A Jealous God Demands A Zealous People

But while they were still in Canaan, and when they came to a place called Geliloth near the Jordan River, the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh stopped to build a large and imposing altar. [Joshua 22.10] 

Today's One Year Chronological Bible reading reveals Israel's understanding of God's jealousy. The misunderstanding regarding the altar built by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh reveals this understanding not only in those two and a half tribes, but also in the other nine and a half tribes. Clearly, the other nine and a half tribes innocently misunderstood the intentions of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, but the zealous intentions of all the people involved were the same: to preserve undiluted devotion to God ALONE. They were zealous because they understood that God is jealous.

The nine and a half tribes zealously questioned what they saw as the beginning of another perilous digression into open idolatry through the process of dilution. They likened it to what happened at Peor in the story of Balaam:

Was our sin at Peor not enough? To this day we are not fully cleansed of it, even after the plague that struck the entire community of the LORD. [Joshua 22.17]

In contrast, the two and a half tribes zealously built an altar as a reminder that they too shared devotion to God alone with their relatives west of the Jordan River. Both groups understood that a jealous God demands a zealous people. When they realized they were all 'on the same team' the dispute was settled.

The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar “Witness,” for they said, “It is a witness between us and them that the LORD is our God, too.” [Joshua 22.34]

Later, following this misunderstanding-made-right-story, Joshua gives some final instructions to Israel as he is about to die. What Joshua says reflects every bit of the same zeal...

“So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. Rather, cling tightly to the LORD your God as you have done until now. [Joshua 23.6-8]

In a word, Joshua is warning Israel against dilution. 

According to Joshua 23.6-8, dilution begins in simply mentioning the names of other gods. Then Joshua zealously points out a real digression that occurs following the mention of other gods' names: they are sworn by,  and as they are sworn by, they are served, and finally, as they are served, those named gods are worshiped. Something as simple as mentioning the names of other gods (which, by the way acknowledges their existence) is the beginning of the dilution that taints undivided trust in God alone.

The problem of dilution is real. It is, and has been since the earliest record of mankind, the work of God's enemy to dilute man's undivided trust in God alone. It started by simply questioning God's motives, "Has God really said..." (as if man might have a better idea). The danger of dilution is seen in the first three of the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, dilution is expressly forbidden by Jesus:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

It requires no imagination to see and understand that debt, insurance, medicine and technology today are named, sworn by, served, and yes, thereby worshiped. 

Call me over-zealous. But remember, God is jealous. "Jealous" and "zealous" go together. "Zealous" and "dilution" have nothing to do with each other.

Father in heaven, may I be found zealous as I understand that You are jealous. May my giving up my own way be without reserve. May my taking up my cross be without doubt. May I be found following Jesus. So be it.