Joshua 3:1-4:10

Joshua 3:1-4:10

After years of waiting (and five books of Scripture), the Israelites cross the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land in Joshua 3-4. The three days that Joshua gave the Israelites to prepare for their journey had passed, and now he sent those same messengers back to the people with a new message. They told the people that as soon as they saw the Levitical priests carrying the ark through the camp, they were to pack up their things and begin following the ark at a safe distance. That would be their sign that it was time to leave and head for the Promised Land. It was important for Israel to stay behind the ark for God had given Joshua directions, and Israel did not know the way into the land. In some ways this was a test of faith. They were entering a part of the world that none of them had ever seen, and they had to trust that Joshua was not leading them astray and ultimately trust God. In some ways these are the moments when we find it easiest to be excited about what God is doing and to jump right in. Yet in other ways, these are the times when we have the most trouble because we doubt God. We wonder if it is too good to be true and wonder if God will really hold true to His word. We must remember that God always keeps His word, and He will always see us through the major changes of our lives. He has proven it time and time again, and this story is just one of those times.

So God gave Joshua clear instructions on how to cross the Jordan, and He began to exalt Joshua into a place of leadership like that of Moses. God needed the Israelites to completely trust Joshua and follow him, for he was speaking on God’s behalf. He was God’s instrument at the time. Joshua told the Israelites that it was time to cross and he needed one man from each tribe to come forward. They would be the first to enter the river, and when all twelve were standing in the waters, God would split the waters so that Israel could pass through safely. This generation was one generation removed from the splitting of the Red Sea. They had heard the stories, but they had not experienced it themselves. They were about to see God at work in a major way. The priests entered the water, and the Jordan River split, allowing Israel to cross.

I imagine the Israelites trusted God more at this moment than they ever had. They might have been fearful of what was to come, with the battles ahead, but at this moment their faith was probably greater than ever. Sometimes it takes these types of moments to get us back in line with God. The sad thing is that once the river closes in and we are safely on the other side, we gradually forget about what God did. We begin to fall away from God again, and we do not stay on fire for Him. While these moments are good for us to have in life, we should not live for the next great moment to come. We should instead live for God every day, realizing that He is at work even in the small details of our lives. It is not an easy task, but we must daily see where God is at work and join Him there.

As they were passing through, the twelve men who had been selected were commanded to pick up twelve stones from the river and construct an altar to God at their camp. This would be a sign for generations to come to point back to what God had done for Israel on that day. This would be one way to not lose their “spiritual high.” These stones would serve as a reminder of what God had done to them, and they would be able to relive the moment when they saw them or told someone what they meant. It is not always easy to stay on fire for God, but just like Israel, we too can go back to those moments in our life where it was so evident that God was at work. Those moments can serve as encouragement for us to press on in Christ.

Matt