THE EASTERN TRIBES RETURN HOME

Joshua 22:1-9 / Keywords 22:5

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.

 

Eastern Tribes Return Home

22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2 and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. 4 Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. 7 (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them, 8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing—and divide the plunder from your enemies with your fellow Israelites.”

9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan to return to Gilead, their own land, which they had acquired in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses.

1. The conquest of Canaan had ended, and the land was divided into twelve tribes. Then Joshua dismissed the two and a half tribes of those in the Transjordan with honor. They had kept their promise to Moses and helped the other tribes in the conquest faithfully. As he sent them to their families, Joshua reminded them to remain faithful to the Lord—loving Him, walking in obedience to Him, keeping His commands, holding fast to Him, and serving him. God’s people need to be both encouraged and challenged to remain faithful to the Lord in their lives of faith. We are not to rest on our laurels but keep on living by faith (Phil 3:13-14).

 

2. Joshua didn’t send them away empty handed but gave them blessing and bounty. They received the fruit of faithful living. Obedience to God and faithfulness to Christ bring God’s great blessings. Jesus says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt 6:33).

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for giving me a mission to spread the gospel. Help me to complete it. Remind me of living by faith to the end.

One Word Keep on running the race of faith