CROSSing the Jordan, Joshua 3

 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. Joshua 3:1.  

The two spies have returned from Jericho with their report. It was a good report, straight from the heart of a harlot.

Now, Joshua moves his camp, about twelve miles west, to the east bank of the Jordan river.  

This isn’t just any old riverside camp. The Jordan River is an amazing part of HIStory.

Naaman the leper was healed in the Jordan, (2 Kings 5:10–14). Elijah and Elisha both parted the Jordan, (2 Kings 2:6-14). An ax head floated up from the bottom of the Jordan for Elisha (2 Kings 6:1-7). Jesus disciples and John the Baptist, baptized many in the Jordan. Jesus Himself was baptized in the Jordan. From that day to this, folks flock to that very spot to be baptized in the Jordan.

Even the geography of the river tells a story.

It begins at Mount Hermon, which is the highest mountain in ancient Israel. Some say this is the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-8. 

The book of Enoch claims, Mount Hermon as the place where the fallen angels descended to the earth.  

In Hebrew, the name, Jordan, means: to flow down, or, descend. 

The Jordan flows down, from Mount Hermon, and, 156 miles later, dumps into the lowest point of land on the planet; the Dead Sea.

Somewhere in the middle of its meandering it goes through a town called Adam, and then, the location where we're at today, is about twenty miles south of there.

We’ll see in a moment, how this paints a powerful picture, for you and me.  

So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; ³ and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 

This should be of no surprise; remember, about three days earlier, (Joshua 1:10-11), they were told to, prepare provisions for themselves, for after three days, you’ll cross the Jordan to possess the Promise.

However, there's something new. Something outside their comfort zone.

 And ours.

Be Intentional.

My friend’s dad never closed his eyes when he prayed. When asked about it, he said. “Well, the Bible says, watch and pray.”

The children of Israel were told to do the same. Watch, and when you see the presence of God move, go after it.

This took focus. This took faith. This took something they hadn't done before. They were called to pay attention, and trust the invisible hand of God, working through people, not pillars of fire and smoke.

You see, prior to this, they were led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It was a giant flashing billboard right outside their tent door. It couldn’t be missed.  

And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. ²²Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people. Exodus 13:21-22

We like it like that, don’t we? God, just show up, and I’ll believe. Just tell me what to do. Keep it simple. ABC. 123. Church on Sunday (or at least Christmas and Easter). Play nice.

But don’t hold me accountable for the thoughts and intents of my heart. Don’t make me exercise faith. Don’t require me to think, pay attention, be responsible.

I’ll clean the outside of the cup, but don’t mess with my inside. 

That’s called religion. 

God hates religion. Loves relationship.

He wants, no, He demands, that we be intentional in our relationship with Him. Inside and out.

Nobody, (that has the ability to choose), accidentally, falls into heaven. We must be intentional in our service, our love and commitment, to Him.

No more meandering, no more wilderness wandering.

Today, they must follow the invisible presence of God, by the hand of man, rather than being led, by billowing pillars of fire and smoke.

    

⁴ Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

What’s a cubit? What’s two thousand, of them?

Good question. A cubit is about eighteen inches. So that means, two thousand cubits equals three thousand feet. Since there’s three feet in a yard, that means two thousand cubits is a thousand yards, or ten football fields. That’s over a half a mile.

Why’d they have to stay so far back?

Let God Lead

Well, it says so “that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Even if you cross a river a thousand times, from the same spot, you’ll never step in the same water. When following God, we’ve never passed this way before. His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9.

That far away they could see the movement and direction, without noticing every step and blemish of the priests carrying the ark.

Have you ever heard of the sin of familiarity.

Or, you may have heard the phrase: familiarity breeds contempt. Extensive knowledge of, or close association with someone or something, leads to a loss of respect for them or it.

Uzzah was killed by God for it. It was about four hundred years after crossing the Jordan. King David was having the very same, ark of the covenant, transported on a cart. One of the oxen, stumbled and Uzzah stretched out his hand to steady the cart. God’s anger burned against Uzzah and He struck him down and he died. 1 Chronicles 13:9-10.

