Joshua 3-4

Intro:

This is a major event in Israel’s story seen in the promise given to Abram so long ago:

Genesis 12:7 “To your offspring I will give this land”

“God often opens his hand one finger at a time.”

That is what is happening here.

It is enough to see the next step and to trust God for what we cannot see yet.

Indeed, it is the essence of true faith to trust where we cannot see,

2 Corinthians 5:7 “for we walk by faith, not by sight”

Is 50:10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Read Joshuas 3:1-6

I. Consecrate Yourselves vs. 1-6

God woke Joshua up early on departure day

The Israelites were ready to move

They had departed Shittim and camped on the river banks for three days

Orders were given by the officers to watch the Ark

As soon as you see the Priests carrying it you should follow

Notice that Joshua didn’t the builders or artisans to craft a bridge across

Joshua knew this was a spiritual problem

The Ark was a symbol of God’s presence

They needed to follow the leading of the Spirit

God required that they keep some 1,000 yards or 3,000 feet behind the ark.

This was for two reasons.

First, to respect the holy nature of the ark of the covenant.

But also, it was to make sure that everyone had a clear view of the ark.

That you may know the way by which you must go shows that the ark of the covenant led the way.

Israel would accomplish this impossible task as they set their eyes upon God’s presence and followed only after His presence.

Because this would be a spiritual battle, Joshua requires that the people have a spiritual preparation.

Consecrate or “Sanctify” yourselves means they were to separate themselves from common things to focus in on the LORD, and to see that the LORD will do wonders among you.

Joshua has the ark pass before the people

It was situated in the middle of the camp

II. Stand Still in the Jordan vs. 7-13

Then the Lord speaks to Joshuas and promises to exalt him in the sight of all of Israel and reaffirms his promise to be with him

God then tells Joshua to instruct the priests to stand still in the Jordan

With them carrying the ark and doing nothing but walking into the river it showed that God was doing all of the work

True spiritual leadership focuses the eyes of God’s people on the Lord and His greatness

Here is something that the text doesn’t tell you but we find out in chapter 4

The banks of the river was swollen

It was the wet season and the river would often flood

Josh 3:15 now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest

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.

God was taking his people over the Jordan at a time when there was no way that the people could do it on its own

With the speed of the current and unstable banks they had to trust God

Sometimes you just need to step out and wait for God to do His work

vs. 10 “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you”

But Joshua’s God was more than just the God of Israel.

He was “the living God” (3:10) and “the Lord of all the earth” (vv. 11, 13).

Because He is “the living God,” He can defeat the dead idols of the heathen nations that then inhabited the land

vs. 12 Take 12 men

We won’t see what these men are for later but Joshua sets them apart right now

vs. 13 Stand in one heap

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.

Unless we step out by faith (1:3) and “get our feet wet,” we’re not likely to make much progress in living for Christ and serving Him.

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.

III. Standing on Dry Ground vs. 14-17

When the priests stood in the middle of the jordan it was completely dry ground

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

The crossing of the Jordan River is not a picture of the Christian dying and going to heaven, contrary to what is said in some songs.

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.

IV. Twelve Stones vs. 1-10

After everyone finished crossing God instructs Joshua to assemble the 12 men

They were commanded to gather 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan

They were to lay them down in the camp of Israel

The stone had to be something they could put on their shoulder

They will use these stones to set up in their home base of Gilgal

When these men reached the midst of the river, they each picked up a large stone and carried it about eight miles to Gilgal where the nation camped for the night.

Gilgal was about two miles from Jericho

It’s unfortunate that this memorial at Gilgal gradually lost its spiritual meaning and instead became a shrine where the Jews sinned against God by worshiping there.

The Prophet Hosea condemned the people for worshiping at Gilgal instead of at Jerusalem

Unless we teach the next generation the truth about the Lord, they will turn away and start following the world

Before they move on something else happens

Joshua goes into the middle of the jordan and sets up twelve stones

During the flood season you wouldn’t be able to see the stones but in the normal times and in times of drought they would stick out

Especially in a time of drought, we need to remember the great things God has done.

V. Joshua Exalted vs. 11-14

The people didn’t lollygag over the river

They didn’t take selfies or gawk at the ark

They passed over with haste

The first to pass over were the sons of Rueben, Gad, and Manasseh

40,000 ready for war

On that day Joshua was exalted in the sight of all

He was lifted to the position of Moses

VI. Overflowing Banks vs 15-24