Witness between us.

And we thought, ‘If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, “Behold, the copy of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.”’ Joshua 22:28 ESV

Here, the scenario was the beyond the Jordan the people made a replica of the alter. The rest of the people have made preparations to engage them in war thinking they have made a copy of the alter and to offer sacrifices to the Lord their God. When they were confronted, they said that the copy of the alter only serves as a witness, that when time happens in the future, that the rest of the people on the other side of the Jordan tells them that they have no share in what God has done in the lives of the Israelites, they can show the replica as a copy that they were part of the original twelve tribes of Israel. They did this because they don't want history to repeat itself. Because in the time of Joseph, after that generation died, the new king do not know Joseph and what transpired between Joseph and Egypt, and eventually the descendants of Joseph and his family line were maltreated and enslaved. So, in order for these things not to happen again, the people made a replica not to sacrifice nor create an idol but to create a witness or a proof between them and those belonging to the other side of the Jordan. They were simply trying to protect themselves from a potential problem that can happen in the future. If we know how to plan for future problems, we can spare ourselves from future heartaches as well. 11 March