Crossing Over: From Wildness to Promise
Joshua 3:1-17 (ESV)
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
2At the end of three days the officers went through the camp
3and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubitsin length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
6And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7The 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.
8And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”
9And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”
10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan.
12Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
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,
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),
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.
17Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
During Michael Jordan's prime, many basketball players wanted to emulate
him, but very few were willing to work as hard as he did to prepare for the
game. Yes, he was a great basketball player. For me, there’s no doubt that he is the GOAT – the greatest NBA player of all time. But his abilities were developed through a lot of hard work and preparation. Here’s a great quote from Tim Grover, Michael Jordan's personal trainer for 15 years:
“After every game, I used to ask Michael one question: 5, 6, or 7? As in, what time are we hitting the gym tomorrow morning? And he’d snap back the time, and that was it. Especially after a loss, when there wasn’t a whole lot else to say. No discussion, no debate, no lame attempt to convince me he needed the morning off. ‘Are you good?’ ‘I’m good.’ ‘See you in the morning.’ And the next morning, at whatever time he’d decided, he’d awaken to find me standing outside his door. No matter what happened the night before—good game, bad game, soreness, fatigue—he was up working out every morning while most other guys slept. Inter esting how the guy with the most talent and success spent more time working out than anyone else.”
How many of you recognize the importance of good preparation? How many are willing to go through the process of preparing so you can enjoy to the fullest what God has in store for you? As we come to Joshua 3, we will study together a powerful story of how God ultimately leads the na tion of Israel into the Promised Land. After spending forty years wandering in the wilderness, in this chapter, we will see their miraculous and victorious entry into the land that God promised Abraham about five hundred years earlier.
While in the wilderness, the Lord tested His people's faith, showing they were not ready for the Promised Land. Instead of trusting Him, they doubted repeatedly; instead of resting and sub mitting, they complained and rebelled against His leadership. As a result, the forty years of wander ing became a season of preparation, during which God's mercy and grace shaped and prepared them to inherit His promises. So, as we begin studying Joshua 3, I pray and trust that we are aware of how God is also preparing and growing us for a better future. When we feel tempted to complain or re bel, I pray we will resist and instead humbly submit and cooperate with the Lord as He continues to grow us.
Joshua 3 is an inspiring passage that highlights the hope and promise awaiting God’s people after a season of preparation. In this chapter, we see a pivotal moment when the nation of Israel crosses the Jordan River, entering a land flowing with milk and honey—an affirmation of God's faith fulness and the fulfillment of His covenant. This event is not just a historical moment; it serves as a powerful reminder that God is always guiding us from our wilderness into the abundant life He has planned for us. To better understand our text, let’s explore three key steps that God’s people can take to overcome their biggest challenge, which is the Jordan River, and transition into the Promised Land.
I THEY MUST SANCTIFY TO LISTEN TO GOD (vs. 1-5)
The first step toward victory in life is to ensure that God’s people listen to
His revealed instructions. Looking back at verses 1-2, we see the nation of Israel camped at the banks of the Jordan River for the past three days. This is an exciting yet stressful time. Why? Because they are very close to the Promised Land, but the Jordan River is overflowing with water since it is the rainy season in Israel. Verse 15 says – “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).”
You might be asking, “Is it possible for the people to swim through the Jordan River?” Of course, it is possible. Most likely, the two spies Rahab met in Jericho in Joshua 2 could have swum across the river. However, for three and a half million people, including children, older adults, and livestock, swimming across could lead to many casualties. That’s why the Jordan River presents a major problem for the nation.
However, what is impossible for Israel is nothing for our All-powerful God. As long as His peo ple are willing to listen to His plans revealed through Joshua, they can surely overcome this chal lenge before them. Verses 3-5 are initial instructions they have to obey before the miracle can take place:
A. They must follow the Ark of the Covenant, which was carried by the priests. Once it starts moving, they should start moving as well.
The Ark of the Covenant was a wooden box wrapped in gold, with two long poles attached to opposite sides, used for carrying it during travels. This Ark was built to remind Israel of God’s pres ence and power dwelling among them.
B. They needed to stay approximately three thousand feet away from the Ark. Dr. David Jeremiah, in his study Bible, explained two reasons why this was established by the Lord.
1) It kept the Israelites far enough away from the holy ark of the covenant that they could not touch it, for touching it meant instant death (Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6: 6-7). 2) It put the ark close enough to the three and half million Israelites that it would never be out of their sight. If their focus was on it, they would be less distracted by fear of the chal lenges they might face.
C. They needed to sanctify themselves before God to prepare themselves. To sanctify themselves means they must separate from any uncleanness or sin. This also means they have to wash themselves and change their clothes to prepare for God’s miraculous work. The spiritual truth behind this act is very important. If the Holy God is to work in their midst, then He requires them to recognize their uncleanness and seek to remove it. Psalm 66:18 empha sizes this point clearly.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Do you desire to see God’s miraculous work in your life, like God an
swering your prayers? Are you really prepared for God’s miracles? We must be willing to be right before God before we expect Him to move miraculously in our lives. The fact is that this cleansing begins in our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is only through His blood shed on the cross that can cleanse us today. The aposle John talks about this in 1 John 1:7:
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Before I move on to my next point, let me clarify that their obedience to these instruc tions in verses 3-5 did not cause the miracle of God’s work. God gave these instructions as condi tions for Him to work among them. It is still the Lord who performs miracles, not His people. II THEY MUST SURRENDER TO LOOK TO GOD (vs. 6-17)
As we begin to read verse 6, we see Joshua giving instructions to the priests regarding carrying the Ark, and they must proceed to lead the people. So now, they start their move to cross the Jordan River.
