The Memorial Altar In Gilead Series

The Memorial Altar in Gilead

(This message is based on a sermon preached at New Hope Baptist Church near Fulton, MO on Sunday evening, May 25, 2025 and is not an exact transcription).

Introduction: Well-meaning things aren’t always perceived that way. In this message, we’ll see that a gesture of goodwill and unity was clearly misunderstood.

1 The decision to build the altar

Text: Joshua 22:10-12, KJV: 10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

Altars have been a part of Old Testament worship since the days of Cain and Abel (Genesis 3), Noah, Abraham, and others. The Tabernacle had the (large) bronze or “brazen” altar where sacrifices were offered plus the altar of incense inside the Tabernacle itself. These veterans of the war of reclamation (the land of Canaan was promised to Abraham, Genesis 15:18-19) had no doubt not only seen the brazen altar but also had offered their sacrifices on that altar.

By now the war was over and the soldiers from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh were going home to the land they had requested from Moses (Numbers 32). So far, so good, and there was no problem at the time. But soon, some must have expressed concern about the very river, the very border, between the two sides or portions of land Israel now owned.

The result, no doubt after much debate, was to build a “great altar to see to”. The original bronze altar was fairly good sized, five cubits (half-English yards) wide and long, then three cubits (half-English yards) in height. The length and width, then, would be about seven feet and six, and the height would be four feet and six inches. With the poles used to carry the altar, this would have been a very impressive thing to see.

Even though we’re never given the actual dimensions of this “altar-on-the-river”, it’s easy for us to see that it was large enough for the other tribes to take notice. And notice, they did.

The next few verses explain how a delegation of some of Israel’s leaders made the trip to the altar in order to find out just why that altar was there in the first place.

2 The delegation who inquired about the altar

Text, Joshua 22:13-20, KJV: 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. 15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.