What an important even, crossing the Jordan River.

One can’t help but think of another “crossing” God accomplished for Israel. When she left Egypt, a generation earlier! Crossing the Red Sea, namely.

Today I’d like to show you some DIFFERENCES between those two miracles. The “Red Sea” event and the “Jordan” event. Stay with me, now …

The first ended slavery for Israel, leaving Egypt. The second began real liberty for them, the Land of Canaan, the “Promised Land!”

At the Red Sea … Israel escaped the Egyptians! At the Jordan River … she approached (and later conquered) all her enemies!

At the Read Sea, God used “means” to deal with the Ocean … “a strong east wind.” (Look: And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exodus 14:21) At the Jordan River, “no means” are mentioned. God proving He does not require “tools,” He being able “to speak” miracles into existence! (As in: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3)

The first miracle was performed at nighttime! The second, in broad daylight! Seems God is a 24/7 Almighty Sustainer of His people, and Keeper of His Word!

At the Red Sea multitudes were killed, drowned! At the Jordan River event … not a single person died!  God is a God of precious “Contrasts,” yet is also perfect in Balance! (Here’s half a verse to illustrate: “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God ….” Romans 11:22)

The first miracle was enacted on behalf of a grumbling and distrustful people. (As in: “And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?” Exodus 14:11, spoken before the Crossing of the Sea!) The second miracle was wrought for a believing, obeying people! (What a difference 40 years makes!)

In the Red Sea Miracle the waters were “divided,” according to Exodus 14:21 again (Watch: “Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” That last verb “were divided.”) In the second miracle they only had to “stand upon a heap.” (Rivers flowing but Seas merely reservoiring!) Important: “And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.” Joshua 3:13

The Red Sea miracle invited an attack by Israel enemies, the Egyptians! The crossing of the Jordan miracle brought fear to Israel’s enemies! (Astounding: “And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.” Joshua 5:1, scared, fearful indeed!)

As Israel left the Red Sea a graveyard of dead soldiers floated in the background! As Israel left the Jordan River … a stack of 12 stones of remembrance remained! Both entities were “trophies” of God’s power and grace and victory!(God just might leave little “reminders” everywhere He has been! Oh, to see them better!)

What differences!

(I shall never look at the Jordan Crossing the same again! Entering the victorious path of Christian living, indeed! Many older Preachers see the Book of Joshua as a forerunner of the New Testament Book of Ephesians! Claiming and enjoying our God-given blessings, privileges … right here and now!)

The Lord willing, more tomorrow …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Here’s the standard procedure for Israel when they marched, under the leadership of Joshua anyway. “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over BEFORE the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went BEFORE the people.” Joshua 3:6a

Did the Priests obey this injunction? “And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went BEFORE the people.” Verse 6b

Now verse 8, the day Israel crossed the Jordan! “And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.” Leading the throngs of Israel, before the people!

The Priests, bearing the Ark, led the way!

Then to all Israel: “BEHOLD, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over BEFORE you into Jordan.” Verse 11, with “behold” having the idea of “looking, keeping one’s eyes upon an Object.”

Remember, that Ark is so constructed to be the “Resting Place,” the very “Seat” of Almighty God! God’s Presence among men! (It is a beautifully constructed Picture of Jesus, too!)

My point today … the Ark (and God’s Men who were qualified to handle it and accompany it) led the way. And (in essence) held back the fast moving waters of the Jordan (which was in flood stage when Israel transverse it that day)!

And Israel was commanded to trust that God (the God of the Ark) to keep them safe through the whole episode!

Wow!

The Lesson for us yet today is clear.

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Let Him lead the way, your way!

And stay around godly men (like those Priests of Israel) who … know how to properly present Jesus, obey Jesus, illustrate and teach about Jesus!

Keep Jesus first, in other words.

He is our Leader, Guide.

He is our Protector, as we face the floods of life.

He is the One we celebrate, as will be seen in the next chapter of Joshua.

Verses like these come to mind:

“LOKING UNTO JESUS the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“LOOK UNTO ME, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22

Also : “Therefore I WILL LOOK unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

Including: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, WHEN HE LOOKETH upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, WHEN HE BEHELD the serpent of brass, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9, that serpent on the pole being a Picture of Jesus our sin Bearer! Look and live, in reality!

Keep your eyes on our Ark of Safety, on Jesus our Saviour!

I close with Colossians 3:1 … “If ye then be risen with Christ, SEEK (LOOK UPON) those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Eve got into trouble when she looked at the wrong thing! So did Lot … and thousands more! Let us not make their mistake!

 

That’s what they say about an acorn, for example! The whole oak tree is encased therein, that single little “seed” has the real “potential” (the “certainty” in most cases) of becoming a majestic giant (the fully grown oak) thriving in the forest! And this is what I meant in today’s Lesson title, the “whole” enclosed in the “part.”

Out Text Verse this morning is Joshua 3:10. “And Joshua said, Hereby ye 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.”

Wow!

What’s the “hereby” of verse 10, though? By what act or deed shall the Jews know such a sweeping truth? That ALL her enemies shall fall!

It is this: “The waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.” Verse 13

God is saying, “Trust me.”

“Watch your leaders wade into the Jordan, a River flooding at that moment! Watch ME stop the River from flowing (overflowing)! Then YOU follow us … into the (dry) river bed! I SHALL LEAD YOU to the other side! You will step up from the (once) muddy river trench … into/onto the LAND of Canaan!”

God is saying … IF you trust me in the crossing of Jordan … I will guarantee you victory in your forthcoming endeavors in Canaan as well!

