Set Apart for Great Things God Will Do (Joshua 3:1-4:24) God was about to do some amazing, supernatural things for this new generation of Jews. He was going to work through them to conquer the land promised them. But before this began they were to first "sanctify" themselves to God. This is a vital lesson we can apply to our own experience with God in appropriating His promises. To sanctify someone or something is to set that person or thing apart for God. They had to prepare their hearts and lives to be used by God however He chose. It is often this adjustment of our hearts to be first set apart for God that prepares us to be transformed by the "wonder" God is about to do. There is a second thing we see. It is to know that true authority and favor comes from God. God promised He would be the one to give this authority to Joshua at the proper time (3:7, 14). Joshua had waited patiently until God's timing to lift him up and to maintain his authority to lead the people. He did not use manipulation, aggression, or other tactics of this fallen world to gain authority over the people. Lastly, we discover the vital need to establish memorials for following generations. The 12 stones taken from the place the Jews crossed over the Jordan River were to be a reminder of the "wonder" God did for them. This is vital in establishing a point of historical reference for what each generation should seek and expect from God themselves. Not to simply talk about the "good old days" but to talk about how the same living God can do great things in each successive generation. These three lessons given to us as God prepares Israel to launch out to take hold of God's promises are principles still true. May our hearts be set on fire with a great expectation of God in our own time and in our own lives. Joshua 3:1-4:24 1 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. 2 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. 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."
Monday, February 21, 2011
"And Joshua said to the people, 'Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.'" -Joshua 3:5NKJV Bible Text
Israel Crosses the Jordan
| Israel Crosses the Jordan v. 1 Joshua Rose Early – Joshua's rising early in the morning has often been the type of behavior of those in scripture who saw God do mighty things. Abraham did so when he left for the greatest test of faith of his lifetime (Gen 22:3). It was early in the morning when God called Moses to stand before Pharaoh to command him to "let my people go" (Ex. 8:20). David did so the day he left for the army of Israel and ended up defeating Goliath (1 Sam. 17:20). It was early in the morning when the women left to the tomb of Christ and found He had risen from the dead (Mark 16:2, 9). Jesus often rose early in the morning for prayer (Mark 1:35). Acacia Grove – According to the Jewish historian Josephus, this grove stood seven miles east of the Jordan River. v. 3 Ark of the Covenant – This covenant, or chest, held the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written and the rod that budded as a sign of God's anointing upon Moses' brother Aaron. It also contained a jar of manna, the food supernaturally provided by God each morning on the ground during Israel's 40-year wilderness journey. On top of the chest were two golden cherubim. It was kept in the inner chamber of the Tabernacle, called the Holy of Holies. The top of the chest was called the mercy seat, and it was there, between the two golden cherubim, that God manifested His divine presence. | Covenant – The word "covenant" is a term used of an agreement between two or more parties. The term was used in reference to this chest because it contained the law of God, or the Ten Commandments, which were the basis of God's covenant relationship with Israel. Priests and Levites – Within the priestly tribe of Levi, the family of Kohath was designated for the responsibility of transporting the ark (Num. 4:1-20). v. 4 Space Between You – Because the ark represented the divine presence of God, it was not to be approached except through a very defined process of sacrifice and cleansing. This was to teach the people about the holiness of God which was completely separate from the sinfulness of humanity. It is this problem of approach to God that is behind the teaching in the New Testament book of Hebrews, where it declares that because of Jesus' provision of forgiveness "we can boldly come into the presence of God" (Heb. 4:16, 9:1-10, 25). Two Thousand Cubits – approximately 1,000 yards Not Passed This Way – The people of Israel were to follow this representation of God's presence similar to how they had followed the cloud that had led them during their wilderness journey (Ex. 13:21-22). However, later on in Israel's history, they sought to use the ark of the covenant as a superstitious protection in a battle that proved disastrous (1 Sam. 4:1-11). |
5 And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you." 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. 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.'" 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: 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."
| v. 5 Sanctify Yourselves – Sanctify is "kawdash" in Hebrew and refers to the process of setting something or someone aside for holy use by God. Both things and people were called to sanctification in the Old Testament. v. 5 Lord Will Do Wonders – From our perspective, a wonder is an amazing event beyond what we can expect from the natural resources of a situation. By sanctifying themselves before God, they were in a place to appreciate the wonderful things God was going to do for them. v. 7 I Will Begin To Exalt – Joshua was called to replace the leadership of Moses, the greatest man who ever walked on earth. This would have been an impossible task if Joshua had tried to force himself on the people and demand the same position as Moses had. Instead, Joshua let God exalt him before the eyes of the people. The key to effective leadership begins with a humble dependency on God to empower and facilitate that leadership. Our responsibility as leaders is to humbly serve God and others with all that we are; it is God's job to exalt. This is the truth behind Jesus' words, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matt. 23:12). v. 8 Stand In the Jordan – The priests were to stand at the banks of the river with their feet in the water as Joshua proclaimed the miracle that was just about to occur. v. 9 Hear the Words – Often in scripture, the foretelling of events was given so people could clearly see the proof of God's divine interventions. Here Joshua proclaimed what was about to happen before it happened. It was a way of strengthening faith in the life of His people. v. 10 Living God Is Among You – God is often referred to as "living" to contrast Him with man's the lifeless idols. Because the true God is a living God, He is able to act upon the real issues that face a real world. Without Fail – God's purposes are as sure as God Himself. He will not fail to accomplish what He has promised to do. | Drive Out – Leviticus 18:24-25 describe why God was about to drive out the people, "Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants." Obviously, if they would have been willing to not be a corrupting force of evil but would have embraced the truths given them by the Jews, they could have remained. Canaanites – These were descendants of the son of Ham, Canaan (Gen. 9:18). They controlled the lowlands of Palestine near the sea (Num. 13:29; Josh. 5:1). Hittites – They were the descendants of Heth and were considered one of the most dominant tribes in Palestine. Hivites – They are listed as descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:17 and 1 Chronicles 1:15. Shechem was a primary city of theirs (Gen. 34:2). Perizzites – They are referred to in Deuteronomy 3:5 and Joshua 17:15. Girgashites – Little is known about this tribe. They are mentioned in Joshua 24:11, Genesis 15:21, and Deuteronomy 7:1. Amorites – They were considered the most powerful tribe of the Canaanite people. (Amos 2:9). They are referred to in Numbers 13:29; 21:13, 24, 26 and Joshua 11:39. Jebusites – They lived in the central highlands around Jerusalem. They were in control of that region until King David's time (2 Sam. 5:6-8). v. 11 Lord Of All the Earth – The common belief among ancient people was that each people group had its own primary god, or source of protection and power. Joshua made clear to the Jews that they were not to look at their God in that way. Their God was not a god among gods, but the supreme being of the universe and God over all. Shall Rest – God would go before these people and bring His almighty power upon this river so that the people could cross on dry ground. |
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. 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.
