Joshua 3: Big Steps

Theological Proposition/Focus: No matter what, God is with us but there are times when he asks us to follow him in what may seem absurd.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: Regardless of how crazy something may seem, if God has clearly asked we must obey.

Introduction:

Image: Anticipation and red eye flights.

How do you do with anticipation? When Emily and I travel I always go cheap and buy the cheapest ticket I can get. This means that often our flights are at the weirdest time. My problem is that when I have a 3:00 AM wake time, I can never go to sleep early. In fact, I often go to sleep much later than usual. The anticipation just kills me. In Joshua 3 we are finally going to see Israel crossing the Jordan. I am guessing the anticipation was incredible. I am sure the people were excited and itching to get started.

Setting the Stage:

At the time of Joshua, the Jordan river sat in the

The steep banks of the Jordan prevented it from being useful for irrigation

Crossing the Jordan was apparently a known challenge,

The Egyptian Papyrus Anastasi I (1279-1213 BC) provides advice for crossing the Jordan

But getting across this natural barrier was just the beginning.

Body

1 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 Levitical priests 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 two thousand cubits 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.

God expects his people to follow him one step at a time (1-6).

The people had to wait.

Sometimes following God involves periods of waiting and sometimes God gives us just enough time waiting to get nervous. Here three days would have given the people plenty fo time to look at the rushing waters as the Snow on Mt. Hermon melted and get nervous about this step they were going to take.

The people were commanded to follow the ark.

Prior the people had followed the pillar of fire.

Now the miraculous pillar was removed and the people were asked to follow something less spectacular. I find it very interesting that in verse three the people are not told what will happen to allow them to cross the Jordan, they are simply told to follow the ark. In fact,

The people were not told where they would go.

We see that in verse 4 they are not commanded to follow the Ark to a particular location, rather they are commanded to simply follow.

The people were reminded that they followed none other than God.

The ark was representative of God. Perhaps the 3000 feet was intended to make sure everyone could see what they were following, or perhaps it was intended to communicate the great deal of reverence needed for this task. In any case, God expected the people to follow him one step at a time.

MTR: Ask, what is the next step God wants from me?

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.

God uses his provision to remind his people that he is among them (7-11).

MTR: Ask yourself, how do I need to be reminded that God is among us?

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 (that is, the Dead 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 stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.