Why were the tribes living on the western side of the Jordan River willing to go to war with the tribes living on the eastern side? Because there was only supposed to be one altar for the worship of the One True God – the one outside the Tabernacle. So, when the Easterners built another altar on the west side of the river, the Westerners assumed that the Easterners had become apostate, that they had decided either to worship other gods, or to worship the One True God in the wrong way.

Now, the Westerners didn’t just decide to “live and let live.” No, they knew that there could be no compromise on such fundamental, essential truths of their faith. At the same time, in order to keep their eastern brothers from sin, the Westerners were willing to give up a significant portion of their own land so that the Easterners could live on the west side of the River and worship God in the right way.

And why did the Easterners build the altar? Not for the heretical reasons the Westerners feared, but because they didn’t want the succeeding generations who would live on the eastern side of the Jordan to be cut off from worshipping at the Tabernacle on the western side. They built the altar to assure their access to the true worship of the One True God.

Now, of course this story teaches important lessons about the need for communication, and the violence that can ensue when we stop talking with one another. And we know that the reason Old Testament worship ceremonies had to take place in one place in only one way because they all pointed to Jesus Christ, the only way to the Father (John 14:6). We therefore know that all the technicalities that made the Israelites so upset back then just doesn’t matter anymore – what really matters today is our relationship with Jesus.

But think about it: all of the ancient Israelites were willing to put their wealth and even their lives on the line in order to be able to worship God in the right way. Is worship that important for us today? Do we care enough about Christ to get upset if our modern worship practices don’t focus on Him alone? Do we care enough about our fellow believers to make sure they all have an opportunity to worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth? And if God’s worship isn’t our top priority, are we really worshipping Him at all?

Joshua 22:16-27 (NASB)

16 “Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day?
17 ‘Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD,
18 that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? And it will come about if you rebel against the LORD today, that He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow.
19 ‘If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then cross into the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the LORD our God.
20 ‘Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.'”
21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the families of Israel.
22 “The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD do not Thou save us this day!
23 “If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD, or if to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself require it.
24 “But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
25 “For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in the LORD.” So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the LORD.’
26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;
27 rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, that your sons may not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.”‘