The Presence of the Lord

Passing Over this Jordan!

Context:

-because you have not passed this way before

-because Jehovah wants to give you full victory and possession of the land of Canaan

-because you are prone to forget of the wonders of God

chapters 3 and 4 are orchestrated to give Joshua and Israel that which they would need for the road of faith which lay ahead.

12X in chapter 3 and 7X in chapter 4, the ark of the covenant is referenced.

two main points- what is the ark and why did it so matter to this passage of Jordan

The ark was the symbol of God’s presence to guide the pilgrims and lead them in battle (Num. 10:33, 35–36).

Numbers 10:33: “And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.”

Also, the ark was regarded as the throne of the invisible God, or his footstool (Jer. 3:16–17; Ps. 132:7–8).

Psalm 132:7-8: “We will go into his tabernacles: We will worship at his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; Thou, and the ark of thy strength.”

THE FOOTSTOOL OF OUR GOD

footstool- a place for feet- a place of humility; yet, a symbol of ownership and reigning. Humility and glory wrapped up in one box. BODY OF JESUS

Both the ark of the covenant and the temple are referred to as God’s footstool because they were places where God rested, resided, and reigned.

Psalm 99:5: “Exalt ye the Lord our God, And worship at his footstool; For he is holy.”

Psalm 132:7: “We will go into his tabernacles: We will worship at his footstool.”

I Chronicles 28:2: “Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:”

Its relation to Psalm 24- It is commonly acknowledged that Psalm 24 contains an “entrance liturgy” used during the procession of the ark. The psalm celebrates YHWH’s cultic return as mighty warrior and glorious king (Cross, CMHE, 91–99).

This return of YHWH was, no doubt, represented by the procession of the ark. The psalm was perhaps sung antiphonally, with those who led the procession and the “gatekeepers of the ark” (cf. 1 Chr 15:23–24) singing different portions of the liturgical text. Just outside the gates of the city, or the doors of the temple, the celebrants heralded the arrival of the ark:

Lift up your heads, O Gates;

Be lifted up, O Ancient Doors

That the King of Glory may come in!

Who is this “King of Glory?”

YHWH strong and mighty,

YHWH the mighty warrior.

Lift up your heads, O Gates;

Lift up, O Ancient Doors

That the King of Glory may enter.

Who is the “king of Glory”?

YHWH of Hosts, He is the King of Glory!

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Ark of the Covenant)

Its many names convey the holy sense of God’s presence

3:3- ark of the covenant of the LORD

3:6- the ark of the covenant

3:11- the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth

3:13- the ark of the LORD

3:15- the ark

the holy ark- II Chronicles 35:3: “And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the Lord, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel,”

the ark of testimony- Numbers 4:5: “And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:”

I Samuel 4:7: “And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.”

WHEN YOU ARE HEADED SOMEWHERE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE-

WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO A TASK YOU HAVE NEVER PERFORMED BEFORE-

WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DO WHAT GOD HAS LED YOU TO DO-

You have to be taken with how great and how mighty God is…you have to be mezmerized by His power and strength. In that moment, the strength of the enemy will seem as nothing…your only gaze…your only consideration is His greatness.

Numbers 13:33: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

God’s Preceding Presence

Surely, these Hebrews needed this object lesson before they entered into Canaan land— they needed to know that the presence of God was before them.

before them

in the midst of them (4:10)

behind them (4:11)- 6:13- rereward

Isaiah 52:12: “For ye shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight: For the Lord will go before you; And the God of Israel will be your rereward.”

He will go before you into the work. He will be with you in the midst of the work. He will follow after you; securing; guarding what you cannot see.

ILL. Adoniram Judson- “The future is as bright as the promises of God.”

-studied with difficulty the language for 12 hours/day

-built a zayat and preached for 7 years before a single convert came to Christ

-became ill and sailed for another province; while their, the area was attacked by the British, and the leader of that area, being a despot, thought Judson and his colleague to be spies.

-he was brutalized for 18 months before his release

-Judson suffered the loss of 2 wives and several children

“If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings."

the preceding presence of the Ark provided deliverance from their enemies. Joshua 3:10: “And Joshua said, Hereby ye 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.”

the preceding presence of the Ark provided a place of worship…a place where God could meet with His people.

Exodus 25:22: “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”

Numbers 7:89: “And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.”

II Samuel 6:2: “And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.”

II Kings 19:15: “And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.”

Isaiah 37:16: “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 80:1: “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.”

Genesis 3:24: “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

What is between the cherubims? A mercy Seat. A place where sinful men may have access to a holy God.

I John 2:2: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Luke 18:13: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

The mercy seat for me! I’ll take the propitiation! You see, this preceding presence…that which goes before us…reminds us that there is a place of worship…a place of reconciliation…a place of forgiveness....and all of that is found in the person of Jesus Christ!

God’s Promoting Power

Joshua 3:7: “And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.”

Joshua 4:14: “On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.”

The Lord wanted to magnify Joshua in the sight of the people as they sought to cross the Jordan. There is a practical truth in this. As a leader, God was going to exalt Joshua in the sight of the people. Yet, the spiritual truth here is that God is exalting Jesus in our sight. He, the captain of our salvation, is worthy of His exaltation!

Why?

TO PRODUCE FEAR IN THE EYES AND HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE.

The word here is to be afraid; to be terrified; to be in awe. God Almighty wants us to be in awe of Jesus.

His love

His victory

His patience

His leadership

His provision

If you are not in awe of Jesus, you are robbing God of His glory!

God’s Reminding Picture

You need reminders in your life of all that God has done for you!