Introduction: One of my habits, which I believe is generally a good one, is that I am often thinking ahead. If I’m driving my car, I try to anticipate problems in the road ahead. If I’m walking in an area in which there might be danger, I consider what I will do if a problem arises. When I’m litigating a case, I always try to anticipate how the other side intends to argue. This habit has sometimes created problems, if only in my mind. If I come to the conclusion that someone wants to harm me, then I imagine what I will do in response. In 1 Timothy 6:4 the Bible discusses the person who creates problems based, among other things, on “evil suspicions.” That is exactly how my mind works sometimes; I imagine problems where likely none exist. Our study this week shows that I’m not the only one who has to be careful about evil surmising. Let’s leap into our study of the Bible and learn more!

I. The Division

A. Read Joshua 22:1-4. Do you recall what we studied about the two and a half tribes that wanted to settle on the east side of the Jordan River (the side opposite Jericho)? (They did not want to cross over the Jordan because the land on their side was great for cattle,  and they had cattle.)

1. When Joshua 22:3 refers to forsaking brothers and keeping the charge, to what does that refer? (Joshua 1:14-15 reviews the past agreement. The two and a half tribes can claim the land on the east side of the Jordan River as their land if they agree to cross the Jordan with the others and fight to conquer the land promised to all the tribes.)
2. Have the two and a half tribes kept their promise? (Yes! They have done as promised and are now crossing back over the Jordan to the land promised to them.)

B. Read Joshua 22:5-6. What final reminder does Joshua give the two and a half tribes before he blesses them and sends them on their way? (To love and obey God. To live a life that is consistent with obedience, and do it wholeheartedly.)

1. Is that the goal of your life? The goal you suggest for your children?

II. Alleged Treachery

A. Read Joshua 22:9-10. What would you conclude if you were present and saw this huge altar built by the two and a half tribes?

1. Could you sacrifice on such an altar? (Likely not. If it is huge, you could not reach the top except with a ladder.)
2. If an altar is not built to sacrifice to God, then is it intended to serve another god?
3. What would be the reason for building it, if not to sacrifice to the true God?

B. Read Joshua 22:11-12. Whoa! What has happened at lightning speed? (They are gathered for war! This huge altar was built on the west (Jericho) side of the river, according to the ESV and NIV translations.)

1. If this placement is true, for whom is it a message? (It would seem to be a message for the other tribes, not a stranger who has just passed through the land of the two and a half tribes.)

C. Look again at Joshua 22:12. Why are the rest of the tribes planning to go to war? (Because the two and a half tribes had built an altar.)

1. What did they think was wrong with that?

D. Let’s read on, Joshua 22:13–15. Let’s just stop here. Phinehas is leading the delegation of the tribes. Why is he leading? (Read Numbers 25:5-8. If you want someone serious about stopping idol worship, Phinehas is your man!)

E. Read Joshua 22:16-18 to continue following the confrontation. What is apparently wrong with building this altar? (The other tribes thought it was part of idol worship. They thought the two and a half tribes would be using it to offer sacrifices to another god.)

1. The people have a good sense of history; they refer to the “sin of Peor.” What is that? (That is the idol worship where Phinehas played a leading role in stopping it. This makes clear why the tribes chose Phinehas to confront the two and a half tribes.)

F. Read Numbers 25:1-3. The background for the “sin of Peor” is found in Numbers chapters 22-24. The Moabites were very concerned about the Israelites as they approached the Promised Land. So the Moabite King Balak asked the prophet Balaam to curse the Hebrews. That did not work. So Balak got advice from Balaam that instead of trying to beat the Hebrews militarily, they should try to lead them into sin. This resulted in the Moabite women seducing the Hebrew men into temple prostitution involving Baal. That worked for a while. A plague broke out. And Phinehas brought the episode to a violent end. With Phinehas leading, would this be a no-nonsense meeting?

G. Read Joshua 22:19-20. The people have a good memory. What is it they fear might happen to them if the two and a half tribes are involved in idol worship? (All the tribes would be punished.)

