A reflection on Joshua 22 and how today’s religious practices may build altars God did not command.

By Michael Annan Kasukose

In Joshua 22, a deeply moving and instructive event unfolds. When the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh erected an altar by the Jordan, their fellow Israelites—those settled in Canaan—were alarmed and prepared for war. The act was seen as a rebellion, a breach of faith, and a potential return to idolatry.

Why such a strong reaction?

Because Israel had history. Painful, fresh-in-memory history. From the sin at Peor (v.17) to Achan’s trespass (v.20), they had learned—sometimes through bitter consequences—that any deviation from the command of God could incur His wrath on the whole nation. They had been taught that worship was not to be customized or localized apart from what God Himself authorized. So when they heard of this new altar, they feared another national tragedy.

But as the dialogue progressed, it was discovered that the altar was not for sacrifice, not for an alternative worship system. It was a witness—a safeguard for the future—to remind both sides that they serve the same God and are united in worship. Once that was clarified, the tension subsided, and the people rejoiced that no sin had been committed.

Now, consider our present religious landscape.

Many denominations today erect “altars” of their own—not physical ones by rivers, but doctrinal and traditional ones built on the foundations of human will rather than divine instruction. One such altar is the Easter celebration—a man-made holy day constructed and maintained with no divine authority, yet embraced with zeal as though it came from the mouth of God.

In our previous article, we addressed Lent, another tradition foreign to the pages of the New Testament. Easter, like Lent, is not rooted in the teaching or practice of the apostles. The early church, guided by the Holy Spirit, never observed it. There’s no mention of it in Acts, no command for it in the epistles, no example of its celebration. It is not the altar of the Lord—it is an altar beside the altar of the Lord (Josh. 22:19), and as such, it raises the same concern that once led Israel to prepare for war.

Should we not, like the Israelites, respond with deep concern when we see others erecting practices foreign to the covenant we all claim to live by? Should we not, with love and urgency, send forth the “Phinehases” among us—those zealous for truth and peace—to inquire and plead for unity on the basis of God’s Word?

The danger is not just doctrinal error—it is division. The altar of witness in Joshua 22 was a response to anticipated alienation. The tribes feared that future generations might disown their brethren across the Jordan, forgetting that they too served the same God. Ironically, today, it is these unauthorized religious observances that cause division, not solve it.

Denominations that once claimed to follow Christ now follow calendars, customs, and councils instead of the New Testament. Easter is celebrated with pomp and splendour, while the weekly remembrance of Christ’s death—the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week—is often overlooked, altered, or diminished.

So what shall we do?

Let us build no altar but the one God Himself has established in Christ. Let us not imitate the nations, nor return to rituals and holy days that the apostles neither taught nor practiced. Let us be witnesses—faithful witnesses—that the Lord is God, and that He has revealed His will completely in Scripture.

Our call is not to invent ways to worship, but to preserve the simplicity and purity of the gospel. The church’s task is not to Christianize pagan festivals or accommodate popular trends, but to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

Final Word

As we speak with our friends and neighbours, and as we engage with Easter celebrating denominations (Ed) around us, let us do so in the spirit of Joshua 22:31—“This day we perceive that the Lord is among us”—not because of emotional tradition or man-made festivals, but because truth is upheld and unity is preserved according to His Word.

Let our worship be a witness—not of our creativity, nor our efforts to be culturally relevant—but of our unwavering commitment to follow the Lord alone, just as He has instructed in Scripture.

And to anyone who desires to truly follow the Lord, we extend this same call of obedience: believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Acts 17:30), confess His name (Romans 10:9-10), be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42). This is the only authorized path into Christ (Galatians 3:27), into His church (Acts 2:47), and into the unity and fellowship that pleases God.