Dealing With Division Series

The Israelites, in conquest of Canaan, were united in purging the land. They had a purpose that brought them together. However, when they started settling down, then disagreements began erupting. When people are bound together with a common goal in mind and fighting for the same thing, they are able get along with one another and work together; however, when intentions are unclear and people are lacking direction, they will often begin fighting each other. Within the church, this undesirable behavior results in what is known as church conflict.

When division occurs within the body of Christ, we often try to ignore it in the name of love or tolerance; however, issues cannot be resolved without civil and Christ-like confrontation. Problems must be addressed before they can ever be settled and there be peace among brethren. In the book Practical Wisdom for Pastors, author Curtis Thomas tells us,

Satan is happy when problems occur in the body of Christ. He loves divisions, dissensions, uproars, individual against individual, falsehood against truth, lies, distortions, and other things that upset the tranquility and mission of the church.

One of his insidious ways of fostering these problems is to cause the leadership to assume that we just need to give the matter a bit of time to see if it won’t work itself out. Seldom is that the case! Some very minor issues, are best left alone, but when they escalate to major issues, time will work against us rather than for us. We must not fall into Satan’s trap.(1)

This morning we will see how problems arise as people begin acting apart from a consensus. We will also discover that when individuals have enough courage to come together and communicate, and lay all their intentions on the table, that people can once again reach a consensus, thereby promoting the peace and presence of God.

Acting Apart from a Consensus (vv. 10-12)

10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan - a great, impressive altar.

11 Now the children of Israel heard someone say, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan - on the children of Israel’s side.” 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.

Here we read about Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. Reuben and Gad were the two tribes that decided to settle down on the east side of the Jordan River, choosing to forfeit the real prize for second best (cf. Numbers 32:1-23). The tribe of Manasseh was descended from Joseph, and was very large. The people needed room to expand, and therefore, when settling the land after the conquest, “half of this tribe . . . had their territory assigned to them by Moses on the east of the Jordan.”(2)

Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh were separated from the other ten tribes by the Jordan, and therefore had little contact with them. You can easily see how this geographical barrier could have resulted in broken communication, and even exclusion from the other tribes.

Well, there was indeed a communication breakdown! Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh committed two transgressions against their brethren: 1.) They failed to share their plans, and 2.) they neglected to ask for permission, or to sit down and have an open dialogue or discussion. Maybe they felt it better to ask for forgiveness, rather than ask for permission, as we’ve heard it said. Because they failed to seek a consensus, a dispute arose between them and the other ten tribes.

The construction of another altar was so significant that it should have been decided upon by everyone. What we need to understand is that it’s always important to obtain a consensus when making major decisions or significant changes. When we make an unsanctioned decision it can lead to conflict and war! We read that “the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against” Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh (v. 12).

A book I read on leadership states, “In committees or groups working on shared goals, consensus is often used to resolve conflicts that may occur within the group . . . Building consensus ensures that everyone within the group is heard, but that the group will ultimately end up with one agreed-upon course of action.”(3)

If God has called you on mission, then you are a spiritual leader; and spiritual leaders are responsible for the well-being of numerous souls. You must be careful not to make decisions that will affect the entire group without first consulting them. If people are uncertain of your intentions, you will lose their trust; and at this point they will go into survival mode, and begin fighting to do what they think is best. So, it is extremely important to inform everybody of the group’s direction, and to make sure that everyone is on board with the plan.