To view this online as a video: https://youtu.be/OtsTPOjqses
[For those online, see this book overview from The Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU )
Here in Australia we regularly see drought conditions throughout this sunburned country of ours. Then after several years of harsh conditions, we experience a La Niña and all of a sudden, we have plenty of rain. In some areas, floods occur where droughts have been the norm, and the weatherman apologizes to the people. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/la-nina-watch-issued-increasing-chance-of-rain-2020/12385876) The dams will diminish to within 2 years of supply (20%) and then increase, even to overflow. For instance, the Warragamba outside Sydney is currently at 96.1%.
And just up the state and inland, our Border Rivers is at 12%! All within one state.
In today’s episode at the Jordan River, the usual reality was that the Jordan would overflow at this season, bringing its own irrigation to the many. Verse 15 says,
“When those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest)”
Butler says this,
“Whereas the opening section of the chapter centred on the person and office of Joshua, the final verses centre on the words and actions of Yahweh for Israel at the waters. The living God, the Lord of all the earth, moves before his people and makes good his claims to universal dominion.”
God indeed is Lord over all the earth and the usual flooded Jordan now becomes a heap. Remember when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt, the Red Sea also became a heap, and according to the traditions, there were actually 12 lanes of escape, one for each of the 12 tribes to facilitate the escape/ the Exodus from Egypt.
In today’s episode, which is actually the first half of two chapters (chapter 4 is the conclusion of this event), God demonstrates his power to his people, so that we will trust him and trust his soldier/ general Joshua. And the main item in view today is the Ark of the Covenant. Next week we will centre on the stones, but for now, the main item is the ark. Mentioned 17 times in the dual chapters. Speaking of a central position, that’s pretty clear.
And you want to see it more clearly, then stand 2000 cubits away at the closest! By the way, later we learn that a Jew was permitted to travel a maximum of 2,000 cubits on the Sabbath (Exod. 16: 29 and Num. 35: 5), which is about 1.2 km. (¾ mile)
That distance is not the crucial thing to note. You want to note that the ark is that much more central when the people are ‘giving it space.’ The ark stands out. The ark is observable by everyone as they pass by. Imagine 3 million Jewish people. Have you ever watched a large crowd trying to get a glimpse of a celebrity from Hollywood or a sports hero? When everyone stands back, the hero is more visible. Think of a noteworthy person in centre stage at the Opera House or at the crease at the SCG. So it is with God that he wanted everyone to know that it was HIS presence which was the centre of their lives. He had saved us from Pharaoh; He had supplied manna and water (yes, and even quail) in the wilderness; he was going to save us and empower us against the enemies in the new land of promise. We needed always to look to him for sustenance and strength. The ark would symbolize that.
Back to verse 1: Joshua rose early in the morning. This is a characteristic of all those who have made a difference in biblical history. Abraham rose early. (Gen 21.14, 22.2) as did Jacob (Gen. 28.18), Moses (Ex. 9.13), Gideon (Judg. 7.1), Samuel (1 Sam. 15.12), even Yeshua (Mark 16.9, Luke 21.38, John 8.2, Mark 1.35). I believe it’s a spiritual principle. Since Watchman Nee mentioned that in one of his books I read in the mid-1970s, I’ve tried to be up and about early. Everyone is different, of course, and modern living allows for dark shades and quiet windows, but generally speaking, if you rise early, the day is yours for the taking.
“Before they crossed” ַעֲבֹֽרוּ
22 times in chapters 3 and 4 we see this verb, to cross over, in various forms. It’s hard to miss. The purpose of the people at the river is not to remain there, but to cross over. The river stands as a shield, a guard, a prevention, and a test. Today’s lesson will feature the ark and the people; next week we’ll see some memorials. And we will cross!
The word “Ya’avoru” = “before they crossed”. What is the name of the Jewish people in the time of the book of Exodus, that is, what are we called? Hebrews. The same root word is used in that word. We are those who cross over. We left one place and are destined for another. But friends, it’s not only geography, but kingdom change. We are destined for a King who is eternal. We are destined to live in the Kingdom of Light, not the Kingdom of Darkness. We are to be a different people, a peculiar people, a people for God’s own possession. We are born to cross over!
