3 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
As far as the people were concerned, the Ark was where the glory of God dwelt. This was God leading the way.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before."
A separation of 1000 yards was called for. This was so all the people could see the Ark leading and where they were to follow, since there was over 3 million. But it was also a separation representative of the distance sinful men are from our Holy God.
5 And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." 6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people."
So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
It's so easy to be anxious about tomorrow. In the dark of the night, our fears often overwhelm us. What if this happens, what if that happens? What will we do? How will life go on? We borrow trouble, fret and find our self wringing our hands. God is already present in tomorrow. He is beyond time and knows the end from the beginning. Are we worried that God doesn't have tomorrow covered? Or, do we fret that we won't like what is going to do with tomorrow? His promise is that He is with us and will never leave us.
Matthew 6
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
In preparation to follow, the people were to sanctify themselves. This is a call for preparation; setting them self aside for God.
7 And the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.' "
It's not hard to imagine the people complaining against Joshua and longing for when Moses was their leader. "Moses didn't make us do things like this!" God was going to establish Joshua as His leader among the people so they would know and respect Him.
9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God." 10 And Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap."
The waters would not be cut off until they put their feet in the water. It was a step of faith. This faith would be born of obedience and belief that God commanded it and God was faithful in His promises.
14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
Read Hebrews 3 through 4:10.
John the Baptist baptized Jesus at this same place where the Israelites cross over (John). Would it surprise us if it was the exact place? (Not me!)
There had been 10 nations that needed dealt with as Israel was conquering this land. Three had been dealt with before on the east side of the Jordan before the crossing. This leaves the remaining seven after the crossing.
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