Passing clean through

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Prepare

Remember that you are coming into the presence of a holy God. Take time to confess your sins and seek his forgiveness afresh.

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Joshua 3


Joshua 3

Crossing the Jordan
 1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it."

    5 Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

    6 Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.

    7 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' "

    9 Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."

    14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.


Today's New International Version (TNIV) © Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society

Tags: Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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Main point


Real hope
What happens in this chapter is of course of great significance, but did you notice why we’re told about it? Partly to validate and vindicate Joshua as the people’s leader and Moses’ successor (v 7); partly to reassure the people that God is with them and will indeed give them the land (v 10).

So this great miracle, which of course echoes the great parting of the Red Sea (more of that next week), is important not only in itself, but because of what it promises. God holds out real hope to his people and to Joshua. If he can do this for them, is there anything he will not do?

God’s holiness
But the people must respond. Did you notice just how far the people have to stay away from the Ark? Two thousand cubits is about 900 metres or over half a mile.

That’s the kind of distance God’s holiness requires. A sinful people cannot come too near, and for them to be involved in God’s work they must have a zero-tolerance approach to sin (v 5).
Tags: Daily Bread, Philip Mounstephen, Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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Respond


Nothing has changed. We too must be intolerant of sin in our lives. We must be holy for a holy God, so that we can ‘enter in’ to what he has for us in the future. Pray for a growing impatience with sin in your life.
Tags: Daily Bread, Philip Mounstephen, Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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Deeper study


The miraculous crossing of the River Jordan in full flood shows that the entry into the Promised Land is not just a matter of geographical relocation, but spiritual transformation. For the Israelites to enter into the promises of God they must pray, prepare themselves, and step out in faith. The passage of the priests and ark into the waters demonstrates the holy presence of God going before them. The Israelites follow at a distance of about 1 kilometre, again a reminder of the awesome power of God in their midst. Do we embark on personal and church projects aware of our need to prepare spiritually? Are we aware of his holy presence with us?

For the Israelites, such preparation involved washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual relations, as it did when they received the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:10–15). It would also have involved a time of prayer and fasting, and the offering of worship and sacrifice. From this time on, Israel will be in a heightened state of spiritual life, ready for action, engaged in battle and taking every opportunity to possess what God has promised. She cannot afford to rest in complacency or lower her level of alertness. Life is an ongoing battle, both physically and spiritually.

We go through stages of life and ministry, often without thinking about the transitions from one period to another. Robert Clinton, in his book The Making of a Leader (NavPress, 1988), talks about the ‘boundary processing’ that occurs when we go through significant challenges in our careers, family lives, personal maturing and spiritual growth. Every leader needs to learn how to recognise the stages of their development and learn lessons from it. Are you going through such a time right now? Or are there others you know who need encouragement to press forward into the next stage?
Tags: Encounter with God, Richard Harvey, Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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Tribal divisions


● The 12 tribes were descended from Jacob’s 12 sons.

● The tribe of Levi took on special priestly roles and were not given any land of their own. They had cities in the land occupied by the other tribes.

● The descendants of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, had in effect become two separate tribes and both were given land.

● The tribes of Reuben, Dan and half the tribe of Manasseh asked to stay in the land east of the Jordan. Their request was granted on the condition that they went in and fought with the others on the west of the Jordan (Numbers 32). The boundaries of their land were decided by Moses and confirmed by Joshua (Joshua 13:8–33).

● The division of the land west of the Jordan started with Judah in the south and the Joseph tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, further north (Joshua 15,16).

● After this things stalled because the land had not been fully occupied. Joshua called the people together (Joshua 18:1–10) and encouraged them to take full control. The rest of the land was allocated by drawing lots and it became the responsibility of each tribe to take over its allocation (Joshua 18:11 – 19:48).

● This was not always successful. Dan failed to occupy their territory and the story of their migration to the north is told in Judges 18. They occupied a Canaanite city called Leshem or Laish and renamed it Dan.

● The tribal boundaries were fluid. There was often tension between the tribes and border skirmishes were common. In particular there was tension between the southern tribes and the northern tribes which eventually led to a split. Some tribes are more prominent in later records than others.
Tags: John Grayston, Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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Bible in a year


Read the Bible in a year:

Exodus 19,20

Acts 25
Tags: Ark of the covenant, Crossing the Jordan, Joshua
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In today's reading:

Prepare
Joshua 3
Main point
Respond
Deeper study
Tribal divisions
Bible in a year
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Comments
  • Louise Knight | Friday, 03 February 2012

    Thank you, WordLive team. I actually cannot begin to describe to you how powerful and significant these Joshua devotions are for me, for my husband, for our church plant and for a new men's ministry that is beginning to arise in SA. Thank you for your obedience, each and every sacrifice that you make in your walk with God and for your own zero tolerance approach to sin.

  • Lisa Hall | Friday, 03 February 2012

    This reading has reminded me of my tolerance of sin in my life and how I get around that by renaming it "freedom". It is good to be reminded of the holiness and power of God and of the life of holiness to which he has called me.

  • Jennifer Sanders | Friday, 03 February 2012

    We're priests of God, so we're carrying God with us wherever we go (verse 3). Although I've never travelled the path I'm on at this time in my life, and not sure where I'll end up, I know the route because He's leading me. It's a new journey. I'm to move out from where I am and follow the leading of His Spirit.

  • Lisa Hall | Friday, 03 February 2012

    Amen, Jennifer

  • John Norris | Friday, 03 February 2012

    Thank you God and Wordlive for zero tolerance for sin. Thank you Lisa for the reminder of the excuse many give for sin in their life. For we have victory over sin through the blood of Jesus. We can live a victorious life over sin though the power of the Holy Spirit that lives with in us, well said Jennifer. God give you peace on your new journey. Any others who might read this comment I encourage them to read ( 1 Cor. 2:6-16). The mind of Christ.

  • Gary Schrock | Friday, 03 February 2012

    #Joshua3

  • Norma Peckham | Friday, 03 February 2012

    Our sin does separate us from a Holy God but praise the Lord that through Jesus we can draw near and no longer have to keep our distance. " let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10v22

  • Gary Schrock | Friday, 03 February 2012

    Sorry for the previous entry...New here. I just wanted to say that I am thankful that I came across this site. Very different, very cool. Also, it struck me that God didn't move (parting the waters) until the priest "stepped out in faith"...aka, stepped into the waters. I know at times in my life it takes a step of faith before I truly begin to see God's action. I understand that He is always there, but my eyes are blind until I take an intentional step of faith.

  • Louise Knight | Friday, 03 February 2012

    @Gary - you're totally right and this is very relevant to a friend and I today. Thank you.

  • John Cross | Friday, 03 February 2012

    '... tolerance of sin in my life...' ...... ' ... it takes a step of faith before I truly begin to see God's action'. Both true. Both encouraging. Both very very challenging.

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