Verse two, the officers go through the tribes and command the people. The officers are under authority and don’t lead their own lives. They are commanded and they pass on those commands. Joshua again comes out as primary commander-in-chief.
Remember back in the 10th chapter of Numbers, Moses led a chorus,
קוּמָ֣ה ׀ יְהוָ֗ה וְיָפֻ֙צוּ֙
אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְיָנֻ֥סוּ מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
Kuma Adonai v’yafutzu oyvecha, viyanusu misanecha mipanecha. What was that occasion? The moving out of the ark of the covenant! But here in Joshua it’s not for war as it was in Bamidbar. It’s for focus. All Jewish people were going to pass by, and thus it’s for focus. Not on a box, but on the God who is over all. He is to be our focus.
Verse three—follow the ark. It’s now going to lead us, not into battle, but into the Promised Land.
Verse four- We’ve already covered the distance for the sake of showing the pre-eminence of the ark to all Israel.
Verse five- Consecrate yourselves. This is not the first time we have seen this phrase. Moses used it at Sinai. (Ex. 19.22) and Samuel later will say this at Bethlehem (1 Sam. 16.4-5). It carries with it the idea of sexual abstinence and prayerfulness. And also carries an ‘extra day’ often in Scripture.
Verse six- The command is sent out…. March! And they marched. Again, the writer testifies to Joshua’s authority.
Verse seven- Assurance of God’s presence, even as he was with Moses. This is designed to comfort the new leader, but when you think about it, it may also highlight the end of the honeymoon period. Think about it. God was with Moses in Egypt, but the Jewish people were not always keen to follow him. Again, after the Exodus, God was with Moses, but again the Jewish people were not always keen to follow him, certainly not without complaining. So here in verse 7 when God assures Joshua, it may be an assurance, but also a testimony that says, “Joshua, you will be misunderstood and your role of leader, although significant today, will be undermined and rejected down the road. But hang in there, I’m with you.”
Verse 8, God tells Joshua to command the priests to wait right there at the river.
עַד־קְצֵה֙ מֵ֣י הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן בַּיַּרְדֵּ֖ן תַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃
When you get to the Jordan River’s edge, in the Jordan you shall stand.
No alternate opinions allowed. No minority reports. Here’s Plan A. Get it? Got it. Good.
Then Joshua gives charges to the people. Now that he has the priests’ actions sorted, he moves to the general public’s activities.
Verse 9- Come and listen. What I’m telling you is significant and requires a Sh’ma moment. It’s not Sinai, but it’s significant. When God speaks we should listen.
Verse 10- We are introduced to the name of God as
אֵ֥ל חַ֖י
The Living God. Butler says,
“Israel’s God is thus contrasted to the other claimants to the title. Only Yahweh is active and alive. Only Yahweh intervenes in the affairs of his people. God’s actions for his people prove his power and demonstrate the nature of his person.” (Cf. H. Ringgren, “חיה,” TWAT 2 [1977] 891–93).
And this God of Life will cause us to possess the land of the 7 nations listed. That’s a confidence that Joshua gave when the spies returned from their month-and-a-half survey in Numbers and he still has it to this day. A man of faith doesn’t stop believing because he hasn’t yet received the promises. In fact, this is precisely when he has to believe! Faith which is seen is not faith. (Romans 4.18) Joshua continues to demonstrate his faith and his encouragement to the people that God is to be trusted, for he is trustworthy, and the Land is going to be possessed by our tribes.
Verse 11- God’s presence in the ark is our assurance. Trust him! He’s not only the Living God, or the God of Life, he’s also the Lord of all the earth. Nothing is outside his realm. He is omnipresent and he is not simply a tribal deity like the Girgashites or Hittites admired and to whom they offered sacrifices. He is THE God of the whole earth. Israel, no matter where we are, in Egypt, in the Wilderness, and even crossing the Red Sea—he’s God and trustworthy.
Verse 12- Choose 12 men, one from each tribe. No one is left out. No territory is out of his domain. No tribe is left out of God’s sovereignty either. Each tribe is represented. Even the 2 and a half whose homes are east of the Jordan. Everyone is there—all hands on deck! And be sure that when the people start to march, you are going to be the flagbearers, just like the Olympic carriers of each national flag.
