Joshua 3:1 – Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
In our last post we considered the actions of the spies who were sent to Jericho in order to gather military intelligence. We noted that God set up a divine encounter between the two men and Rahab, a prostitute who chose to place her faith in God.
The men returned from their mission full of faith; they were absolutely certain that God was going to give not only Jericho but all of Canaan to the Israelites.
Having done everything in his own power to assure Israel's success, Joshua now orders the representatives from each tribe to go throughout the camp and inform the people that they were about to leave Shittim and camp by the eastern shore of the flooded Jordan river. Very soon they will cross the river and begin to conquer the Promised Land.
This will be Israel's second chance to enter the Promised Land. Let's discuss that for a minute.
Forty years prior to this, after many miraculous signs and wonders, God called Israel to place their faith in him and move forward to claim the land he had promised them through Abraham. As we know, they reacted in fear, rebelled against God, and refused to enter in. They even considered choosing someone to lead them back into Egypt (Numbers 14:3-4)!
At that point, God declared that they would wander in the wilderness until the current generation died (Numbers 14:20-23, 28-35); he would give the land to their children. He instructed Moses to turn the people around and lead them back toward the Red Sea.
Immediately afterward, we find a group of people who tried to force God into a 'do over' – they gathered the next day, took up arms and attacked the Canaanites. Needless to say, they were routed in battle:
Numbers 14:44-45 – But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.
What about our own lives? Are there instances where you wish you could have a 'do over'? I can think of a few in my own life and I bet you can too!
The bad news is that in this life there is no such thing as a 'do over'. Once you made your decision (or took that action, or opened your mouth and said that thing), it was done. There was no going back.
But there is good news too: Our God is the God of second chances!
In this particular instance, God has once again brought Israel to the edge of the land he promised on oath to give them. They have a second chance to place their faith in him and take the land.
God will do the same for you. He will forgive your past failure and at some point, he will give you a second chance to step out in faith and do what he has called you to do. Or he will give you a second chance to build someone up with your words, instead of destroying them. Or he will give you a second chance to bring him glory by resisting that sin. Or he will give you another chance to testify on his behalf. Or� well, you get the picture.
So, if you have a 'do over' moment that still bothers you, talk to God about it today. He is well able to redeem that failure in your life by giving you a second chance to succeed.
Joshua 3:2-3 – At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it."
Remember, this group does not consist solely of able-bodied soldiers. It also includes women, children, babies, old people, animals and possessions. Everybody and everything associated with Israel is going to cross the Jordan, so they had to pack up and prepare. Three days was a reasonable amount of time to get ready.
As they were packing up, the real question on everyone's mind was this: How will they cross the raging river?
They clearly knew that there was no way for them to get safely across during the spring floods. But instead of filling their minds with thoughts of impossibility and failure, the people were instructed to keep their eyes on the Lord and follow his leading (watch the ark and follow when it moves).
Remember, during this time God did not live in the hearts of his people as he does today. His presence dwelt among Israel by being on the mercy seat of the ark. So, following the ark was literally following God.
The inference is that God was going to do something unusual or miraculous on their behalf. Israel could only experience this miracle by following God in faith, trusting that he would make a way. In other words, by faith they embraced a solution they did not see or comprehend in the natural realm.
While that statement has clear implications for each of us as individuals, it also applies to the church of Jesus Christ.
The church's mandate is to win the lost to Christ and conquer the world for the kingdom of heaven. There is no possible way to accomplish this solely in the natural realm. Like ancient Israel, we must look to the Lord for a miraculous solution. In other words, this battle must first be won in the spiritual realm through prayer and intercession. Only then can we expect a breakthrough in the natural realm.
We too must keep our spiritual eyes fixed on the Lord and move forward under the divine leadership of Holy Spirit. By faith we must embrace solutions that we do not see or comprehend in the natural realm. As we follow his leading God will miraculously open doors (or dry up rivers) for us.
Israel's only hope of taking the land was under the direction of God. Likewise, the church's only hope of taking earth for the kingdom of heaven is under the direction of God, as revealed by Holy Spirit.
Let each church seek God for specific direction on how to win their communities to Christ. If we all do so, we will win the world.
Joshua 3:4 – "Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."
The first thing we need to understand about this verse is the phrase 'you have not passed this way before'. On first glance, it seems to refer to the land they were traversing, as in 'you have never been here before'. But that is incorrect. The phrase actually refers to the manner or method by which the Lord led them.
In order to understand this fully, we must review the manner/method in which the Lord led Israel up to this point.
So let me ask you this: When you picture the Israelites (over a million people) traveling around the wilderness, how do you picture them? Do you see a big, chaotic horde of people and animals meandering along like a swarm of bees?
