Joshua 3
3
The Miracle-Crossing of the Jordan
1Joshua was up bright and early the next morning. # 3:1 What an exciting day this was for Joshua and the people. They left their days of wandering in the wilderness behind. A new beginning was now before them. All but two men were under forty years old and had been born in the desert; now they would cross over into a fertile land. Anticipation was in the air! After three days of waiting before a flooding river, they were about to see a miracle! (For more examples of rising early, see Josh. 6:12; 7:16; 8:10; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42.) They broke camp, and Joshua led the Israelites from Acacia to the eastern bank of the Jordan. # 3:1 This was a journey of about eight or nine miles, a day’s walk with a crowd of a million people. There they set up camp and waited until they crossed over. 2After three days, # 3:2 The reference to three days points us to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The biblical significance of the number three refers to Jesus’ resurrection after three days. the leaders of the people went throughout the camp 3giving orders to the people, “Watch for the priests of the tribe of Levi to lift the ark of the covenant of Yahweh # 3:3 The ark is the center of this story. It is mentioned or alluded to twenty-one (or 3 × 7) times in chapters 3 and 4. Twenty-one, in the language of biblical numbers, signifies a complete manifestation of God. The ark is a wonderful picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. The power of Christ within us enables us to pass over into our full inheritance. Jesus, our forerunner, leads us in. The ark was a constant reminder that God is powerful, holy, and to be obeyed. The ark also symbolizes God’s mercy, for it had a mercy seat as a lid, or cover. Jesus is our Mercy Seat, or atoning sacrifice (see 1 John 2:2). Notice that it wasn’t only the ark (Jesus) that went into the dry riverbed but also all of Israel. In the same manner, every believer today is co-crucified with Christ (see Gal. 2:20), and our “Adam-nature” was dismantled by the work of the cross (see Rom. 6:6). your God. When it starts moving, follow it 4so you’ll know which way to go, since you’ve never marched this way before. # 3:4 The Hebrew word derek can mean “way” or “manner.” They were to march in a new manner—with their eyes on the ark (see Col. 1:10). A new order for a new day. Before they crossed the Jordan, the ark had always been covered. Beginning when they crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land, the ark was in plain sight. In the Old Testament, Jesus was concealed; in the New Testament, Jesus is revealed. Without all the covering, the weight on the priests’ shoulders would have been less. See Matt. 11:28–30. Follow about a half mile # 3:4 Or “two thousand cubits.” behind the ark; don’t go near it.”
5Joshua instructed the people, “Get yourselves ready! Set yourselves apart # 3:5 Or “Sanctify yourselves,” implying an inward attitude of purity and an outward washing and ritual purification. See 2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Tim. 2:21; Heb. 10:22; 1 John 3:3. Both distance and attitude were important to God as the people followed the ark. We need both whole-hearted devotion and heart purity in our worship of God today. See 2 Cor. 11:3. for Yahweh! Tomorrow, Yahweh will perform for us great miracles!” # 3:5 Some scholars are puzzled over the use of the plural word for miracles when it was only one miracle (parting the river). The plural implied the beginning of a new season of miracles and wonders as they crossed over.
6Joshua told the priests, “Raise up the ark of the covenant and step out ahead of the people.” So they lifted the ark onto their shoulders and marched in front of the people.
7Yahweh said to Joshua, “This very day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel # 3:7 The place of the miracle-crossing was the very place where John baptized Jesus (our Joshua). so that they will realize that I am with you # 3:7 God was with Joshua and God is with you. This would imply God’s comforting presence, his power, and his delight to be at our side. in the same way I was with Moses. 8You are to command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant with these words: ‘Carry the ark to the edge of the Jordan and wade into the water.’ ” # 3:8 Or “stand still in the Jordan.”
