Crossing Jordan

Joshua 3:7-17

Joshua 3:7–17 NKJV

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day 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. You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ” So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” 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, 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), 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. 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.

Moses had taken Israel as far as he could. It wasn’t because Moses had succumbed to old age as Deuteronomy 34 tells us he was still vigorous. It is because He had failed earlier to glorify Yahweh in front of the people at Meribah and struck the rock in anger rather than speak to it as commanded. It would now be up to Joshua, the son of Nun to replace Moses and take the Children of Israel into the Land which Yahweh had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would someday inherit it. The 400 years had passed, and not was the appointed time to take possession. The iniquity of the inhabitants was full. Truly, their sins were great. Therefore, Yahweh had taken their right of deed away and had given it to Israel. Not only this, but with few exceptions, they would also perish.

It was important that Israel would trust and accept their new leader, Joshua, the son of Nun. He along with Caleb were the only two who trusted in the LORD’s promise that they said the obstacles the spies saw in the land could not prevent Israel from taking possession of it, so long as Yahweh had promised to deliver it to them. If the people had only listened earlier to Joshua, the terrible punishment meted out to Israel that they would wander forty years in the wilderness until all the generation of adults which had crossed the Red Sea had died. Only Joshua and Caleb were spared. Now the children of Israel were to obey Joshua whom the LORD had appointed to be their leader. Israel had not been all that good to listen to Moses. They grumbled and complained much. They suffered catastrophic judgments as a result. But the people had to respect Moses through whom the LORD had performed many wonders and signs.

This passage starts with the LORD encouraging Joshua by saying that he would now begin to exalt Joshua among the people of Israel as He had with Moses. He then command him to assemble the priests to come to the banks of the Jordan and step into the river. The text tells us that the Jordan overflows all of its banks during the season. Normally, the Jordan is much calmer and might easily be crosses. The detail that the Jordan River was at flood stage and dangerous by human means to cross, especially for children and the infirm. But the LORD did not say to wait until the flood subsided but for the priests to enter the raging waters. The LORD was about to demonstrate His power. What happens hear reminds us to the previous generation of Israel whose backs were at the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s chariots coming upon them. God had miraculously divided the waters and allowed the Children of Israel to pass over on dry land. Not only this, Pharaoh’s army got drowned in the middle of the Red Sea when they tried to cross. This crossing would remind the current generation of Israelites that it was the same LORD who would protect them from the ravages of the water as well as the threats of enemy armies in Canaan.

The Levites were to lead the procession across the Jordan. They carried the Ark of the Covenant which was Yahweh’s special presence in Israel. The LORD would go before them, and this miracle served as a sign that He would continue to be with them. Twelve elders, one from each tribe would go along with the Levites to witness what was about to happen. As soon as the feet of the priests and Levites stepped into the raging torrent that the waters dried up. the water coming down from upstream was somehow dammed up and stood in a heap far away, and the water in front of them headed to the Dead Sea dried up the crossing. Then the Children of Israel crossed to the other side on dry land. the first part of their possession of the Land had started. Now they faced the walled cities like Jericho as well as iron chariots.

We know later from what Rahab says in Joshua 2:9-11 that the inhabitants of Jericho were already terrified. Joshua had sent spies to Jericho before Israel crossed to gain intelligence of the city. Joshua learned that the Canaanites were terrified of Israel and their God Yahweh. They had heard of the crossing of the Red Sea. They could have seen themselves as doubly safe at this time by both the raging Jordan as well as their high stone walls. How much greater their terror would be when they heard that Israel had crossed Jordan on the dry riverbed!

In chapter 4 of Joshua we learn of what the twelve elders were supposed to do. They were to take the stones from the riverbed upon which the Levites stood and make a heap of witness on the other shore as a reminder of what the LORD had done for Israel,

When we study the Bible, we realize that there seems to be a repetition of certain themes and events. The events from Scripture remind us of what God did for His people in ages past. We talked about the Red Sea crossing and the crossing of Jordan already. There is also the sense that what had happened in the past not only serves as this reminder of a Lord who cared for His people in ages past, but also serves as a paradigm of His care for His people today as well as evermore. It teaches us that we are to trust the LORD in everything we do or think. The God who has acted in History is the same God we serve today.

Another thing we need to understand in this pattern of repetition in the Bible is that there is also a sense of escalation. What has happened in the past has a ever greater fulfillment in the future. The fancy theological term for this is “type” and “antitype.” There are several examples we can find in the passage we just studied,

Let us first look at Joshua, the Son of Nun. His name in Hebrew is “Yeshua.” We also should notice that “Yeshua” in Greek is “Jesus.” So there are two Joshuas. The first led Israel into the land which is currently called Palestine and the nation of Israel today. Compared to the surrounding deserts, it truly flowed with milk and honey. It was indeed very desirable land. Many wars have been fought over it. But, now, the greater Joshua has been revealed, not just for the benefit of Israel but to all who will believe on Him and follow. This is the One whom God has chosen to lead His Church as well as to exercise sovereignty over the universe. this same Jesus promised that He was going to prepare a place for us that where He is, we may be also. (John 14:2)

The first Israel serves as a type for the new Israel. Paul tells us that believers in Jesus are the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). The first Israel was promised an inheritance on this earth. The New Israel is promised a heavenly inheritance. The first Israel watched while the LORD brought down the walls of Jericho. All they did was to obey the LORD by encircling the city for seven days, blowing trumpets and shouting. None of this caused the walls to come down. It was the LORD who fought for them. Likewise, the LORD has fought and won the battle for us. We who were drowning in sin, He has rescued by dying on the cross for us. We like even the great Moses can not cross this Jordan. The river of death is an impenetrable barrier. But Jesus stood in the midst of the river of death and won the victory for us. Thanks be to God.

We have many songs which talk about crossing Jordan as well as some sort of TV show. We have songs like “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks.” We sing about being on the verge of Jordan. We should also remember that Jesus is “the death of death and hell’s destruction.” So “Guide us now O Great Jehovah!”

Israel had enemies to fight once thy crossed over earthly Jordan into Canaan. But when it comes time for us to cross, whether it be at His return or by the road of death, we will discover that there is not more enemy to fight. The victory has been won. Even at Armageddon where the LORD comes against the armies of the enemy, the thousands who accompany Jesus will be no more than spectators. The LORD shall slay them with the sword of His mouth (Revelation 18). As Martin Luther puts it in his hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God:” “One little word shall fell him (Satan).

So, let us be encouraged by the Word of God, and let us encourage each other in the LORD. Things look impossible. The world is totally corrupt even as ancient Canaan was corrupt. It stands in the same condemnation that that Canaan was. They may look fearsome and threaten to hold us in the bondage of fear. But as Luther also reminds us: “We tremble not for him, for loo, his doom is sure.” But we should also remember that God is not willing that these Canaanites perish, but rather to repent and turn to the LORD and be saved. Rahab was slated for destruction. But her faith in the God of Israel saved her. All who believed her report were gathered in her house on the day Jericho fell and were spared. We are all to often Rahabs in our life. But then, let us be Rahabs in our faith. And may we be diligent in snatching people from the fire.