Day 974: Joshua 3- Expecting God To Do Great Things

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. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp3 and 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. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in 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.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And 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.
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. 8 And 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.’” 9 And 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. 12 Now 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. 17 Now 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.
 
Meditation
The gospel “causes (believers) to be born again, to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable… kept in Heaven” (1 Peter 1:3-5). Living hope walks forward with expectant hearts, knowing God will abundantly provide and His purposes will prevail.
 
Israel was ready to enter the promised land. Camped on the banks of the Jordan river, the military commanders readied them to enter enemy territory. God had redeemed Israel from Egypt, promised the land, and He promised to deliver the enemies of the land into their hands. Israel only had to walk forward in expectant faith.
 
Anxious? Yes. Fearful? Of course. Worried that the war may not work out? Absolutely. But God promised to provide as He promised the inheritance, so Israel walked forward. Led by the mark of God’s presence, the ark of the Covenant, the priest’s first steps parted the waters. The “Lord of all the earth” (13) rested in the waters and dry ground appeared (please note the powerful echo in this meditation on Exodus 14). The waters coming down stream stopped and rose up to the heavens so the people could pass through in peace.
 
Jesus the Great Priest stepped into the river of condemnation for our sin so Christians can be forgiven and step forward in faith, expecting God to do great things because God is faithful to His word. Believers are born again to a living hope! Through Christ, Christians walk in the power of His promises knowing God will be faithful to His word.
 
Richly Dwelling
-If you had been there with the people of Israel readying to cross the Jordan River, how would you have felt?
 
-God promises to provide in steps of faith as He promises to provide the promised land. What stands out to you from the Jordan River provision of stopping waters to send Israel in?
 
-Jesus gives us the dry ground of God’s grace to walk forward in faith, expecting God to do great things. Do you see God from this posture?  Where do you need to expect him to do great things, being faithful to His word through His work?
 
Key Verse
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.”