If so, let me give you some insight. God never does anything in a haphazard or chaotic manner. Even during her period of wandering Israel was very well organized. You can read the exact details yourself in Numbers chapter two, but let me just give you a brief picture now:
The twelve tribes were divided into four 'standards'.
- Judah was the leader of the first standard. This division also included Issachar and Zebulun. When it was time to move, they set out first, directly following the pillar of cloud/fire. They could follow the pillar as closely as they desired.
- Reuben was the leader of the second standard. This division also included Gad and Simeon.
- The Levites, who were responsible for moving the tabernacle and its furnishings (including the ark) always marched in the middle of the procession, between the second and third standard.
- Ephraim was the leader of the third standard. This division included Manasseh and Benjamin.
- Dan was the leader of the fourth standard. This division included Asher and Naphtali.
When Israel moved from place to place, this was the order in which the column marched. (Also, keep in mind that within each standard the tribes did not intermingle; they kept themselves separate from other tribes.)
Incidentally, Israel also had a precise order in which they made camp, which was a square with the tabernacle in the middle and the tribes surrounding it, in a specific order. Whenever Israel made camp, the pillar of cloud/fire would rest over the holy place in the tabernacle (Numbers 9:15-23).
Anyway, my point is that until the time Joshua took over as leader, it was perfectly normal for Israel to closely follow the pillar of fire/cloud, which was clearly visible to all of them. The ark itself traveled with the Levites and it was kept under wraps so no one could actually see it.
However, a change was now taking place. The pillar of fire/cloud was a visible sign of God's presence specially granted to Moses. Now that he was dead, the pillar was gone. God's presence still traveled with/led Israel, but now the ark itself was the emblem they must follow in order to discern which way to go.
We will take a look at the significance of this in a minute. But first, let's take a look at the new buffer zone.
Joshua clearly cautioned the people not to crowd in around the ark. They had to maintain a buffer zone of 2000 cubits (about 1000 yards). There were a few reasons for this:
- It created an atmosphere of respect and holiness around the ark (presence of God). God was in the midst of his people, but they could not treat his presence lightly or they would die.
- It helped the people to clearly see where the ark was going. By hanging back a bit, it would be easier for the column of people to see the direction the ark was headed.
- It allowed the whole nation to witness the miracle God was about to perform. This was very significant. The Jordan River was at the bottom of a ravine. As the people descended from camp on the heights, they would each have a chance to see the ark in the distance (although it would be very small).
Those in the front of the column had a chance to see the priests enter the river. They watched as the water drained away. As they moved forward, those further along in the column would have seen the ark in the middle of the dry riverbed while the people easily passed over.
Put yourself in their place and picture that astonishing sight: As you walked down the mountainside, you notice that things are unusually quiet. Then you catch a glimpse into the valley below. Instead of the seeing (and hearing) the raging river, you witness four priests standing in the midst of a dry riverbed holding the ark by its poles. The gold of the ark catches the sunlight and shines so brilliantly, you can't actually see it. You notice the vast nation of Israel easily traversing the riverbed, which isn't even muddy, despite having been underwater just minutes ago!
All your fears and doubts about entering the Promised Land vanish as you realize the power and might of your God!� You move confidently forward, eager to experience the crossing for yourself! �What a miracle!�
So, we have established that God is going to begin leading the people in a new way or manner. Specifically, his presence will no longer be visible by the pillar; the people must now keep their eyes upon the ark.
This leads to some interesting implications:
The ark was a chest that contained the law of God (the Ten Commandments) written with the hand of God on two tablets of stone prepared by Moses (Deuteronomy 10:1-5, Exodus 34: 1, 28). The mercy seat was located on the lid of the ark, where the presence of Jesus formed a shield of mercy between God and man.
Therefore, we could correctly say that Israel marched into the Jordan, around the city of Jericho and into the heart of the Promised Land led by not only the invisible presence of God, but by his written law also.
It was this law that brought about judgment to the Canaanites. The same law also brought judgment (exile) to Israel when they disregarded it (I Kings 9:6-7).
The same law was written on stones in the heart of the Promised Land, and it was declared to be the law of the land (Joshua 8:30-32).
Conclusion: The conquest of Canaan resulted in a people who declared and obeyed the law of God. The nation itself was a testimony to the world about who God really is, and how he could be known. It was a partial fulfillment of the blessing God pronounced on the nation through Abraham:
Genesis 22:18 - And in your descendants shall all the nations of the earth be blessed�
Is this not also a foreshadowing of God's purpose for the church and for America? As Christians, we too are to live by the invisible leading of God's Spirit and his written law – the bible. We are to be a people who know and uphold the laws of holiness, grace, mercy and salvation.
God desires to have his law become the law of our nation, so that we can be a testimony and a light for him to the rest of the world.
