Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 5
Wednesday


URGE TO JUMP

READ:
Josh. 22:10-16,21-29
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If you hear someone...
saying, "Corrupt men
have gone out from
among you and enticed
the inhabitants,"...
then you shall inquire,
search out, and ask
diligently.
__Deut. 13:12-14
____________________________________

In April 2006, a stuntman tried to jump from the top of the Empire State Building. At the last minute, authorities restrained him and charged him with reckless endangerment. After a judge had looked carefully at all the facts, he dismissed the charges, noting that the accused had taken steps to ensure the safety of others. With a parachute strapped to his back, Jeb Corliss had safely made 3,000 previous jumps, including leaps from the 1,483-foot Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Eiffel Tower.

As extreme as Corliss' sport is, it is safer than the kind of leap that almost took place in Joshua 22. Israel had just engaged in a 7-year conquest of Canaan. Suddenly, an alarming rumor raised the possibility of civil war. Word spread that the families who settled east of the Jordan River had built an idolatrous altar (v.10).

A national catastrophe was averted that day, only because someone took time to investigate the facts and listen to both sides of the issue (vv.16-29). A terrible, costly misunderstanding was avoided. The wisdom of God was honored (v.31). Our loving Lord taught His people that the cost of listening is not nearly as great as the cost of jumping to wrong conclusions. __Mart De Haan
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````````Lest judgment should be based on wrong conclusion,`````````
```````````Distinguish right from vain and carnal pleading;```````````
`````````````The world is rife with error and confusion;`````````````
```````````Rely alone on God the Spirit's leading. __Mollan```````````
_____________________________________________________________

Jumping to wrong conclusions
is one of the greatest of all dangers.

***********Today's Bible Reading __ Joshua 22:10-16,21-29**********

10 and when they came to
the region of the Jordan
which is in the land of
Canaan, the children of
Reuben, the children of Gad,
and half the tribe of
Manasseh built an altar there
by the Jordan.... 12 and...
the children of Israel
gathered together at Shiloh
to go to war against them.

13 Then the children of Israel
sent Phineahas.... 14 and
they spoke with them
saying, 16 "Thus says the
whole congregation of the
LORD: 'What treachery is
this that you have committed
against the God of Israel, to
turn away this day from
following the LORD, in that
you have built for yourselves
an altar, that you might rebel
this day against the LORD?' "
... 21Then [they] answered
and said to the heads of the
divisions of Israel: 22 "The
LORD God of gods,... He
knows... __If it is in
rebellion, or if in treachery
against the LORD, do not
save us this day....

24 "But in fact we have
done it for fear, for a reason,
saying, 'In time to come
your descendants may speak
to our descendants, saying,
"What have you to do with
the LORD God of Israel?...'

26 "Therefore we said, 'Let
us now prepare to build
ourselves an altar, not for
burnt offering nor for
sacrifice, 27 but that it may be
a witness between you and
us and our generations after
us, that we may perform the
service of the LORD before
Him....' 29 far be it from
us that we should rebel
against the LORD...."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The people of Israel were divided into 12 tribes from the 12 sons
born to Jacob (Israel). The half-tribe of Manasseh (v.10) was different.
Manasseh and Ephraim were the two sons of Joseph born in Egypt,
and their descendants were considered "half tribes." __WEC