Verse 13- Again the phrase of God as Lord over all the earth
אֲד֤וֹן כָּל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙
Comes to the front. The priests are getting soggy and muddy feet, but God is Lord over all the earth. The waters of various kinds are mentioned 10 times in this section. You can’t miss it. The drama of the ark, the priests and their feet, and the waters are all in view. And above and beyond it is the Lord of all the earth, the Living God.
I love the drama of it all. God chooses the most auspicious time of year to perform the river crossing. Now sometimes the Jordan can be as wide as 14 miles! The flood plain can be anywhere from a few hundred yards to a mile wide. In that plain were all kinds of brush and jungle vegetation. This is the season of the year when it’s wet—really wet—and the floods take place. The priests walk out along the flood plain and trust Joshua and trust God himself. Can you hear the musical score building as the tension mounts? Imagine Tchaikovsky’s “1812 overture” or Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” The crescendo and the drama match one another.
Waters will stop? This is unheard of—except that 40 years before it happened to Israel and will happen again!
Verse 14—so it happened. The priests moved out. The people followed. The ark was there. 2000 cubits distant from at least the closest.
Verse 15- Ark bearers stood in the water. Priests stood in the water. Soggy. Wondering if this would work. Were they meshuggener? Would God come through? Skip ahead and you will see the water dries up!
THEN verse 16—it happened. Upstream the waters stopped. The river stopped flowing. The people crossed. I’m guessing they ran a bit. I’m guessing they didn’t linger to shoot a selfie with the water dammed up river. I certainly would have been hurrying!
Verse 17- The priests stood. Verse 16- the waters stood. Everyone is standing at the command of the Lord of all the earth. Now look at the riverbed—it was dry. For the priests and for the people. Even as the Red Sea was dry for the Hebrews (but very wet for the Egyptians who chased them (Ex. 14.21, 15.4))
God is sovereign. He knows how to accomplish his work and to make things happen for his people, and at times against others.
Dear friends, the Lord is over all the earth, even over your earth. Over New Zealand and over Japan. He’s over South Korea and over Perth. And we know his love and life is ours as we gaze at the Saviour whom he has sent.
We are not his because of something we earned; we are his because he made us and made us to know and love him. Unfortunately, we fall short of that love and reject him and sin against him. Yet his plan is ever to reach out to his own and draw us to himself.
Our response is faith. Our response is to believe him for what he says and what he says about us and our sin, and what he says about his love to us. Our response is faith.
Invitation
Dear friends, do you have such faith today? if you have never asked Yeshua to be your Saviour, today as we keep learning from Joshua, would you choose to believe the Lord of life? What does it mean to be strong and courageous in light of learning about Yeshua? Would you be willing to take a stand for him who took a stand and died on a Roman cross for you?
If you’d like to do that today, just now, join me as we pray.
Say something like this: “Father in Yeshua’s name, forgive me my sin, I was wrong to dismiss you and to disbelieve in you. I need your mercy. I deserve punishment but you are kind and merciful and I receive your grace. I repent. I receive Yeshua as my saviour and Lord. I will live because of my faith in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.
If you prayed that, please let us know of your profession by writing straightaway, won’t you? Bob@JewsforJesus.org.au We’d love to hear from you.
Conclusion
We are delighted you have joined us today. Please join us next week and learn with the others how you can stay on track in 2021 and beyond. I hope to see you next week as we continue our studies in Joshua. You will certainly see yourself in the readings and in the lessons. Line by line. It will be worthwhile! Next week we will look at chapter 4 and see what lessons we can draw for ourselves especially about 12 large memorial stones!
Hope to see you then… until then, Shabbat shalom!
Bibliography
Butler, Trent C., Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7. Joshua. Word, Waco, 1983.
Davis, Dale Ralph, Joshua: No Falling Words, Christian Focus, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland, 2019.
Hess, Richard. Tyndale Commentary Complete.
Meyer, F.B., Joshua and the Land of Promise, Christian Literature Crusade, Ft Washington PA, 1977.
Sanders, J. Oswald, Promised-Land Living, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984.
Weirsbe, Warren. Be Strong: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs, 2010.
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D-Groups for this week
1) Tuesday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse
2) Monday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White
(Contact our office for zoom details)
If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?
