Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, are challenged the second time-by Joshua here, as by Moses before; because of their pillar here, because of their seeking the plains of Gilead before.
This is all natural, as common as Christian fellowship is, but all more or less painful and troublesome now-a-days as it was then. A great stir is made among the Tribes; and a great assemblage is formed to inquire into this further.
Something appeared in the eye of them who were on the other side of the river, which alarmed them as Israelites, as worshippers of Jehovah. It looked to be something which the common call of God could not allow for a moment-it must at least be explained. What a living picture this is! Are we not at home here? Do we not scan this spot well?
The calling and the election of those eastern borderers was not made sure to their brethren who were living in the place of the Ark of God. They have to inquire and inspect their condition; and whatever the result of such inspection may be, the need of such a process is but a poor thing at best.
I believe the first Epistle to the Corinthians is very much an Eleazar crossing the river to look after a pillar. There were things at Corinth which alarmed Paul. They seemed to be reigning as kings in the earth; his ministry in the meekness and gentleness of Christ was getting despised. The world was fashioning the hearts of saints there; and people were valued because of their place in the world. “The princes of this world,” the men of the schools, or the ways of the schools, were regaining their place, and saints were returning to settle where they ought to be unknown and strangers. Paul, in the zeal of Josh. 22, had to cross the river; and whatever the discovery may be, the action is a painful one, and the need of it a sad one in the history of the Church.
The Tribes may satisfy Eleazar more than the Corinthians did Paul; all these varieties are known at this hour: but there is this common sorrow and humbling, that the call and election is not made sure: and we have either to take journeys, or to occasion journeys, to have our own ways and ED.’s, and altars, as brethren, read; instead of reading to all the secrets of God’s altar and tabernacle at Shiloh! —J. G. B.
When the world has lost its power in principle over us, then we find that inequality of position only serves to draw out affection; not to make an equality.
God ever treats us according to what He has already given us—treating us as though we realized it all.
An Assembly which has not the Truth of God for the condition of its existence is not an Assembly of God.