Unfortunately, like Israel, we have allowed our nation to move away from its foundation on the law of God. But if we seek his guidance and follow his leading, there may yet be hope for America to be saved and to fulfill the destiny God has prepared for her.
Joshua 3:5 – Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."
Our text is not specific about the steps the Israelites took to consecrate themselves, however, we can assume they were the same steps outlined elsewhere in scripture.
Under the period of the Old Testament, people consecrated themselves by taking a bath, washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual relations (Exodus 19:10-14). The purpose of these actions was to cleanse their bodies and prepare/focus their minds on God so they could perceive his working on their behalf and follow his leading by faith.
These steps of consecration were symbols or shadows of the consecration we are to practice under the new covenant.
We are to wash or cleanse ourselves from the sin of the world:
2 Corinthians 7:1 - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
And put on 'clean garments' that glorify the Lord:
Colossians 3:12-13 - Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.
We are to keep our minds and hearts focused on God, so that we can perceive his working in our generation:
Colossians 1:9 - For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
It is important that we understand what God is doing in our midst for several reasons.�
- One, so we can partner with him in the work.�
- Two, so we can be strengthened by the testimony that his power creates.�
- Three, so we can give him adequate praise and worship.�
- Four, so we can testify about his works to the world, who would love to give the credit to someone or something else.
Joshua 3:6-7 – And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you."
Here we see yet another reason for the upcoming miracle in which the waters of the Jordan are stopped so Israel can cross over. God uses this event to confirm the commission of Joshua as his chosen leader over Israel.
God had accredited Moses in the sight of Israel by the miraculous division of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:31) and he now accredits Joshua by a parting of the flooded Jordan river. This miracle secured/established two things – Joshua's unquestioned authority as leader of Israel and consequently, the obedience of the people to his command. Both would be absolutely necessary during the conquest.
Joshua 3:8 – "And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
God had clearly already spoken his full plan to Joshua. The priests were to go ahead of the people bearing the ark. As soon as their feet touched the water, the flow of water was stopped upstream, at a town called Adam. Meanwhile, the rest of the water flowed on toward the Dead Sea, leaving a dry channel for the people to cross over.
This was not an instantaneous event.� The moment the priests put their feet into the water, God cut off the flow upstream, but it would take some time for the remaining water to flow past the priests.�
They probably waited patiently near the shore until the water had receded.� At that point, they advanced to the middle of the channel and then stood still until all of the people had passed over.� Scholars estimate that it took half of an entire day for all of them to cross.
Let's change direction for just a minute. Have you read or heard other teachings on this passage of scripture that associate the Jordan River with death?
I want to mention this because it is fairly common. Many people feel that the wilderness represents life here on earth, crossing the Jordan refers to death (crossing over to eternity) and the Promised Land represents heaven. This portion of scripture has often been used to give instruction and comfort in times of loss, which is entirely appropriate.
But I see another lesson here as well - waiting on the Lord.
Joshua heard the word/promise of God to Israel. In faith, he relayed that message to the people and had the priests move forward to the banks of the swollen river. They put their feet in the water, just as God commanded. But as we noted, the results were not instantaneous.
I am convinced that at first, it was hard to tell if anything had actually happened or not. I am sure that there was a point where they couldn't detect any change in the water level at all. Perhaps they grew weary and considered giving up at that point. But they didn't. As they waited on the Lord, they received strength to continue on and eventually the answer manifested in front of their eyes.
Psalm 37:34 - Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
What are you waiting on the Lord to do for you? If it seems to be taking a while, let me encourage you not to give up. Wait on the Lord and let him renew your strength; eventually the answer will manifest for you.
Joshua 3:9-10 – And Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God." And Joshua said, "Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perrizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites."
Remember, the people have consecrated themselves; they are prepared to hear/receive the word of the Lord and see his mighty works.
Joshua now reminds the people that they serve the true God (Jehovah) who is living, active and powerful. This is in opposition to the dead, useless, inanimate idols being worshipped by the heathen nations.
God will shortly demonstrate his great miraculous power, for he is sovereign over heaven and earth; nature is at his beck and call.
The miracle Israel is about to experience is not a pointless show of power. It is an assurance that God will give them victory over the armies of Canaan. The work that God began with the crossing of the Jordan will be completed or perfected when the people are taken into the land to possess their inheritance:
Psalm 138:7-8 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me: you shall stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O LORD, endures forever: forsake not the works of your own hands.
Later, when Israel faces her enemies in battle, she can look back on this moment (the miracle of the Jordan) and know that God is actively present with her, and through him victory is assured. In essence, this is a 'victory moment' for Israel to remember.
Joshua 3:11 – "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan."
