad we were able to spend time with you today due to next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio