Revering the Word
Joshua 3 Crossing the River
Good morning, everyone. This morning we are in Joshua chapter 3, and they are about to today now cross the river. Then Joshua rose early in the morning. He and all of the sons of Israel set out from Shatim and came to the Jordan and they lodged there before they crossed. And they stayed there three days. Now imagine a whole horde of people in Yeranah edge of the desert, and there's a river in front of you, and you're having to get all of your belongings across that river. And now they're going to lodge there three days and imagine the anticipation of the thought of, "Well, we've got to cross this river." And it had to be quite dramatic what happened next. At the end of the three days, the officers went through the midst of the camp. And they commanded the people saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits." We assume that to be about 1,000 yards. "Do not come near it that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before." And besides some spies, they had not been this way before. These people came out of Egypt many years earlier. "Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves. Make yourselves holy before the Lord. For tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Joshua, I think, already had heard from God. We'll see that in a moment that God was about to part this river for them. And Joshua spoke to the priest saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people. Now, the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that you may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, "When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan. Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "Come here and hear the words of the Lord your God." Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and he will assuredly dispossess from before you the kennonite, the hivite, the purizite, and the gurgous shite, the amorite, and the jubusite. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. Now then take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. It shall come about when the souls of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord. The Lord of all the earth rest in the waters of the Jordan. The waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap. We take it lightly today that we cross over a bridge, over a river in our car, but a river was a mighty challenge for any traveling set of people, and God was going to do the miraculous and show them that he was with them. And this would give them confidence that they could trust God. I'm sure many remembered crossing over the sea from Egypt into the desert, and now they're going to see God do another miracle at a close of this season in history. So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, and when those who carry the ark came into the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water for the Jordan overflows all its banks, all the days of harvest. The waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap a great distance away at Adam. Interesting that city named Adam, and this appears to be slightly different than when the sea parted because it stood and rose up and apparently this city is about 15 miles away. So a great distance away the water began to be held up. The city that is beside Zarathan, and those who were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salty, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho and the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground. In the middle of the Jordan wall, all Israel crossed on dry ground until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Ah man, to see God performed such an amazing miracle, had to just fill them with faith and greater confidence in me. We have faith in our God today because when he wants to get something done, he gets it done and he did it here. And it's so interesting that as they cross to enter this season of 40 years in the desert, now they cross again. The waters come back over through the river and they are now on dry ground and they're heading towards Jericho. God has provided once again. One of the things that should boost our faith is not only what God is doing in our lives right now, but what God has done all throughout history. And I think that's really important. You know, there are seasons of history in the Bible and also seasons of history in our lives where maybe you wish something would happen or maybe you're waiting on God or maybe things aren't happening the way that you want. And sometimes we can base too much of our faith on what is happening to me in the moment instead of realizing all the miracles of God all throughout history because nothing that has happened to me or happens to me can ever change what happened. All of this has happened. God is parting the sea, has part of the sea, did part the Jericho or the Jordan River is going to help them overtake the promised land, is going to bring Jesus from the family line of David through, you know, Ray have the harlot and through Ruth and God did all these amazing things and we can trust in him because everything he's done and he's promised that he has a home for us in heaven. Take that to the bank. You can trust God. Your future is bright. Keep your faith in Jesus. Hallelujah. And I look forward to carrying on in this journey with you as they set up a memorial in chapter four after they crossed the river because what a memory that's going to be or is that he parted the river for them. God bless you all. [BLANK_AUDIO]