Joshua 22:4–5: “And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

April 12th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had been given the land on the east side of the Jordan by Moses, but they had been told by God to cross the Jordan and help the other tribes take their land. They were obedient and helpful for 7 years as they fought alongside the tribes west of the Jordan to conquer their enemies. Now that the land was conquered and fully parceled out to the other tribes, they could go back to their families and lands. Joshua chose his words carefully. He wanted to make it clear that these people who wanted to live in the Trans-Jordan were returning to second-best. They were going to a possession that God had conceded to them only because they asked it of Him. Joshua was genuinely concerned for their spiritual walk after they returned to the wrong side of the river.

It seems that the order of the commands God gave them, and us, is significant. First we should give God our love: “to love the Lord your God.” Next comes a walk of obedience to His word: “to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands.” Thirdly we are to hold on to Him personally through all the storms of life: “to hold fast to Him.” And lastly we are “to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” To mix up this order of spiritual priorities is to fall off the road of life on one side or the other.

There are two sides of the road, and two errors await the un-careful pilgrim following the Lord. One is heresy. Heresy creeps into the heart of the one who errors by loving without critical listening. This traveler hears and accepts without checking the message against God’s word. The other side of the road is the error of legalism. Legalism awaits the traveler who mechanically obeys, before loving God.

“LORD, give us more love for You and a heart that listens with discernment, avoiding both heresy and legalism.”