Joshua 3

Finally!  The moment that the whole of Israel has been waiting for is about to arrive.

After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness because of the sins of their fathers, now… they were about to cross the River Jordan and lay claim to the promised land – a land flowing with milk and honey.

Can you remember a day you waited for a long time with great anticipation and excitement?  I believe all of us have our special days.  Our day of baptism.  Or wedding?  Or a reunion.  Or even a sporting event finals.  Depending on the nature of the event, such a time might also bring about a certain amount of anxieties, excitement as you waited for that day to arrive.

And this must be exactly how the Israelite felt…

Bible Passage:  Joshua 3

The crossing of Jordan has often been referred to as a metaphor for us going over to the promised heavenly homeland.  Much like the Israelites… we have and are still wandering in the wilderness of sin for a long time and long (: for the time when we can cross our Jordans and enter the long (: awaited rest.

But there were only a few problems…. what stood between them and the promised land was a swollen river and fortified cities that lay on the other side of the River Jordan.

Life is like that.  Often, with our hopes at their highest, there are accompanying challenges and problems that we face at the very same time.  The trouble is that we are facing problems that we cannot solve.  Amidst the joy and hopes that we have, there are always problems for which we simply neither have the strength nor wisdom to meet the challenge.

But we need to be reminded that the battle belongs to the Lord and we need strengh from above.  Let’s see what we can learn from today’s passage…

God Has To Be Prominent In Our Lives

When we read about the crossing of River Jordan, we often focus on the parting of the river waters, just like the waters of the Red Sea did all those years ago.  But I would like to draw your attention to the Ark of the Covenant that is featured prominently in chapters 3 and 4.

What is so special about the Ark?  It represented the presence and promises of God.  Now Israel was to cross the Jordan, invade and possess the land.  But in order to do that, it is not through their own strength but God.  God was going before them and will be their source of victory.

Aside from the miraculous way the river was crossed, the most important feature of this chapter is the Ark of the Covenant. Its prominence is stressed in the number of times it is mentioned in chapters 3 and 4 (nine times in chapter 3 and seven times in chapter 4) and by the nature of the commands and statements given in its regard.

What’s so important about the Ark? It represented the person and promises of God. It pointed to the fact that as the people of Israel set out to cross the Jordan, invade, and possess the land, they must do so not in their own strength, but in God’s for it was God Himself who was going before them as their source of victory.

When Paul was contemplating about the challenges and trials of his ministry, he cried out, “and who is adequate for these things?”  But he then answered his own question with these words: “And we have such trust through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,” (2 Cor 3:4-5).

So the first point to remember is that God must be prominent in our lives.  Without God in the picture, nothing will work out!

Consecration – The Necessary Preparation

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
Joshua 3:5

We just came off a Spiritual Meeting weekend and I believe all of us have our spiritual batteries recharged.  One constant reminder during the Spiritual Meeting was the need for us to preserve our holiness.  And this passage in Joshua also reminds us the same.

But what does the word “consecrate” mean?

This might seem a strange command given that they were about to enter into warfare with the inhabitants of the land.  Surely, Joshua should have said, “Sharpen your swords!  Gird your loins! Prepare your shields!”

But how often we forget that God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts.

It is very important for God’s people to prepare themselves spiritually and consecration is the vital element that is related to God.  And if we are consecrated, we can expect God to work with us.

“Consecrate” is the Hebrew qadash and it may mean, “be hallowed, set apart, consecrated” or “consecrate, set apart, prepare, dedicate.” But here it is in the hithpael stem which is reflexive and means, “consecrate yourselves, set yourselves apart, prepare yourselves.” This stem points out personal responsibility.

In the Old Testament this word is often used (particularly in Exodus and Leviticus) in connection with the Old Testament sacrifices, priesthood, washings, and with regard to the children of Israel as God’s people.  In this regard, it was especially used in connection with confession or cleansing through the use of Old Testament sacrifices, washings, and offerings (Ex. 19:10, 22; 40:13).

It speaks about the need to deal with sin in our lives.

It was used of setting something apart for use by the Lord and His purposes in the sense of cleansing, preparing, and dedicating it to the Lord (e.g., consecration of Mt. Sinai) (Ex. 19:22); preparing Aaron via the priestly garments and anointing for ministry (Ex. 28:3, 41); and setting apart for God’s use through sacrifice, and anointing (Ex. 29:1, 36, 37; 29:44; 40:13).

Note Joshua 3:5b, “for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

When we do not consecrate ourselves and we are defiled with sin, we hinder the power of God and His purpose in our lives of service and ministry.  The people of Israel were to expect God to work a miracle. But for this to happenm there is a very necessary need to remember that God is Holy!

God is absolute holiness and there must be a conscious effort to separate ourselves from sin and be holy, just as He is holy.  God cannot have fellowship with sinful man or allow sin in His presence.

What Next?

Everytime after a Spiritual Meeting, we are burning with zeal and want to achieve all sort of things for Christ.  It is the same for me but after countless times of failing to achieve what I always want to do, I have decided that I will concentrate on achieving these 2 things first….

To have God prominent in my life from today onwards…. this means making an effort to always put Him as top priority in my life whatever I do…

Next, it is to be consecrated in anticipation for the great wonders that God can and will do in my life – provided I obey Him and separate myself from sin.

None of these goals are simple but it is of absolute necessity.  Or else when it is time for me to cross the Jordan,  I may be found totally lacking.

May God walk with us through the Jordan.