Faith Before Sight

Joshua 3, 4 - Episode 118

We can say that we believe, but we only fully believe if we have the faith to prove it. Those that say they believe, but then will not act on that belief, do not truly believe. There is enough doubt or fear to keep them from fully trusting and taking that first step. This is why God requires us to act on our belief. He wants to know if it is just lip service or if we actually trust Him. The way God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land is a perfect picture of faith, courage, and the Christian life.

God Goes Before You - Joshua 3:1-4

After the spies returned from Jericho, the people set out for the Promised Land. They lodged close to the Jordan River and were told to follow the Levitical priests when they saw them pick up the ark of the covenant and begin their journey into the new land. The ark usually stayed in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and the Spirit of God dwelt there above the mercy seat. During normal travels, the Kohathites were tasked with carrying the ark. But this time, the priests were told to take the ark and lead the way. They were God’s representatives, so they carried the representation of His Presence into the new land. The people were told to follow, staying a little over a half of a mile behind the priests who carried the ark.

Confirmation from the Lord and Master – Joshua 3:5-13

Then God told Joshua that He would begin to lift him up to the people, just as He had done for Moses, so they would all know the Lord was with him. Moses had begun his leadership of the Israelites by miraculously crossing the Red Sea and Joshua would begin by miraculously crossing the Jordan. This was confirmation to not only people, but to Joshua himself, that God would be with him, and the people would follow.

So, Joshua gathered the Israelites and told them they would soon know for certain that God was with them, and that He would fulfill His promise to drive the existing nations from the land, giving it to them. Just as they miraculously left Egypt, they would miraculously enter the Promised Land. As the priests stepped into the brimming Jordan River, the flow would be immediately blocked 18 miles upstream, creating a wall of water so that the Israelites could safely cross.

When they saw the Lord perform the same great miracle for them and Joshua as He had performed for their fathers and Moses, they would know God was willing and able to fulfill His promises. By holding back the waters at the very moment the priests’ feet entered the river, the Lord (Yahweh) would prove Himself to be the Adonai (Master) of all the earth. He controlled even the river.

The Miracle – Joshua 3:14-17

So, the priests set out with the ark of the covenant, on the tenth day of the first month, and the people followed. Then it happened just as it was foretold to them. The moment the priests stepped their feet in the water, the flow was immediately cut off and the Jordan River stopped flowing into the Salt Sea. Scholars believe the river was blocked 18 miles upstream where it converges with the Jabbok River. There are often mudslides in this area, and it is possible that is what blocked the river from flowing as the Israelites began to cross. In 1927 a mudslide blocked this area for over 20 hours.

But just because it could have been a natural occurrence, it was definitely not a coincidence. God is in control of all earthly events. No one caused this to happen, and no one sustained the barrier or worked to remove it. God caused the waters to be cut off by His own will at the exact time the priests stepped into the river. Then He caused them to freely flow again as soon as they all set foot on its banks. This was an obvious miracle that proved God’s power to the Israelites, and it should do the same for us today. It cannot be explained away by any natural set of events or human means. Job 37:6-13; Psalm 147:15-18; Luke 8:22-25