Notice again how Joshua describes God – as the Lord of all the earth. This means he is the ruler not only of nature but of all the elements on the planet; he can stop or dry up the water of the Jordan with a single command. Furthermore, as ruler, the land belongs to him. He will decide who has the right to live in it.
The ark itself, the repository for God's word, will go before the people into the Jordan. Not only will God make a way for Israel to cross the river, he will watch over his word and keep the promise he made to Abraham to give his people the land of Canaan.
Joshua 3:12-13 – "Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap."
Why would Joshua call for a man from each tribe to come forward?
One reason would be to act as witnesses. There are over million people in the nation and the closest people had to stay 1000 feet from the ark. Although everyone could see at least part of this miracle, none of them had a close up view.
So each tribe sends a reliable witness who will have a front row seat to the action. These men either stood beside Joshua or very close to the priests who bore the ark into the river. Each man could then return to his tribe and describe exactly what he saw. This would eliminate the 'rumor mill' that normally occurs when people lack reliable information.
This is not the first time a witness has been appointed from each tribe. The same system was used by Moses on a number of other occasions (Numbers 1:44, Numbers 17:2-6, Deuteronomy 1:23, etc).
In addition to acting as witnesses, Joshua has another job for these men to perform, which we will take a look at in chapter four.
Joshua concludes his speech by revealing the miracle itself: when the feet of the priests bearing the ark enter the water of the Jordan, the waters will be 'cut off' or stop flowing at some point upstream, which will allow Israel to cross the riverbed on dry ground.
As you know, this was the same miracle God performed earlier, when Israel crossed the Red Sea. That event had been forever imprinted on the minds of Israel through the song of Moses:
Exodus 15:8 - And with the blast of your nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
Songs can be very useful tools! The Israelites would make up songs that glorified God by telling about his excellent deeds, his profound mercy and his perfect character. These songs were not only history lessons, they were testimonies to the power and love of God.
Scripture actually admonishes us to sing new songs to the Lord (Psalms 33:3, Psalms 98:1, Isaiah 42:10). Have you ever made up a song to the Lord? I have tried on a few occasions. I admit that I am not good at it - it is actually much harder than it seems!
If music is too hard for you to write, consider writing a poem or keeping a journal. The point of the song (or poem or journal) is to burn a testimony of God's power into your mind, so you never forget it. A song/poem/journal also makes it easy to pass your testimony on to other generations.
Joshua 3:14-15 – So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest),
Here the story is reiterated for us in broad strokes: It was spring, during the time of the barley harvest. The Jordan River was at its highest level of the year; it was overflowing with melted snow from the mountains of Lebanon. Israel had no means to cross the river.
But God is the ruler of all creation. As soon as the feet of the priests bearing the word of God touch the water, it congealed far upstream, at the city of Adam.
Joshua 3:16 - � the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.
Meanwhile, as the water south of Adam continued to flow toward the Dead Sea, the riverbed became dry and the children of Israel passed over without any difficulty at all!
Their crossing occurred directly opposite the city of Jericho, one of the premier and best defended cities in Canaan.
It seems doubtful that the people of Jericho witnessed Israel crossing the river. If they had seen it, they would probably have called their army out to engage them in battle during this vulnerable time.
The inhabitants of Jericho probably felt they were safe from attack until the spring rains were over. I imagine they were filled with dread when they work up one morning and saw that Israel had somehow crossed that river and they were now only eight miles away!
Joshua 3:17 – Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
This is an additional testimony of the power of God. The same power that parted the water kept it parted or cut off until all of the people, their animals and their possessions had passed over.
When God begins a good work, he always completes it (Philippians 1:6).
Let me offer you some encouragement:
The miracle of the Jordan River was not just a pointless show of power. It was a testimony to the people of Israel that God was going to give them victory over the heathen nations of Canaan.
Later, when they faced their enemies in battle, they could look back on this 'victory moment' and be encouraged in the Lord.
We all have victory moments in our lives – times that we watched God move on our behalf and give us victory. I suggest that you make your own personal list of victory moments, and keep it handy. Frequently remind yourself what God has done for you in the past. These moments will serve to encourage you and build up your faith in the future, when new trials arise.
Let me offer you some relief:
We serve a God of second chances. Hallelujah!
If you have regret over some of the choices you have made in life, take that situation before the Lord. He will cleanse you and cast your sin as far away as the east is from the west!
Ask the Lord to give you a second chance to do the right thing in that circumstance, then watch for the opportunity to present itself!
Let me offer you some strength:
Are you waiting on the fulfillment of a promise from the Lord? Don't become discouraged in the midst of the waiting period. Remember, God is never late but he is seldom early!
Instead, focus your attention on God. Remind yourself that he has not forgotten you! He is waiting for the perfect moment to answer your prayer. In the meantime, stay close to the Lord, and he will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31) so that you can eventually receive your answer.