Sermon Tone Analysis

*JOSHUA 3:3 *

The narratives of the book of Joshua describe the establishment of Israel in the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua.

The book’s major sections are narratives concerning the entrance into Canaan (Josh 1-5), and the conquest (ch.

6-12) and division of the land (ch.

3-22), followed by Joshua’s challenge to Israel to remain faithful to the covenant after his death (ch.

23-24).

For the most part Joshua is a book of optimism and success.

Israel has arrived at a high point in its history.

Divine promises given to the patriarchs concerning their descendants’ occupation of the land of Canaan (Abraham: Gen 12:7; 15:18-19; 17:7-8; Isaac: 26:1-5; Jacob: 28:10-15; 35:12) have now been fulfilled.

Yahweh has demonstrated his faithfulness to his people.

/Primary themes: Divine initiative and divine presence/.

The above understanding of the structure of the book of Joshua highlights two distinct theological themes.

These two themes, divine initiative and divine presence, arising out of the structure of the book, are the integrating theological concepts for the entire book.

In some sections of the book one theme is more prominent than the other.

In other sections both themes work together in ways that may be distinguished but are difficult to separate.

So Israel is not only at a high point, but also at a crossroads.

The challenge is clear.

Both Joshua and Moses before him urged the people to remain faithful to the covenant.

The unanswered question is how Israel would respond to their appeal.

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*THE RIVER JORDAN *

The river Jordan has a significant place in the history of Israel and in the revelation of God’s covenant salvation.

*1.        **The Place *

The next and final place: “/Lord has sent me to Jordon/…” [2:6].

§  הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה - “/Jordan/” [2:6], river that runs from Mount Hermon through the Sea of Galilee into the Dead Sea.

§  Geologically a rift valley, it is the deepest depression on the earth s land surface.

Only a few miles from its source, the river is already nearly 200 m (/c./ 657 ft) below the Mediterranean, while at the N end of the Dead Sea it has plunged to 393 m (/c./ 1,280 ft) below sea-level.

§  The name ‘Jordan’ (Hebrew /yardēn/) aptly means ‘the descender’.

The river is the largest perennial stream in Palestine, and its length of some 120 km (/c./ 75 miles) from former Lake Huleh to the Dead Sea is more than doubled by its meanders.

*2.

**A Geographical Boundary  *

The Jordan River marked the eastern boundary of the land promised to Israel by Yahweh:

§  The marking of the boundaries: “/and you shall point out your eastern border from Hazar-enan to Spephan…the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings of it shall be at the Salt Sea/” [Num.34:1-12].

§  The deep rift valley and the river itself provided a natural geographical border.

*3.        **A Theological Boundary *

More important than geographical concerns is the theological significance of the Jordan as a boundary.

*a.       **The Promise to Abraham *

Yahweh’s initial promise to Abram involved the bestowal of the land of Canaan to Abram’s offspring: “/unto thy seed will I give this land/…” [Gen.12:7].

§  Initially, precise boundaries remain unspecified, but the separation of Abram and Lot [Gen 13] provided important clarification.

Abram’s desire to maintain peace and provide adequate pasturage for both his and Lot’s herds resulted in their separation.

Lot’s choice of the well-watered plain of the Jordan clearly moved him east, beyond the Jordan, outside the land Yahweh promised to Abram’s descendants: “/Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east/…” [Gen.13:10-11].

§  Abram remained in the land of Canaan: “/dwelled in the land of Canaan/…” [Gen.13:12].

After Lot departed, Yahweh reaffirmed and further clarified his initial promise of the land to Abram: “/Look from the place where you are north, and south, and east, and west/…” [Gen.13:14-17].

*b.       **The Possession of the Land *

It fell to later generations to act on the promises given to Abraham, to cross over the Jordan and possess the Promised Land: “/arise, go over this Jordan…unto the land which I do give to them/” [Jos.1:2].

§  Clearly, for the Israelites to remain on the east side of the Jordan would be to disobey the command of Yahweh, to defy his plan for his people, and to fail to possess the promises he had given and reiterated throughout past and present generations (e.g., see Num 32:1-15; cf.

Gen 15:17-21).

§  The Jordan symbolized the final barrier to God’s covenant promises; to think of not completing the journey was incredible.

To cross the Jordan required courage, commitment, and faith.

The task was framed in military terminology (see Num 32:5, 21, 29, 32).