Then, if you read verse 7, God also took the time to encourage Joshua as he led the people across. God promised that He would use this incredible miracle to establish Joshua’s leadership be fore the people. Remember God’s promise to Joshua in Joshua 1:5, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” God would use this great event to fulfill this promise. Notice the words in Exodus 14:31:
31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
Looking back, any doubts people had about Moses' leadership or whether he was sent by God were erased by the incredible miracle of crossing the Red Sea. Similarly, God will demon strate to the nation of Israel that He appointed Joshua as the rightful successor to Moses.
Then, the most incredible miracle will happen as they look to the Lord or trust Him to lead them across the River Jordan. If you revisit the Lord’s instructions starting in verse 8, the Lord will tell the priests carrying the Ark to move to the Jordan River and stand still at the water’s edge. Now, use your sanctified imagination; I’m sure there were probably some fears in the hearts of those priests as they approached the river and were told to stand still by the water. But as soon as the priests’ feet touched the edge of the river, God stopped the waters flowing from upstream so the nation could begin walking across on dry ground. After the flow of water stopped, the Ark of the Covenant must be carried to the middle of the river until every single one of them had crossed.
Notice, this miracle is not the same as the Red Sea crossing. When they crossed the Red Sea, God parted the sea so it formed like a wall while they crossed on dry ground. Now, God stopped the flow from upstream, allowing them to walk across. You see, God is able to work in multiple ways.
Miracles can appear in different forms.
When you examine our passage, it’s clear there’s a strong focus on
the Ark of the Covenant. In fact, within the 17 verses, the Ark is mentioned ten times (10X). Remember, the Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of God’s presence and power. I want to emphasize that in the New Testament, Jesus is the fulfill ment of the Ark of the Covenant. Listen to these two passages:
Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
John 1:14 (ESV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[a]from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus being Immanuel is a significant concept in the New Testament. He is only present with us, but he is our access to God. He not only represents God; He is God among His people. Allow me to quote Francis Shaeffer's explanation about the Ark of the Covenant:
“What was the ark? It was a representation of the character of God. The people had no image to worship; in fact, they were commanded not to make an image. One cannot make an image of God, for God is spirit. But God has a character, and the ark was a statement of that charac ter.”
Well, for the nation of Israel, they are able to experience firsthand not just the presence and power of God, but also His faithfulness, goodness, and grace that fulfill His covenant with them by allowing them to inherit their promised land. Despite being undeserving, God graciously continues to bless them. I’m also reminded of the words of Dr. Paul David Tripp regarding the importance of knowing the character of God.
“I’m persuaded that much of our fear, anxiety, discouragement, and hopelessness is the result of bad theology. At its core, what is the Bible all about? The existence, character, and plan of God. Every other aspect of Scripture flows out of the reality of who God is.”
So, do you know God well enough to trust Him during your most difficult times? I believe it would be easier for us to obey when we understand His character enough to trust Him. III THEY MUST SOLELY LIFT UP GOD (v. 10)
Lastly, let’s return to our text and emphasize verse 10 – “And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.” When you read these words, it is clear that Joshua directs everyone’s focus to the ulti mate object of their faith and makes sure that He alone is lifted up after everything has transpired.
Now, there could have been that temptation for Joshua to give himself some credit especial ly after what God told him in verse 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.” But Joshua, being a true servant of the Lord, did not draw attention to himself but pointed people to magnifying only the Lord God.
You know, we all face the same temptation when the Lord is using us. In
our humanness, we look for validation from those around us to the point that we rob ourselves of our rewards. Remember what Jesus told the religious people of His day: Matthew 6: 5-6; 16-18 (ESV)
5“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in se cret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
As Jesus emphasized, we don’t need to boast or try to impress others. God knows exactly what we do, even when we serve Him in secret. Of course, there are times when people praise us for our actions. Let’s be careful not to let their praise boost our egos. Let's stay humble before the God we serve.
Indeed, only God deserves all the credit for that miracle in the crossing of the Jordan River. But going back to verse 10, as they magnify God's work, this should also boost their confidence that God is capable of giving them victory after victory as they fight the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Per izzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. Yes, this glorious miracle should serve as a foundation for them to trust the Lord for greater victories in the future.
Let me conclude by saying that for the nation of Israel, it is amazing to see that they exited Egypt through the miracle of the Red Sea and entered the Promised Land through the miracle of the Jordan River. For us, it is very much the same - God’s work of salvation is a miraculous process from start to finish: from the miracle of regeneration, where we receive life from God through the Holy Spirit, to the miracle of justification, where we are cleansed, made right with God, and re ceive the righteousness of Christ. It will conclude in our glorification, where we will be perfect and completely free from sin. May we remain faithful to God in loving and serving Him who will con tinue to perform these miracles in our lives