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Good morning my friends on the “Walking With Jesus” journey with me,
Let’s begin today with a question… how do you prepare for major change? Change is a big part of life isn’t it? As we age, we change. The mirror helps us see that. The world around us is changing, the daily news informs us of that.
The biggest changes in life usually come with ample time to prepare. But we human beings are notorious for procrastination or delay or minimizing the need to adequately prepare for approaching change.
CHANGE is the focus of Joshua 2 & 3. Moses is dead and the month of mourning for him is over. It’s time to move on. Joshua does as he saw Moses do… he sends men to investigate the land west of the Jordan River, especially Jericho. It’s been 40 years since the last such spy trip. What would be different? Imagine all that has changed in your community in 40 years!
It appears this is a short investigative trip with really only one focus… the city of Jericho. Their report to Joshua, upon their return, is concise: “They… came to Joshua and told him everything that had happened to them. They said surely the LORD has given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (Joshua 2:23,24)
Do you see the dramatic difference between their report and that of the 10 who had spent 40 days in the land, 40 years before, as recorded in Numbers 13&14? This report focused on the hearts of the people, not the size of the walls protecting the cities. Rahab had said to the spies ” I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt… everyone’s courage failed… for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” (2:8-11)
I wonder what you hear in Rahab’s words, my friends? Would you consider this… God builds His reputation through His people, in every generation, in every place where His people are, around the world.
Word had spread to Jericho, about the Red Sea phenomenon, which occurred more than 40 years before, and the people of Jericho had evidently lived in fear since. So here’s the big question for us this morning…What is God’s reputation in your community? How are people living, in response to what they have heard about or experienced with God, where you live? Please don’t rush on… pause here, ponder that question.
While Joshua 2 & 3 don’t tell us, I suspect Joshua took the report he received and went to meet with God, perhaps at the Tabernacle, the “Tent of Meeting” at the center of their city, where the Cloud of God’s Presence hovered over it. Perhaps Joshua called Caleb, and a few other trusted leaders together and they discussed the report and prayed to seek God’s guidance. Here’s one of the differences between the books of Exodus and Joshua. In Exodus we find much emphasis on describing the relationship between Moses and God. In Joshua, we find an account of the action, conquering and dividing the promised land. But let’s not assume Joshua minimized his dependence upon God’s guidance of him.
Joshua chapter 3 is one of the most significant in the Bible and certainly in Israel’s history. “Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan (river) where they camped before crossing over.” Joshua is a man of action. No time wasted. Both he and the people were very anxious to leave the desert behind and get into the new land they’d anticipated for more than 40 years.
Perhaps you noticed the name ‘Shittim” both in 2:1 & 3:1. It’s important. It appears this traveling tent city of more than 2 million people had been camped their at “Shittim” quite a long time, and several memorable things are recorded as having happened there. In Numbers 24 there was great moral failure there. In Numbers 25&26 another census of all the eligible fighting men. This census concludes with this statement: “These are the ones counted…on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb and Joshua…”(Numbers 26:63-65).
One of the things that census accomplished was confirming that the judgment of God on the faithless, doubtful generation had been fulfilled, and therefore this new generation was released from the punishment years, and could move into the new land.
Do you notice these 2 million people spent some time camped at the Jordan river, several days in fact? Do you see why? Change was about to happen, that would be irreversible and in some ways define the rest of their lives. We cross those thresholds sometimes don’t we? The transition from pregnancy to birth is one of those changes. There are other life changes which God has designed to be irreversible, but in many cultures, mankind has determined to redefine life. Marriage should be one of those irreversible transitions. Gender identity is another. Once born a boy or girl, that should be permanent, right? Look closely and you’ll see that when we human beings re-define what God has determined should be permanent transitions in life, there’s always pain, confusion and trouble.
Look closely to see WHY the people camped on the east side of the Jordan river for a few days in preparation of crossing over into the promised land. What do you see?
