That All May Know (part one), Joshua 4:10-18

God is so smart.

With all the action, the Jordan parting, the water piling, the people crossing, the shoulder boulder carrying crew, the mystery of the invisible memorial stones, laid in the middle of the river…with all that, it’s hard to remember where we’re at and where we’ve been.

So, thank You Lord, for pausing the action for a moment, to give us a recap, a summary; to refresh our memories.

Which, is really smart, because, that’s pretty much, what this chapter is all about.  

 God is so smart.

 

Summary

¹⁰ So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over.

This one verse lists the whole cast of characters, again. The priests. The Lord. Joshua. The people…well, the shoulder boulder toters we met before, aren’t specifically named, but indirectly included with “the people.”

Do you remember, looking at the priests?

The first to enter, the last to leave. Standing, in the presence of God, with the Word of God, standing firm, in the middle of the Jordan; holding back the rising, raging, rushing, river.

Which we too, are called to do. Stand in the gap. Alone if we have to. Not leaving. Interceding. Holding back the rising, raging, rushing, flow of evil.  Until everything is finished that the Lord has commanded us to do. Which includes, holding fast so no soul, as much as it depends on us, is left behind.   

Lord, help us to stand, firm, unmovable, unshakable, against the ever-rising tide of evil that longs to flood the banks of every shore, and wash away every semblance, or resemblance, or remembrance, of all that is Good and Godly and Holy.

 

 ¹¹ Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people.

What a wonderful picture of what the ministry of Christ looks like.

Serving.

Did I ever tell you what the Lord told me, about ministry?

I was busy. All kinds of work to do for God. Just enough time to squeeze in a quick breakfast with my dad.

We ate. We talked. We said our goodbyes and off we went. Me to my car, he to his.

I was still walking to my car when I heard his. Not starting, trying, but not.

I kept walking. Like I didn’t hear. I’m busy. I don’t have time. I’m no mechanic. 

But then, over the clanking of his old motor, over the semi’s flying by on the interstate, over the whistling of the wind, and mostly over my foolish, whining, hypocritical mind, I heard The Voice, it might as well have been right out loud. Maybe it was. Either way, it spun me around without taking another step in the wrong direction.  

Never be too busy with ministry, to minister

I was reminded of that story yesterday, as it rained. A lot.

I was busy with ministry. Lots of work to do for God…

But it rained.  A lot.

Our neighbors were struggling, sweeping, pumping, bailing.

I was high and dry, tucked away in my office, doing important ministry stuff.

Our little street had become the rising, raging, rushing, Jordan.

Never be too busy with ministry, to minister. 

Yeah, but Jesus, I have important ministry stuff. A sermon to prepare.

Jesus, You know Elijah. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three and a half years, (James 5:17). 

You remember, Lord, how it worked back in my roof hopping days as an insurance adjuster. We were on more roofs than santa, and time and time again, I’d pray against a dark, cloudy, 100% chance of rain—and time and again, the sky held back its tears until I was tucked back inside my truck.

Let’s just do that. Okay? Everybody wins. No rain. 

Sometimes ministry looks like that. Nice little cross, nice little prayer, nice little sunshiny answer and (it appears as if) everybody lives happily ever after. 

But most of the time...

It looks like pushing brooms, and squeegees.

Or, driving for hours to visit someone in a rehab center. 

Or, taking off at the drop of a hat to sit with a friend who’d just been hit by a car…

Or, standing firm, in the middle of the Jordan, until everyone else has clean crossed over.

You carry the boulder on your shoulder. 

You take up your cross and follow Me. Matthew16:24.

You bear one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2.

Following Jesus isn't for wimps. It's for those willing to roll up their sleeves, cuz it's gonna get messy. 

 ¹² And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. ¹³ About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Remember these are the ones that decided they like the land on the east side of the river. They said, this land is good for cattle; we have cattle, do the math.

So, they already claimed their land. But they wouldn’t abandon their brothers. They (the men, armed for war), would cross the Jordan, and fight shoulder to shoulder, until everyone had received their inheritance, and then, they’d return, to their land on the east side of the Jordan River.

We’re not only priests in our role, responsibilities and duties, but also, warriors, with a goal, that no soul, will be left behind.

Just because we may be settled, we may have our home, our life, our everything we ever wanted, doesn’t mean it’s time to quit, to retire. As long as we’re breathing, there’s someone God can touch, through us.

CHRISTIANS CAN NEVER RETIRE FROM THE LORD’S WORK

 

 ¹⁴ On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.

When they saw the Jordan part, like the Red Sea did for Moses, the people respected and revered, Joshua; knowing God was with him, and chose him.

Remember Joshua, although, just a man, he also, represents for us a type, (a picture, a representation)  of Christ. He was used by God to lead His people into the Promise Land.

Joshua and Jesus are basically, the same names, one is Hebrew, the other Greek. They both mean the same: The Lord is Salvation.

NOTE: In that day, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit, dwelling within, as we do now since the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

So, back then, God spoke to a man, the man spoke to the people.

 

End Time Prophesy that spans the breadth of time

¹⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, ¹⁶ “Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.” ¹⁷ Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 

One day, perhaps today, the command, “Come up” will sound, like a trumpet, and that which restrains, will be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

Wait. What are you talking about Doug?

Good question. Thanks for asking.

The presence of God, dwelt in the ark of the covenant; which the priests were holding in the midst of the Jordan. The presence of God is the invisible force that held back the rising, raging, rushing, of the river Jordan.

Today, the presence of God, dwells in His people, and holds back the rising, raging, rushing, of the river of evil.

However, one day, He will call His people Home. We will come up out of the earth, as they came up out of the Jordan. We call this event, the rapture. You can read about it here:  

The Rapture, Ἁρπάζω; Harpazó, ‘Raptūro, Revelation 4:1-2

 

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.

When the souls of those carrying God’s presence come up, out of the earth (the rapture); the rising, raging, rushing river of evil, will descend, upon the earth. Just as the river Jordan did when the priests, (carrying the ark, the presence of God), stepped, their soles, out of the Jordan.

After the rapture, the earth will experience seven years of tribulation; evil overflowing all its banks. 

Remember, as we discussed previously, the Jordan, (which means descend) begins at Mount Herman, (the highest point in ancient Israel) and descends to the lowest point on the planet; the Dead Sea. 

Do you know why the Dead Sea is dead?

Not because it has nothing coming in, but because it has no escape, no exit, no outlet. 

In the beginning, man began from the highest place, a place where God said, it is very good. 

But, by choice, we quickly descended, our destination bound for the lowest place, the place of the dead. A place created for the devil and his angels. A place of torment, with a wide entrance, but no exit, no escape. Ever.  

However, that’s not the end of HIStory.

God intervened. He made One Way to CROSS into the Promise Land. 

But only One Way. 

All who refuse, by neglect or rejection, will descend into the place of the Dead, forever.

Which brings us to the moral of the story, the reason for the rocks, the meaning for the memories from Genesis to Revelation, and every jot and tiddle in-between. 

But first, let's pause, and pray, and pick it up next time right here, for part two, That All May Know. 

Lord Jesus, we know, it’s not Your will for any to perish. We continually ask You to forgive us, and cleanse us, and keep us. And, we invite You to use us, to stand in the gap, not allowing any soul You’ve entrusted to us, to descend to that place.

Remember, we love you. 

More importantly, 

Jesus loves you.