Altar Called ‘Ed’
Joshua 22:34 KJV And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.
Now here’s a name I can pronounce rather safely- I think. Not only did this altar have a nice, short, easy-to-remember name, but there was also a very unique and significant purpose for its existence. While sacrifices would be made upon it, the real reason for its construction as a ‘great altar to see to’ (verse 10) was to witness between them and their brother tribes on the other side of the Jordan, that their God was the same God and their true worship was the same as that presented in the central tabernacle. Rather than allowing the geographic separation to create an independence and rebellion from their people and their God, they purposed to erect an altar that would continually remind and witness to the fact that they were a part of something much greater and more significant than the portion of land they were given as an inheritance. How precious was this affirmation of loyalty and commitment to a cause much bigger than any they could have had on their own? How much of a relief and encouragement it must have been to the leadership of Israel to discover that their fears of a turning away were unfounded. Though God was the God of each tribe itself, there was a need for dependence and unity among all of the tribes for their ultimate strength and purpose to be realized.
There is most certainly the need for an altar in each home where a decision has been made to follow the Lord. Upon this altar should be lifted sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving from hearts that have been offered completely to the God of our worship. There is, though, a greater purpose for this altar. Rather than forming an independence and separation from the body of Christ and a commitment to the worship that takes place in the congregation, this altar should be given the same purpose as the altar called ‘Ed’. It should be a witness to something that is of much greater importance than any personal isolation could ever be. While there may be a proximity issue or time restraints that make it necessary from time to time to miss a gathering in the ‘tabernacle’, any worship that is offered at the altar in the portion of the promised land we’ve been given to occupy, should be a witness between that family and the larger ‘family’ of God. Instead of turning away from the source of strength that is the design and heart of the God we worship, there should be a continual reminder in every occurrence of worship that there is a dependence and requirement of only that which the greater body provides. While Jesus has become a very personal and individual Redeemer and Lord, His heart and His prayer are for unity and the strength that can only be found where another part is supplying any lack in you, while your part is supplying the lack in another. Though independence and separation may seem to be freedom and the ability to escape the constraints of organizational worship, there is something very dangerous in this isolation that can turn the purpose of this potentially great altar into a rebellion against God’s own direction and purpose. The children of Israel actually thought this is what was taking place initially with the children of Gad and Reuben and determined to go to war to prevent it from happening.
May there not be missed in the precious moments of worship that should occupy our every day, the opportunity to witness that our altar is a continually dependent extension of something much more significant in the collective body of Christ. Beginning with the local congregation where corporate sacrifices of praise and worship are lifted, there will be much strength gained and much strength given as there is a continual looking to the Author and the Finisher of our faith and His body. May our personal altar be called ‘Ed’ and given a much greater purpose of witnessing- should be pretty easy to remember.
Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.