1. Do you think this concern is justified?

H. Look again at Joshua 22:18 where it says that “tomorrow [God] will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.” Is it true today that sin affects the entire church? (Yes. Sin is contagious. Sin is demoralizing.)

1. In our church today we find some sloppy thinking. We start with the true premise that we are all sinners. From that, some conclude that because we all sin, we should welcome sinners who demand that the church accept their sin. What is the logical problem with this argument? (Promoting sin and teaching others to accept sin is far different than acknowledging our sinful state.)

III. The Conversation

A. Let’s read what the two and a half tribes said in response to these charges. Read Joshua 22:21–23. Do all the tribes agree on the nature of the sin of idol worship? (Yes. There is no theological dispute.)

B. Read Joshua 22:24-25. Does this seem to be a reasonable fear? That the descendants of the rest of the tribes might tell the children of the two and a half tribes that they were not allowed to worship the true God?

1. Let’s step back and discuss evil surmising. Were the main tribes engaged in evil surmising against the two and a half tribes when they saw the huge altar?
2. Were the two and a half tribes engaged in evil surmising when they thought their children would be prevented from worshiping the true God by the rest of the tribes? (I think the answer to both these questions is “Yes.” This problem arose because of evil surmising on both sides.)

C. Read Joshua 22:26-28.  We earlier discussed what could be the purpose of a huge altar on which sacrifices were not made. What purpose do the two and a half tribes have for building it? (It is a sign, a symbol, a witness that the two and a half tribes believe in sacrificing to the true God.)

D. Read Joshua 22:29. When people in the church accuse you of wrongdoing, or engage in evil surmising against you, how do you react?

1. How would you grade the reaction of the two and a half tribes? (It was exactly right. I can imagine some thinking, “The last thing Joshua warned us about was idol worship, and now the rest of the tribes are accusing us of the same thing.” It might make you oversensitive about the subject and cause a less than gentle response.)

E. Read Joshua 22:30-31 and Joshua 22:33-34. What results from this “almost war” situation? (It was a renewal of commitment to the true God. The huge altar, as intended, was a “Witness” that “the Lord is God.”)

F. What lessons do you see in getting along with one another in church? (1. Don’t assume the worst. 2. Discuss it. Do not pick up your weapons first. 3. When someone accuses you of something, be kind.)

G. Read Psalm 133:1. What can you do to promote this goal in your church?

H. Friend, if you want peace in your church, determine not to assume the worst about others. When problems arise, talk them out. Like me, work on avoiding evil surmising. Will you agree to this?

IV. Next week: God is Faithful!

Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

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Is this True, Somewhat True, or False? We don’t have to like each other – we just need to get the church’s work done. Join the Hit the Mark panel as they discuss Sabbath School Lesson 1 – Living in the Land. It’s the fastest hour of the week!

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Daily Lesson for Wednesday 10th of December 2025

The answer of the accused, as straightforward and powerful as the accusation, constitutes both thematically and structurally the heart of the chapter. So far, the tribes have not replied to the accusations but instead have quietly listened to the allegations against them. Given the seriousness of the charges, their patience is exemplary as they display the true meaning of the proverb: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1, NKJV).

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

The opening sentence of the defense is a string of divine names attributed to Israel’s God: El, Elohim, Yahweh (Joshua 22:22). It is repeated twice with a growing force, as it becomes a solemn oath in order to dispel the doubts and false accusations that almost lead to a civil war in Israel. They are strongly convinced that God fully knows and understands the situation, and they hope that the present delegation will arrive at the same conclusion. The two-and-a-half tribes also recognize their accountability before the Lord by calling Him to take vengeance (compare with Deuteronomy 18:19, 1 Samuel 20:16) if they are indeed guilty.