§  In fact, neither the crossing nor the subsequent conquest could be accomplished by Israel alone; Yahweh would go ahead, “like a devouring fire” (Deut 9:3, NIV; cf.

31:3).

He was the one responsible for cutting off the waters of the raging river (Josh 3:14-17; 4:19-24; cf. S. D. Waterhouse, 621-37) and for leading his people in conquest.

§  Ps 114 celebrates Yahweh’s sovereignty over the Jordan and stamps the crossing with profound theological import: “/The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?

thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back/?” [Psa.114:3-5].

*c.        **Leadership of Israel *

Equally profound is Yahweh’s refusal to allow Moses to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land (see Deut 3:21-29).

§  The river loomed as an unmistakable reminder before Moses of his disobedience.

The land on the other side was clearly something to be desired, but the Jordan could only be crossed by those who demonstrated obedience and faithfulness.

Rather than being allowed to cross, Moses had to entrust the task of leading Israel over the river to Joshua (Deut 3:28).

§  This became Joshua’s first major task as leader (Josh 1:2) and the means whereby Yahweh established him as the sole successor to Moses (3:7).

The crossing of the Jordan thereby signified the “boundary” between the two leaders.

§  The crossing of the Jordan also marked the authentication of Joshua as a fully adequate leader: “/this day will I begin to magnify you in the sight of Israel/” [Jos.3:7];

“/on that day…they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life/” [Jos.4:14].

§  A similar authentication took place at the Jordan in the story of Elijah and Elisha: “/Elisha took up also the mantle of Elijah/…/smote the waters of the Jordan/” [2:13].

*d.       **Baptism *

The river Jordan is the place of baptism in the New Testament:

*                                                                                                         i.

**General Comments *

The Jordan River figures prominently in the opening scenes of the NT but not elsewhere.

It is not mentioned by name in the NT anywhere outside the Gospels (cf. the OT, where the bulk of occurrences come in Num, Deut, and Josh).

*                                                                                                       ii.

**John the Baptist *

The Jordan provided an appropriate site for the ministry of John the Baptist, a prophet in the mold of Elijah.

§  He announced the coming of a new kingdom and invited all who would enter to submit to the ritual of baptism in the Jordan River (Matt 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-20).

The parallel with events in Joshua, with baptism replacing “crossing,” seems too clear to be coincidental (see, e.g., Josh 1:10-11; 3:5).

§  The baptism of Jesus climaxed John’s ministry.

Jesus’ baptism resulted, not in the opening of the river, but rather the opening of the heavens, from which the Father spoke, affirming Jesus as his own “/beloved son/” [Mat.3:17].

§  Something dramatically new was inaugurated in the divine plan.

From the waters of the Jordan emerged one greater than Joshua, greater than Moses, to usher in the kingdom of God, a kingdom without boundaries, without geographical limitations, and without ethnic restrictions.

*4.        **The Source of Blessing *

The river Jordan is also presented in the Word of God as a source of blessing:

*a.       **Ezekiel’s Vision *

The river in Ezekiel’s vision flows from the temple into the Jordan Valley where it carries the power of purification and becomes a source of abundant life: “/these waters issue out towards the east country/…” [Eze.47:8].

§  The saline waters of the Dead Sea are made fresh by its flow.

The river yields swarms of living creatures, produces fish of every kind, and waters trees that bear fruit monthly and whose leaves possess power to heal (47:8-12; cf.

/TDOT /4:327).

*b.       **Naaman’s Leprosy *

This apocalyptic picture of the Jordan as a source of supernatural blessing is foreshadowed by the experience of Naaman.

§  Stricken with leprosy, Naaman journeyed from Aram to Israel seeking healing from the prophet Elisha.

Elisha, however, directed Naaman to the river: “/Wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed/” [2Kgs.5:10].

Despite protests, Naaman finally complied and found his leprosy healed (5:13-14).

§  Any curative power of the Jordan was clearly subject to the word and ministry of the prophet (cf.

2:7-8, 13-14; 6:1-7), but Naaman’s healing intimates its function as a means of blessing.

The river’s response to the power of the prophet confirmed Yahweh’s blessing on his ministry and communicates that truth to others (2:7-8; 13-15).

*Summary*

The river Jordan was completely impassable at this time: “/Jordan overflowed all its banks/…” [3:15].

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*THE COMMAND TO GO FORWARD *

*1.        **The Preparation  *

*a.       **The Journey *

*                                                                                                         i.

**The Provisions *