| v. 15 Feet Of the Priests – The priests could not see the miracle become a reality until by faith they stepped out into the flooded waters. When they stepped out in faith, the waters separated. Jordan Overflows –Tthe snow melting on Mt. Hermon usually resulted in the water rising above its flood level. Time of Harvest – This reference was to the barley harvest, which occurred around the 10th day of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, and which coincided with the traditional flooding time. | v. 16 Adam – This was 16 miles north of Jericho. Jericho was about four miles north of the Dead Sea where the Jordan River empties itself. This would mean there was approximately 20 miles of the Jordan River that could be crossed on dry land. Sea of the Arabah – Sea of the Arabah referred to the Dead Sea. v. 17 Dry Land – God used this wonder (v. 5) to strengthen the faith of the Jews. What God did for them became a historical point of contact to be used in the future when their faith might grow weak. |
Joshua 4 The Memorial Stones 1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 "Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, 'Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.'" 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: "Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever." 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. 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. 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. 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. 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.
| Chapter 4 The Memorial Stones v. 2 Take For Yourselves – Joshua had 12 men designated to represent each of the 12 tribes of Israel. v. 3 Priests Feet Stood Firm – After the priest's entered the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant, they stood there until all the people had crossed over. This place marked the step of faith the priests had taken to cross the river. In the Lodging Place – They ended up camping at Gilgal, about a mile and a half from Jericho. v. 5 Joshua Said – Joshua repeated what God had told him about what to command the leaders of Israel to do. It is always the mark of a true servant of God to simply be an ambassador representing the wishes and will of the one he represents. v. 6 Your Children Ask – These stones would become a teaching tool for the succeeding generations, a memorial to God's faithfulness in bringing the people of God into the Land of Promise. It points out a reoccurring concern that God has in seeing each new generation brought into a personal encounter with the reality of what God has done and what He can do because of who He is. | v. 9 Joshua Set Up – There were to be memorial stones in Gilgal. But Joshua also set up the same at the edge of the water where the priests went in. Because this event occurred at the peak of flood season, these stones were visible throughout the year as the water receded. v. 10 Moses Had Commanded – This referred to Moses' handing over to Joshua the responsibility of bringing the children of Israel into the Promised Land. v. 13 About Forty Thousand – This did not refer to the larger number of children, women, and elderly who would not have been considered for the army. v. 14 Lord Exalted Joshua – God had promised Joshua this in 3:7. Now that the parting of the Jordan River had occurred as Joshua had predicted, it gave the people confidence that God had ordained Joshua as His servant to lead the people. All the Days – This sustained regard for Joshua was the result of his faithful service to them throughout his life, as well as the favor God showed Joshua before the people. |
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." 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. 19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; 23 for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever."
| v. 19 Tenth Day of the First Month – This corresponds to the middle of March to the middle of April. The month was called Abib. However, after the return of the Jews from their Babylonian captivity, they began to use the term Nisan. Camped in Gilgal – located approximately one and a half miles from Jericho v. 21 Children Ask – These memorial stones were seen as a tool to awaken in their children an interest about their significance and meaning. There is an obvious principle here that still has great importance in teaching each new generation about the things of God. There should be different evidences of God's proven reality and character that are seen in God's people and in institutions where His influence is the source of blessing. Traditions that become holidays, statues that become an end in themselves, etc., can lose any real influence without teaching the things of God that were the source of these memorials. v. 23 Lord Your God – In responding to the questions of children, it is clear that the goal was to see God as their own God rather than a God of the past. | v. 24 People of the Earth – One of the purposes in God's divine interventions on behalf of His people is to graphically reveal Himself to the rest of the world. God loves the entire world (John 3:16). People from every tribe and people group of the earth will come to a genuine faith in Him in heaven with Him (Rev. 7:9-10). Fear the Lord – The second reason given for God's divine intervention on behalf of His people is to foster a deep-seated awe and reverence for God. Seeing God as so powerful should cause us to not only have reverence for Him but true fear of the consequences of living in rebellion to Him. In Speech – They were well known for their exercise of spiritual gifts, including tongues, prophecy, exhortation, revelation, word of knowledge, wisdom, etc. (1 Cor. 12, 14). In Knowledge – This refers to the understanding of both God and people as given by the Holy Spirit's enabling. Diligence – Paul pointed out in chapter seven how their repentance had been marked by diligence (7:11). |
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