Ed - Joshua 22:34

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Eleazar’s son Phinehas and ten princes asked the tribe of Reuben, Gad and one-half the tribe of Manasseh, “What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD” … and after they responded in an effective manner, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse thirty-four of Joshua we learn how, “the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed”, where we read, 

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.

The verse reads, “And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the children of Reuben” whose name means ‘behold a son’ and was the eldest son of Jacob by Leah and the progenitor of the tribe Reuben” “and the children of Gad” or “and the offspring and progeny belonging to Gad whose name means ‘troop’ and was the seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and full brother of Asher and the progenitor of the tribe of Gad” “called the altar” which means “proclaimed, appointed and named the sacrificial place” “Ed” or “witness”. Joshua or the writer shared how the offspring and progeny belonging to “Reuben and Gad” named the sacrificial “altar” “Ed” which means “witness”. 

The verse continues, “for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “for it shall be a witness” which means “because, since and on account that it, the altar, will exist as testimony and evidence” “between us” or “among and in the midst of us, the children of Israel and the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half tribe of Manasseh” “that the LORD is God” which means “that Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God exists as the Supreme Deity”. Joshua or the writer said the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half tribe of Manasseh declared that the “altar” was to stand as a testimony in the midst of them and the offspring of Israel that Jehovah God is the Supreme Deity. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how the “Reubenites and Gadites” decided to name the “altar” “Ed” or witness because they agreed that Jehovah God was in the midst of them and Israel. This idea of “witness” should be in all our lives when we surrender to God’s Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we trust in, rely upon and cling to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so our lives become a “witness” that God is among us wherever we are in the world. (See Matthew 5:14; John 8:12; 9:5)

Next time we begin a new chapter and learn how, “Joshua waxed old and stricken in age”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".