Never Alone

“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Jos 22:5 AV)

The context of this statement is Joshua’s instruction to the two and a half tribes who settled east of the Jordan River.  In particular, he is concerned their separation may cause them to abandon the law and the tabernacle.  He is concerned the heathen nations to which they would dwell very close, would become a greater influence than their brethren on the west side of Jordan.  Joshua shows a lot of wisdom with these two and a half tribes.  The rest of the instruction to these tribes shows equal concern.  He tells them if the land in which they dwell ever becomes inhabitable, they were to cross the Jordan and dwell with their brethren rather than to separate even further into the country of the heathen.  Joshua knows that even though there may be twelve tribes of Israel, the LORD deals with them as one nation.  Joshua’s concern was their seclusion.  The more secluded they become from their brethren, the much greater possibility that seclusion will become a permanent separation.

Several well-known movies depict the theme above.  Jungle Book comes to mind.  Jungle Book is about a young child lost to the Jungle and raised by wolves.  There are many different subplots to the story, but basically, the man-cub is hunted by evil wolves.  They see the man-cub as a threat to life in the jungle.  It was a man-made fire that separated the man-cub from his family and they figured when the man-cub grew up, he would do the same.  The good wolves knew the only way to protect the life of the man-cub was to return him to his human family.  The whole story is about adventures along the way and the ever-present threat the evil wolves posed.  We also learn the man-cub assumed many animal-like characteristics.  In a way, he was less human than animal.  As they traveled toward the human village, the man-cub’s friends tried to teach him how humans and animals were different to encourage him to assume his real identity.  By the time he reached the village, he was more human than animal.  This young man was separated from those with whom he should keep company and became what he was surrounded with.  A human child became an animal because he was separated from others of his own kind.

It is not healthy for the saint to separate him or herself from those with whom he or she should fellowship.  This does not mean total seclusion.  The two and a half tribes had fellowship with one another and eventually with the heathen.  We are social creatures.  We must have company.  When we say seclusion, we are saying seclusion from those with whom we should have fellowship.  Assembling ourselves is in the very name of our identity.  We are the church.  This means we are a called-out assembly.  By definition, the church fellowships.  The saints come apart from the world and unite around worship and service.  This is essential.  If we do not fellowship with the saints, we will fellowship with others.  Whoever we surround ourselves with, will influence us to compromise and stray from God.  This was Joshua’s concern.  Out of sight, out of mind.  If the two and a half tribes did not make the effort to remain connected with the rest of the nation, they would assume the lifestyles and habits of their nearer neighbors, the heathen.