Today in our non-linear study of Joshua's journey, we come to the very edge of the Jordan- the Promised Land. And both God and the people had some things- seven, as often happens with God- to do before the return of Israel to this place. Combined, we see that the crossing was a good deal more important- and more complicated- than just crossing a river. It was putting a nation back on the right path before God. And, in a way, it corresponds to what we- as people and individuals- need to do to do the same.
Step one- RESPOND
Jos 3:7 The LORD said to Joshua, "Today 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.
God had to make Joshua great in the eyes of the people, that they would follow to God's word through him. And just as he did it by Moses parting the Red Sea, this would be by Joshua "parting the waters":
Jos 3:14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
Jos 3:15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest),
Jos 3:16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.
So this was no simple feat- the waters were piled up in a heap for a long distance, and this while the Jordan were at flood stage, a stage where the water, as one commentator says, "I computed it to be about thirty yards broad, but the depth I could not measure, except at the brink, where I found it to be three yards." And when the crossing was complete, God repeated what He had done...
Jos 4:14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
They had had to respond by leaving fear, and the impossible, on the far side and trust Joshua- and God.
Step two- REMEMBER
God had them set up not one, but 2 memorials. As they crossed, a man from each side was to pluck a stone from the dry river bed- note, like the Red Sea, it wasn't just waterless, it was DRY- and set it up on the other side...
When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?'
Jos 4:7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."
In the meantime, Joshua himself was to set up twelve other stones in the midst of the Jordan- a memorial that would speak against the Pharisees in the day of Jesus's coming:
Mat 3:5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
Mat 3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mat 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mat 3:8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Mat 3:9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
In case you wondered what stones John the Baptist was referencing, now you know- because he baptized right where they crossed over. That's the thing with a memorial- it can lead you to remember what God has done for you- or it can point out that you have forgotten.
Step three- REJOIN
One thing we seem to lightly pass over in the story of Israel is that when they were punished with 40 years in the desert so that those who rebelled were all consumed, is that they had BROKEN THE COVENANT God made with them; only Joshua and Caleb, the faithful spies of the land, would ever cross over into it. So it was that God had to re-ignite His Promises, which required renewing the outward sign- circumcision.
Jos 5:2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time."
Jos 5:3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
Thus, they once again became God's people, having come through a re-do of all God had done over the four centuries of building them.
Step four: REMOVE
Jos 5:8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.
Jos 5:9 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
The commentators clued me into this: this reproach was not some sin, or something they carried with them. As much as the Canaanites were in awe of what God did to the Egyptians, the Egyptians were MOCKING Israel- and God- because they had been stuck in the desert those 40 years. And just as God rolled back the Jordan, He rolled back those reproaches, removing them with what He was about to accomplish.
Step five-RE-EMPLOY
Jos 5:11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.
Jos 5:12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
"Back to work, guys!" God had protected the 'baby generation' through the desert- their clothes and shoes never wore out (Deut 29:5), and they were fed with food from heaven. Now, though, they were the adult generation, and they had their jobs to do. And the hardest would prove to be claiming the land. Still, God wasn't through helping them there.
Step six: RE-WASH
Jos 5:13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?"
Jos 5:14 And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"
Jos 5:15 And the commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
This visit from pre-incarnation Jesus should remind you of another...
Exo 3:3 And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."
Exo 3:4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
Exo 3:5 Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
The symbolism of this was taught centuries later, by Jesus Himself:
Joh 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."
Joh 13:8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."
Feet and shoes are the symbol of our day to day sin. They had been sanctified from SIN by the crossing; they had to mind taking care of day-to-day sin now.
Step seven- RELINQUISH
Jos 6:2 And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.
Jos 6:3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days.
Jos 6:4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
Jos 6:5 And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him."
Now the people had to see- the battle wasn't theirs, but GOD'S. And God was to do miraculous things for them- IF they listened. So what do WE need to do to get this miraculous aid in our daily battles?
RESPOND to His call.
REMEMBER what He has done for you.
REJOIN His will for your life.
REMOVE the care of what those who don't believe say.
RE-EMPLOY yourself to do your part in the matter.
RE-WASH by confessing your sins daily to Him.
And RELINQUISH control of the situation to Him.
