Joshua – Lesson 21

A Progressive Order

With regard to our entering the land in a spiritual sense we see that there is a progressive order. First there must be an entrance before there can be conquering. Then there must be conquering before there can be possession.

Now let’s start with the Jordan River. As Israel was about to enter the land, three distinct steps were to be taken and the Jordan River was at the heart of it all.

In chapters 1 and 2 we have covered the Israelites coming to the River from the Sinai. Next it was necessary to cross the river. This is described in chapters 3 and 4. In the third place they proceeded from the river. This is described in chapter 5 and following.

So there was preparation to cross the river; then passage through the river; and finally the purification after they had crossed the river.

In the second chapter the preparation was outward. There we learn of the two spies who were sent into Jericho to see what God may have done in the way of preparing the hearts of the people for the Israelites to enter Canaan. The spies learned that the people were demoralized because of what they had heard about the things God had done for them going all the way back to Egypt.

The inward preparation reveals faith as a principle. The Israelites had to learn what it meant to believe. Then they had to exhibit that faith in order to cause action for that which they believed.

With these principles before us we can now consider chapters 3 and 4 where we will look at the passage of the Israelites through the Jordan River.

· Joshua 3:1-17, 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 priests, who are Levites, 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 a thousand yards 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 (the Salt 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 stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

The people had prepared themselves and everything was ready. They were ready to enter the life of blessing. At the Red Sea they had been separated from a life of bondage, but at the Jordan they were separated unto a life of blessing. This is the essence of sanctification, separation from something to something.

They could not change what was behind them. They had been delivered from Egypt. This corresponds to our spiritual birth. We cannot be unborn once we are spiritually born.

Ahead of them was a task that would require their effort and commitment.. Remember what Paul said in Philippians.

· Philippians 3:13-14, Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

To the Israelites the Red Sea was their way of exit and the Jordan River was their way of entrance. There must be a Red Sea experience before there can be a Jordan experience. In other words, there must be salvation before there can be an entering into the blessings and growth of the Christian life.

As we have said earlier, crossing the Jordan does not typify passing into eternity at death. It does typify passing from one level of Christian experience to another level. It marks the end of the self-life and the beginning of the Christ-life. The self-life is the life lived on the principle of mere human effort, while the Christ-life is lived on the basis of faith and obedience to Jesus.

How is this possible?

· Mark 11:22-24, “Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Israel faced seeming impossibilities. The Jordan was before them and it was at flood stage. Beyond the river were seven great nations, all of them larger than Israel. Back of those seven nations, encouraging them, were the forces of Satan. This whole historical setting is a perfect analogy of the warfare faced by every Christian. Which causes us to remember that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the evil powers of the air. And this warfare lasts all of our life. And this battle rages even within us.

· Galatians 5:17, For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Just as the overflowing Jordan could not stop Israel when God told them to move forward, neither can the gates of hell prevail against the true church of God.

Early in chapter 3 we see the Ark mentioned prominently and we have already seen the significance of the Ark in the life of the Israelites. The ten references to it are the key to the victory Israel had over the Jordan.

The Ark, of course, represented the presence of God. It was the visible evidence of that presence which God had promised to Joshua. Here we have a picture of what Jesus intended for us when he was ready to ascend back to heaven. He told his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He added that He would be with them until the end of the age. These are promises and instructions for us even today.

Do we want to grow in the Christian life and become mature believers or do we want to remain in the desert as many of the Israelites did?

So the Ark represents Jesus who is the center of our spiritual life. Our eyes must be on Him just as the Israelites were instructed to watch the Ark. The instructions given to Israel for crossing the Jordan were from God and these form the background for the spiritual lessons we will draw for our own benefit and learning.