And now let us look at the consequences of this line of action. Let the reader turn to Joshua xxii. Here we have the first sorrowful effect of the equivocal conduct of Reuben and Gad. They must needs build an altar—“a great altar to see to,” lest in time to come their brethren might disown them. What does all this prove? It proves that they were all wrong in taking up their position on this side of Jordan. And only mark the effect upon the whole assembly—the disturbing, alarming effect of this altar. At the first blush, it wore the aspect of actual rebellion. “And when the children of Israel heard it, _the whole congregation of the children of Israel_ gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. And _the children of Israel_ sent unto _the children of Reuben_, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh,[22] into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. 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, ‘Thus saith _the whole congregation of the Lord_, [Did not the two and a half belong to it?] 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? 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, 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. 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, [what burning words!] 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.’” (Joshua xxii. 12-19.)
Now all this serious misunderstanding, all this trouble and alarm, was the result of failure on the part of Reuben and Gad. True, they were able to explain themselves and satisfy their brethren in reference to the altar; but then there would have been no need of the altar, no demand for explanation, no cause of alarm, had they not taken up an equivocal position.
Here was the source of all the mischief; and it is important for the Christian reader to seize this point with clearness, and to deduce from it the great practical lesson which it is designed to teach. It can hardly be questioned by any thoughtful, spiritually minded person who fully weighs all the evidence in the case, that the two tribes and a half were wrong in stopping short of the Jordan, in taking up their position. This seems to us unquestionable, even on the ground of what has already come before us; and if further proof were needed, it is furnished by the fact that they were the very first to fall into the enemy’s hands. (See 1 Kings xxii. 3.)
But it may be that the reader is disposed to ask, What has all this to say to us? has this piece of history any voice—any instruction for us? Unquestionably. It sounds in our ears, with accents of deep solemnity, Beware of falling short of your proper position—your proper portion—of being content with the things which belong to this world—of taking any stand short of death and resurrection—the true, the spiritual Jordan.[23]
Such, we conceive, is the teaching of this portion of our book. It is a grand point to be whole-hearted, decided, and unequivocal in taking our stand for Christ. Serious damage is done to the cause of God and the testimony of Christ by those who profess to be Christians denying their heavenly calling and character, and acting as though they were citizens of this world. This is a powerful engine in the hands of Satan. An undecided, half-and-half Christian is more inconsistent than an open, out-and-out worldling or infidel. The unreality of professors is more injurious by far to the cause of God than all the forms of moral pravity put together. This may seem a strong statement, but it is too true. Christian professors who are only mere borderers—men of mixed principles—persons of doubtful deportment—these are the men who most seriously damage the blessed cause, and promote the designs of the enemy of Christ. What we want, just now, is a band of whole-hearted, thoroughgoing, unmistakable witnesses for Jesus Christ—men who shall declare plainly that they seek a country—earnest, unworldly men.