There’s a lot to that story for another time. But had Uzzah been a respectful distance away, and had King David and the Levites, been following God’s command on how the ark was to be carried, it never would’ve happened.

The sin of familiarity, in David, the Levites, and Uzzah, is what killed him.

At this critical CROSSing of the Jordan, God was taking no chances.

The precedent was set. Today, we must intentionally watch for God’s leading, and follow. Period. No backseat driving.

  

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Joshua 3:5.

They prepared provisions. Packed suitcase and cooler. 

But now, he says, prepare your heart, soul and mind. For tomorrow your Maker will work among you.

You’re Not Prepared, Unless You’re Preprayered

When we get ready for the day, for work, school, church, do we just prepare the outside? Do we intentionally prepare our heart, at the start, of each day? Each meeting? Each appointment? Each moment?

We must, intentionally, continually preprayer, for this may be the moment we meet our Maker.  

⁶ Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”

So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

This is the sign the people have been waiting for. Those who are watching, are grabbing their gear, ready for action.

Notice, there’s no trumpets, no flashing neon signs, no pillar of fire, or smoke. Just a handful of men, over a half mile away, quietly walking with the ark, toward the Jordan.   

Those too busy, (ordering from Amazon, what they’ll wear at the inheritance party); those too lazy, (asleep in front of the TV); those not watching and praying with their eyes wide open—will be left behind.

⁷ 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.

⁸ 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.’ ”

God tells Joshua, two things.

One: I’m about to exalt you, Joshua, before the people.

Two: I won’t do it, until those carrying the ark, take a step of faith.

9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 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: 

Don’t you love Joshua’s heart?

God just told him, I AM about to exalt you, Joshua, as I was with Moses, so I AM with you, Joshua.

But instead, with a humble heart, he tells them. By this God will show you, lovely people, that He’s with you, and He will, without fail, drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, Jebusites…parasites, termites, arthritis, for you, dear Israelites.

Then he tells them exactly how they’ll know.

¹¹ Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. ¹² Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. ¹³ 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…

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. 

This is the powerful picture we mentioned earlier.

They stand firm in the midst of the Jordan, holding the ark of the covenant, which contains, the tablets of stone, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a sample of manna.

The Jordan river was stopped at the ark. The river backed up and rose in a heap about twenty miles upstream, at a city called Adam. From the ark to Adam, water rose in a heap.

After the crossing, it washed into the Dead Sea, never to be seen or heard from again.

Now, consider this. From Adam to the law, the sins of man rose in a heap, greater and greater, only being held back, never released. The blood of bulls and goats could not wash away sin, only cover, for a temporary fix…

Until the Cross. 

Then, for whosoever watching and willing, to hear and heed the call to the Cross, to take the step of faith, to cross into the Promise, their sins are washed away, into the Dead Sea, never to be seen or heard from again.

NOTE: If God says something once, it’s important. If He says something twice, sit up, listen close. If He says something three times, stand up, draw close, take notes, it’s vital.

With that in mind, I wondered if God repeated the word “cross” (or crossed or crossing) as He told us about the Jordan River CROSSing?

Did He mention it more than once? More than three times? As a matter of fact, I was surprised (but shouldn’t have been) that He drove His point home, by painting His powerful picture of the CROSSing by repeating the word within the story, not once, twice, not three times, or even four…but twenty-five times. (Chapters 1-4).

God is speaking. Are we listening? Preprayered?

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.

Let’s pray.

Lord, help us to stand firm, on Your Word, our firm foundation, our solid ground. We intentionally, keep our hearts and eyes fixed on You, so we are unshaken by the rising heap. We vow to stand firm, in the midst, until all the people You’ve given us, have crossed over, into Your Promise Land.

Amen.

 

We love you,

More importantly,

Jesus love you.

 

 

PS: I just remembered something. Up there in verse twelve it says something about a dozen guys:

Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.

What’s up with that? Why did they do that?  Who are they?

Great questions. We’ll see if we can figure it out when we turn the page into Joshua chapter four.