Do you see they learned HOW to proceed into an uncharted future? “When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God , and the priests who are Levites carrying it, move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.“ (3:3,4)
Perhaps you are thinking…but what about the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night which has been leading them for 40 years? There is no mention of that cloud after they crossed the river. But why? May I suggest this… when they traveled from Egypt, all through the desert, they traveled together, as one large group of God’s people. As they enter the new land, they will divide it and spread out across the whole land, living scattered, and remember, 2 and 1/2 tribes didn’t cross the Jordan. They remained in Moab, liking the lush green grass for their flocks. (Numbers 32).
Here’s the question for us today… you and I don’t live with a visible cloud over our homes, so how do you discern God’s leading for you and your family? As your children grew up and left home, what had they learned from you about following God, and how are they doing that today?
Notice verse 5 “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” Do you remember their parents had ‘consecrated themselves’ for three days, before meeting with God for the first time at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19)? Many of these in Joshua 3 would have been children on that day. Moving forward with God is a sacred and serious transition. They needed to rededicated themselves to Him.
As we stand among them, this new generation about to leave the desert behind and cross enthusiastically into the new land, if you listen closely do you hear it… the rush of a flooded river? Look at verse 15 “Now the Jordan is at flood stage…” Ah, this is the third thing they were accomplishing in those days at the river. Developing a plan to cross the flooded Jordan river. Once again the older folks among them were likely called upon to remember… what was it like standing on the shore of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army charging up behind them? (Exodus 14)
Do you suppose this new generation cried out to Joshua, as their parents had cried out to Moses… “what’s the plan here”?
God had a plan…He always does…have we learned that yet?
“Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you…See the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth, will go into the Jordan ahead of you.. As soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD… set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.“ (3:9-13) Now look around at the people…what do you see? Furrowed brows, mouths hanging open, shaking heads, or do you hear the rumble of excitement and anticipation, that God will in fact do what only God can do, and what He has promised…even though no one has ever seen a flooded river stand up in a heap!?
I’m very glad Joshua doesn’t tell us exactly how this new generation responded. I expect there was a unspoken sentiment that ran through the crowd… “it’s our turn! Our parents turned away in fear, in doubt., when standing at the crossroads of decision.. and we’ve wandered 40 years in the desert waiting for them to die. Now it’s our turn… and our decision today, will shape the future for us and our children.”
“So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them…as soon as the priests reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing…” (3:14,15)
So put yourself in the sandals of one of those priests! Especially the one in the front, the first guy to put his foot in the flooded Jordan river. What would you have been thinking? What would you expect is going to happen? Now ponder this my friends... isn’t this where we each live every day? Flooded rivers blocking our forward path, shame and regret memories from the past, anxiety, fear, unanswered questions as we try to live life moving forward? And God is with us saying “Will you trust ME and let ME lead you forward into what I know is best for you…all the days of your life”?
“So the people crossed over opposite Jericho…” (3:16) Not all the people, remember? The entire tribe of Reuben, and Gad and 1/2 the tribe of Manasseh stayed behind and bid them farewell! The nation of Hebrews, God’s people, divided on that day, never to be fully reunited.
May I ask a question especially of the men, the dads and grand-dads with me this morning… what do you think the men were doing that day? How many were leading their families with confidence and courage? How many were shaking their heads in doubt and fear, but going along with the crowd? And what about those priests who carried the Ark? Listen… “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.“ (3:17) What do you see here?
Do you see the spiritual leaders standing firm, in the middle of the dry river-bed, holding back the water flow by their great faith, as the people passed over the threshold of no return, from the desert to the promised land? And in our confused American society today, who are those spiritual leaders standing courageously in the fray?
I would propose YOU my friends, many of YOU are the men and women God has called to stand courageously for your family, your neighborhood, your church, your community… as men and women of great faith… trusting God fully, following Him obediently, and by your courage, holding back the flood of darkness and depravity in your part of the world.
I’m grateful to God to stand with you and call us to pray as we stand. . .
Oh God, we stand with YOU!
Click to read today’s chapter: Joshua 2, Joshua 3. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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