A surprising revelation follows, which on the one hand proves the basis of the indictment void (an altar cannot serve only as a place of sacrifice) and on the other hand discloses their true motivation. Fear of separation from Israel, rather than apostasy, was the true ground for their action. Thus, the building of the altar is not evidence of apostasy, as had been supposed. Actually, the contrary is true: they have acted out of fear of the Lord, just as the western tribes did. The true basis of Israel’s unity is not geography or the physical extent of the inheritance but their spiritual allegiance to the requirements of the Lord.

The genuine concern of the tribes on the west side of the river also is revealed in their authentic joy as the innocence of the tribes on the east is ascertained. Instead of feeling defeated by the arguments of their brothers, they show sincere happiness that their suspicions turned out to be wrong. Civil war in Israel was avoided and the unity of the nation preserved.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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I really enjoyed studying this week’s Sabbath School lesson, as it shows us how to appropriately handle situations where we suspect sin and apostasy. At the beginning of Joshua 22, Israel was concerned about their brothers’ actions, and they had every right to be. But after a proper investigation, there was understanding and reconciliation amongst the tribes. War was averted when they asked questions rather than issuing threats. Many of them were afraid the rebellion in Numbers 25 was about to repeat itself. Instead, wisdom and discernment helped them see the difference between what happened in Moab and what was actually happening on the other side of Jordan. 

When suspecting sin and apostasy, it is so much better to ask questions instead of making accusations. Consider how God handled sin and rebellion in Genesis 3. Instead of telling Adam, “I know where you are!” God asked, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9. Instead of telling Adam, “I know what you did!” He asked him, “Have you eaten from the tree I told you not to?” Instead of telling Adam, “The reason you are naked is that you disobeyed!” He asked Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” Genesis 3:11. If an all-knowing God asked questions instead of making accusations, how much more should we be asking questions (If it is even any of our business) instead of making accusations. 

Even when King Nebuchadnezzar got angry at the three Hebrews for not bowing to his image, even in his pagan fury, he was wise enough to ask questions rather than make an accusation when he asked the young Hebrew men if it was true that they had refused to bow. Daniel 3:14, 

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus gives us three steps to follow when seeking reconciliation with a brother. 1. Go to the brother we have the issue with and try to settle it just between the two of you. 2. If that does not work, find a mediator to hear the matter and help reconcile. It is important to note that Jesus did not say to give your side of the story to the mediator before meeting with the other brother. The mediator should hear both sides of the story at the meeting; otherwise, he will naturally be biased. Then, if that does not work, take the issue to the entire church. However, before even beginning this process, consider this proverb.

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. Proverbs 19:11 NLT

If it is worth pursuing, remember that the counsel of Matthew 18 works best as an inquiry, where questions are asked first, instead of beginning with accusations. 

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Daily Lesson for Tuesday 9th of December 2025

Before giving full credit to the rumors of what might be perceived as a declaration of independence, the nine-and-a-half tribes, labeled twice as “the sons of Israel,” send a delegation to clarify the intent and meaning of the altar. The delegation consisted of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high priest, who would succeed Eleazar after his death (Joshua 24:33). Phinehas already has gained some visibility as the priest who put an end to the debauchery of Israel at Baal Peor (Numbers 25:1-18).

Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com

“Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:7-8, NKJV).

Phinehas surely had some influence. The other emissaries were representatives of the nine-and-a-half tribes west of the Jordan, each being the head of a tribal family (literally, “head of his father’s house”), within the clans of Israel.

The delegation opens the indictment of sacrilege and rebellion with the official prophetic formula “thus says.” The distinction here is that it is not the Lord speaking but the “whole congregation of the Lord” (Joshua 22:16, NKJV). They launch the accusation that Israel committed trespass, treachery, and rebellion. The term “trespass” is the same Hebrew word that was used to describe Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:1) and appears several times in the first five books of Moses (for example, Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 6:2; Numbers 5:6,12). The examples of Achan and Baal Peor serve as precedents: one for treachery and the other for rebellion. They also express the fear of the nine-and-a-half tribes that the act of building an unauthorized altar will lead to apostasy, idolatry, and immorality, which will incur the wrath of the Lord upon the entire nation of Israel.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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