9Joshua told the Israelites, “Come closer and listen to the words of Yahweh your God. 10This is how you will know for sure that the Living God is among you. As you advance into the land, he will drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. # 3:10 See Deut. 7:1–5. The Canaanites and Amorites (see Gen. 15:16; Amos 2:9) were the largest and most powerful tribes inhabiting the land. The Canaanites dwelt in the lowlands, and the Amorites were in the hill country (see Num. 13:29). The Hittites lived in the northernmost parts of the land (see Josh. 1:4). The Hivites were associated with Shechem and Gibeon (see Gen. 34:2; Josh. 9:7; 11:19). The Jebusites had their stronghold at Jerusalem (see 18:25–28). The Perizzites are related to the Rephaites (“giants,” 17:15). The Girgashites were a branch of the Hivites and lived in the western region of the land. These seven tribes could also represent seven strongholds that must be conquered in the life of a believer: (1) The Hebrew word for “Canaanites” means “those who traffic in materialism,” “merchants,” or “pirates”; they represent the love of money. (2) The Hebrew word for “Hittites” means “those broken in pieces,” “terror,” or “dread”; they represent anger and violence. (3) The Hebrew word for “Hivites” means “life born of effort” or “beastly life”; they represent human effort and reliance upon self. (4) The Hebrew word for “Perizzites” means “rustic,” “country dwellers,” or “backwoods”; they represent lack of vision and initiative. (5) The Hebrew word for “Girgashites” means “dense, condensed marshy ground”; they represent ignorance, unwillingness to learn. (6) The Hebrew word for “Amorites” means “those who live on high” or “summit dwellers”; they represent pride and arrogance. (7) The Hebrew word for “Jebusites” means “trampled down under foot”; they represent fear and anxiety that cripple spiritual growth. Jesus, our heavenly Joshua, is more than enough to empower us to overcome these inner strongholds. 11Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go before you and prepare a way for you through the Jordan. # 3:11 Joshua was expressing to Israel that if God can roll back the waters of a raging river, he can repel the attacking armies of Canaan. This miracle reminded these children of the Israelites who saw the waters of the Red Sea rolled back that they could experience the same wonder-working God moving on their behalf. Further, it signaled to the inhabitants of the land that the God of Israel was supreme over the gods of the waters (gods which were untamable and uncontrollable to the Canaanites). As Yahweh had overthrown the gods of Egypt, so he would overcome the gods of Canaan. 12Now select twelve men from among the people, one man from each tribe. # 3:12 On the discourse level, this verse is somewhat out of place. The twelve men are not Levitical priests but representatives of the tribes. Further details of their duties are given in the next chapter (see 4:2–3).
13“The moment the feet of the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, touch the water of the Jordan, a great miracle will happen! The water flowing downstream toward you will stop and pile up as if behind a dam.”
14-15Now it was time for the early harvest, # 3:14–15 The tributaries of the Jordan, swollen with the spring snowmelt from Mount Hermon, flooded the river valley. The width of the flooding river could have been up to a mile at the time of the miracle-crossing. (See 1 Chron. 12:15.) By comparing Josh. 3:14–15; 4:19 with Ex. 9:31, we learn that Israel’s miracle-crossing took place in the spring when both barley and flax were harvested, four days before Passover. and the river was overflowing at flood stage. When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests went in front of them carrying the ark of the covenant on their shoulders. The very moment the priests with the ark dipped their feet in the river’s edge, 16the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing and piled up in a solid wall as far upstream as Adam, a place near Zarethan. # 3:16 Adam is seventeen miles north of the place of the miracle-crossing, and Zarethan is another twenty miles north. The waters were held back and formed a lake that would have extended for almost forty miles. Notice the name “Adam.” The Jordan represents the death of Jesus on the cross and the price he paid to save us. The word for “Jordan” is a compound word joining the words for “to descend” and “judging” (judgment; see Gen. 30:6 and footnote). Jesus, pictured as the ark, descended into judgment for our sins and rolled the river of guilt, shame, and judgment all the way back to Adam! The root word for Zarethan is a verb that means “piercing” or “bleeding of the veins.” Judgment was abated to Adam by the one who was “pierced” for our rebellious deeds. It was both the ark and the people who crossed over. Our old Adam-life was buried figuratively at the crossing, and we were “resurrected” with him to possess our inheritance as a people set free (see Rom. 6:3–4). Yahweh completely cut off the flow of the river so that it drained downstream toward the Desert Sea (the Dead Sea). # 3:16 Or “the Sea of Arabah (Salt Sea).” A very wide path opened for the people to cross over on dry ground. The “waters of death and judgment” stopped flowing when Jesus our Savior was crucified. Now, when we believe, the fountain of living waters opens within us. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17Now the priests stood firmly on dry ground in the riverbed with the ark on their shoulders. # 3:17 We are also “priests” of God (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:9–10) who “stand firm” in the finished work (“dry ground”) of the cross and resurrection of Christ and who carry the ark of his glory in our hearts (see Col. 1:26–27). The entire nation passed by the ark as they completed their miracle-crossing on dry ground. # 3:17 The miracle-crossing of the Jordan bore many similarities to the parting of the Red Sea. (1) Both involved water. (2) Both were witnessed by the entire nation of Israel. (3) Both involved an act of a servant of God—Moses stretched out his rod over the water, and Joshua commanded the priests and the people. (4) Both removed a barrier to the forward advance of God’s people. (5) Both miracles vindicated God’s leader (see Ex. 14:31; Josh. 4:14). (6) Both required the obedience of God’s people (see Ex. 14:15; Josh. 3:3). (7) Both miracles enabled Israel to cross over on dry ground (see Ex. 14:22). (8) Both miracles were performed while God’s people stood still (see Ex. 14:14; footnote on Josh. 3:8). (9) Both the waters of the Red Sea and of the Jordan were restored to their places. (10) Both miracles became a hinge of history, marking a new beginning. (11) Both miracles revealed God’s tremendous power to defeat his enemies. (12) Both miracles resulted in songs of praise (see Ex. 15; Ps. 114; Hab. 3).
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