An Altar of Witness

Rev. Vance Becker, LCMS missionary to Kenya, serving as a theological educator at Neema Lutheran College in Matongo, Kenya, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Joshua 22:1-34. Learn more about Rev. Becker and how to support his work in Kenya at lcms.org/becker. Now that the land has rest, it is time for the eastern tribes to go home. Joshua sends them back across the Jordan River with compliments for their faithfulness, encouragement for continued faithfulness, and his blessing from the LORD. Their super-sized model of the LORD’s altar causes confusion among the western tribes. These nine-and-a-half tribes send a delegation to the eastern tribes in accordance with Moses’ instructions, investigating whether idolatry is occurring in Israel. The eastern tribes assure their brothers that no such idolatry is taking place, and they have every intention of worshiping the LORD only at His chosen place. The altar they have built is intended as a witness to Israel on both sides of the Jordan River that the LORD is God. “The Promised Land Delivered” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Joshua. After the death of Moses, the LORD remains with His people to bring them into the Promised Land under Joshua. Throughout the book, the LORD proves that not one of His Word falls unfulfilled. Today, the Church has the same confidence that all of God’s promises find their “Yes” in Christ.