The walk of faith (Josh. 3:14–17)

During most of the year, the Jordan River was about a hundred feet wide; but at the spring flood season, the river overflowed its banks and became a mile wide. As soon as the priests bearing the ark put their feet into the river, the water stopped flowing and stood like a wall about twenty miles away upstream, near a city called Adam. It was a miracle of God in response to the faith of the people.

14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

I. Unless we step out by faith and “get our feet wet”

A. We’re not likely to make much progress in living for Christ and serving Him.

The day of the crossing of the Jordan, the day when Israel was to enter Canaan, finally arrived. The people folded their tents and followed the ark-bearing priests to the brink of the Jordan.

The river was at flood stage—a fearful sight to the priests and people and a severe test of their faith. Would they hesitate in fear or would they advance in faith, believing that what God had promised would actually happen?

B. Dramatic things happened the moment the priests carrying the ark stepped into the Jordan.

Each step that the priests took opened the water before them until they were standing in the midst of the river on dry ground.

They stood there as the people passed by; and when the whole nation had crossed, the priests walked to the shore and the flow of the water resumed.

II. How could this sensational event occur?

A. When God opened the Red Sea, He used a strong wind that blew the whole night before.

This was not an accident, for the wind was the blast of God’s nostrils (Ex. 15:8). When Moses lifted his rod, the wind began to blow; and when he lowered the rod, the waters flowed back and drowned the Egyptian army.

When Israel crossed the Jordan River, it was not the obedient arm of a leader that brought the miracle but the obedient feet of the people. Unless we are willing to step out by faith and obey His Word, God can never open the way for us.

B. Many insist that this was no miracle since the event can be explained as a natural phenomenon.

They point out that on December 8,1267 an earthquake caused the high banks of the Jordan to collapse near Tell ed-Damiyeh, damming the river for about 10 hours. On July 11,1927 another earthquake near the same location blocked the river for 21 hours. Of course these stoppages did not occur during flood season.

Admittedly God could have employed natural causes such as an earthquake and a landslide and the timing would have still made it a miraculous intervention. But does the biblical text allow for such an interpretation of this event? Considering all the factors involved it seems best to view this occurrence as a special act of God brought about in a way unknown to man.

III. A different perspective on the miracle.

A. For Israel the crossing of the Jordan meant they were committed to walk by faith in the living God.

The crossing of the Red Sea pictures the believer being delivered from the bondage of sin, and the crossing of the Jordan River pictures the believer claiming the inheritance in Jesus Christ.

Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ our Conqueror who leads us from day to day into the inheritance He has planned for us. What a tragedy it is when God’s people fail to claim their inheritance and wander aimlessly through life as Israel did in the wilderness.

B. For believers today, crossing the Jordan represents passing from one level of the Christian life to another.

The Jordan River is not a picture of the Christian dying and going to heaven, contrary to what is said in some songs. For the Israelites Canaan was hardly heaven!

It is a picture of entering into spiritual warfare to claim what God has promised. This should mean the end of a life lived by human effort and the beginning of a life of faith and obedience.