TREASURES FROM THE BIBLE, Week of November 8-14, 2021, “What do we learn from a misunderstanding?”, Prepared Speech.

TREASURES FROM THE BIBLE, November 8-14, 2021, “What do we learn from a misunderstanding?” Prepared Speech.

"What do we learn from a misunderstanding?" (10 mins.)

Some years ago, a brother was passing by a certain street near a place where liquor was commonly sold and as he passed he saw a brother from the congregation sitting at a table. He had nothing there, but what was the brother doing in that place? After a while, he told one of the elders what he had observed and this brother was called who was inside that place where liquors were sold.

For the brother to explain the situation, because he was drinking. This situation is really quite critical and lends itself to many things. This is precisely what we are going to see in this section of Treasures of the Bible: "What we learn from a misunderstanding." I think that many of us can see, hear or read things that could be misunderstood. And that's what happened to the East Jordan tribes. Let's see who it is. And what happened?.

LET'S READ: Joshua 22:10.

When they reached the regions of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a huge, impressive altar.

Well, the situation was critical. These tribes were on the eastern side of the Jordan. Remember that most were on the west side. Being in that place, because they decided to build a huge, impressive altar says. No one was going to stop knowing what was happening. Why did they do it?

Well, if you had been in that place at that time and you see that the other fellow Israelites build an impressive altar. What would I have thought? As the other tribes, who became apostate, thought, we will see the attitude that was taken on the eastern side of the other tribes. 

LET'S READ: Joshua 22:12.

When the Israelites found out, all the people of Israel gathered in Shiloh to go fight against them. 

It is that they were becoming apostates, they had made an altar and they did not have the altar, it was on the west side, the altar. Now, what other things happened? Well in verse 15 and 16 the following is done.

LET'S READ: Joshua 22: 15,16.

When they reached the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, they said to them: 16 “This is what all of Jehovah's people say: 'How could they commit such an act of unfaithfulness against God? From Israel? Today they have stopped following Jehovah by building an altar and rebelling against Jehovah. 

Things for these tribes on the west side of the Jordan were very clear, as verse 16 clearly states. How could they commit such an act of unfaithfulness against God Israel? They were convinced that there was apostasy and that is why they all prepared to go to destroy two and a half tribes.

There was certainly a lot to worry about. However, no battle action was taken immediately. What did they do? Well, in verses 13 and 14 it is indicated that a procession was prepared to go find out what was happening. The main person in charge was Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar. He, along with ten chiefs from each tribe, that is, one from each tribe, went to find out what was happening.

This misunderstanding would mean the death of two and a half tribes of Israel. But we see here the point, before acting he went to find out well What happened? Why have they done this?

Returning to the experience that I mentioned at the beginning of the speech, of this brother who was seen being inside a place where liquor was sold when he was accused directly by the elders, the brother who saw him did not go directly to the one who was inside the place . I mean, what are you doing here? Rather, he went straight to talk to one of the elders, saying he is drinking or drinking liquor.

Then the old man, knowing this, took the steps he had to take. He called the brother who was being accused and asked him, "You were inside the place?" yes Was he drinking? No. When you were then asked what you were doing inside sitting in that place. The brother explained: because there they sell a food that I like.

What was the matter? That in that same place during the day they sold food. And the brother was there to eat. But nothing he had on the table was seen at the time. But at night that same place was a place where liquor was sold. Do you see the point? It was not found out first, but was acted upon immediately. Once the situation was fixed, everything was calm.

And of course, it was necessary to speak with the brother who had accused so that he found out why the brother was inside. So everyone was at peace. This is what happened with Fhinehás as well. It was along with ten others to know the reasons why an altar had been made. Why had they done it? 

LET'S READ: Joshua 22: 21,22,24,26,27,29,30.

21 Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh answered the chieftains of the clans of Israel: 22 “The God of gods, Jehovah! The God of gods, Jehovah! He knows, and Israel will know too. If we were rebellious and unfaithful to Jehovah, then don't free us today. But no, we did it because of something else that worried us. We said: 'In the future your children will say to ours:' What have you to do with Jehovah, the God of Israel? 26 “So we said: 'Let's take action on this and build an altar not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, 27 but to be a witness between you and us and our descendants that we will perform our service to Jehovah before him with our burnt offerings. and our sacrifices and our peace sacrifices,so that your children will not say to ours in the future: "You have nothing to do with Jehovah." 29 We would never rebel against Jehovah or stop following Jehovah + by building another altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices apart from the altar of Jehovah our God that is in front of his tabernacle! ” 30 When Phinehas the priest, the chiefs of the people, and the chiefs of the clans * of Israel who were with him heard the words spoken by the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, they were satisfied.grain offerings and sacrifices apart from the altar of Jehovah our God that is in front of his tabernacle! " 30 When Phinehas the priest, the chiefs of the people, and the chiefs of the clans * of Israel who were with him heard the words spoken by the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, they were satisfied.grain offerings and sacrifices apart from the altar of Jehovah our God that is in front of his tabernacle! " 30 When Phinehas the priest, the chiefs of the people, and the chiefs of the clans * of Israel who were with him heard the words spoken by the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, they were satisfied.

Impressive. And how good this model for us. Before accusing or acting, let's really look at the reasons behind what we see, read or hear. How are we going to react if we are the ones accused of something unjustly? In the calm way these two and a half tribes acted. And why should we not draw the wrong conclusions? 

Because it is not the right thing to do. We need to follow the royal procedure, the one that Jehovah gives us so that we will have his approval and everything will be kept in peace. An excellent example of what we can learn from a misunderstanding.

Let's not be too quick to offend or accuse them. Let us do things in the proper way, investigating that those who are duly responsible do it, and then all will be at peace under Jehovah's blessing.