(Trusting in the so-called little things ALWAYS HELPS in trusting in the so-called larger things!) Remember the words to the old song, “Each victory will help you … some other to win.”

Yes, by faith conquer Jordan … and you shall conquer the Canaanites! And the Hittites! And the Hivites! And the Perizzites! And the Girgashites! And the Amorites! And the Jebusites!

Wow!

What a promise, from God!

(Not just walk through the Jordan and I shall give you Jericho, their first obstacle! But … walk through Jordan (dried up Jordan) and I shall give you everything! All the territory!)

That’s our great God!

But is there a corresponding New Testament Truth here?

I believe so.

Paul writes to the Philippians about God’s Power … the vey same Power that aided these Jews under Joshua’s command long ago … “He (the Lord) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

In other words … WHAT GOD HAS STARTED … HE WILL COMPLETE … in the lives of us Believers!

He was with us at the Jordan (the beginning) … and so He will be with us to the end, in every single battle! Yes, sounds so encouraging!

Paul was sure of this truth, too! “Being CONFIDENT of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Hallelujah!

So I close … trust Jesus in everything today, the small things included! No telling where they will lead! Likely to victory in some big thing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I am thankful I do not have to answer to an “editor” here on the Website! If I feel led of the Lord to “linger” in a chapter, I have liberty to do so! And that’s certainly been the case in Joshua chapter 3. And the “meandering” continues another day!

Watch with me verses 7 and 8, in tandem. “And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin TO MAGNIFY thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And THOU SHALT COMMAND the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.” Joshua 3:7-8

The Lord’s “magnifying” Joshua … what a thought, what an act … we have already discussed. But for today … look at the next verse … “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.”

No sooner had God “magnified” Joshua … and he was commissioned to “command” the children of Israel. Even commanding the “priests” (an elite group indeed) and consequently all the people of Israel (who merely followed those priests) into the Jordan!

And command them he did! (For the rest of the chapter, Joshua the leader is clearly apparent! Joshua chapter 3, I mean. Not even counting much of the remainder of the Book!)

I couldn’t help but think of the Anti-Type to Joshua. That means the “fulfillment” or the “realization” of the “pictures/symbols” the life of Joshua has been painting! Yes, Joshua is clearly a Type of Jesus! Even in their parallel (if not identical) names!

Now … God the Father magnified His Son Jesus at the Baptism, yesterday’s lesson. “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark’s account, 1:10-11.

Then … Jesus Himself began a three year Ministry of “COMMANDING” His followers! For example, after the Baptism (no more than a few weeks) Jesus is sitting on a mountainside teaching (commanding) a new way of life to His “priests” (“disciples, apostles”) and then all his “followers!”

Three chapters (Matthew 5 and 6 and 7) of teaching with authority! “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and TAUGHT THEM, saying ….” Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus, the Real Commander-In-Chief!

Listen to Him … “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time (including Moses, primarily Moses), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: BUT I SAY unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matthew 5:21-22, our Young Commander (and Saviour) after His Father had “magnified” Him so … at Jordan!

Joshua (again, in chapter 3) was mentioned in connection with Moses … but now, Jesus outranks Moses as the True Leader of God’s people!

Wow!

Is the Bible amazing, or what?

We Preachers could take a lesson here.

Wait for God’s POWER (for God to “magnify” us, “fill us” with his Holy Spirit) before we preach, before we command, before we even step to the pulpit! Before we say a word!

Lesson (for today) ends.

Homework just beginning …!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

Here’s the promise: “And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye 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. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan … and it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap “ Joshua 3:8-11 and 13

Here’s the fulfillment: “And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm ON DRY GROUND in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” Joshua 3:14-17

A miracle, indeed!

But where did this “passage” occur?

It seems to me that the Old Testament is purposely “vague” on the answer to this question! “Very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan …” Though two locations are given, they are hardly prominent!

But wherever … that “crossing” occurred!

At the very place where God “magnified” Joshua, as discussed in the last two Lessons I have written. “On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.” Joshua 4:14, spoken specifically at this great “crossing.”

Now … let’s mentally go to the New Testament. To another “Joshua!” (The Names Joshua and Jesus are identical in meaning, both having a Hebrew background, essentially the same “root” word!)

Let’s go to the Jordan, with Jesus.

In John chapter 1, John the Baptist is at the Jordan.

Baptizing those who have repented.

Our Lord comes there, to be baptized. “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Matthew 3:15

And John (finally) did Baptist Jesus!

Amen!

But … where was John baptizing, on the Jordan, actually “in” the Jordan?

“These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.” John 1:28, King James Version. (I must say KJV because all the so-called “newer” Bibles change that word “Bethabara.” And my Lesson today hinges on it remaining the same!)

So … what does Bethabara mean? The place of “crossing!” More literally, the “house” of “crossing!”

Wow!

I believe we are being told that Jesus was baptized at the exact place where Israel crossed the Jordan River. At “the place of such a great crossing!”

In Hebrew, “Bethabara” blends the noun “beth” (“bayith) meaning “house” and “abar,” a verb meaning “to cross over,” or “to pass over!” (In fact, it is the great “Passover” verb of Exodus!)

Jesus and Joshua closely identified … once again.

But here’s my question today.

Was Jesus “magnified” that day? the day He went to the “crossing” place?

As was Joshua?

John the Baptist writes: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.” John 1:32-34

That’s being “magnified,” all right!

“THIS IS THE SON OF GOD!”

Now, here’s Matthew’s account: “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” Matthew 3:16-17

Jesus is our greater Joshua!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

There’s more, tomorrow, Lord willing!