Joshua 3 Devotional
By Pastor Lawrence

Reminiscent of the parting of the Red Sea, God’s miraculous display of power in dividing the waters of the Jordan River was designed to instill faith and fear in the heart of the younger generations who had not witnessed that first miracle. Standing just outside of the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb were called to lead these young’uns into their promised place of rest. But it was not yet time for them to rest, for Israel would be commanded to pick up her sword on a number of occasions to administer God’s justice against the wicked inhabitants of the land, and they would face many fierce enemies along the way. Yet through this wonder performed on the very border of their inheritance, God was showing them just a foretaste of his power in judgment.

Even though Israel crossed the chasm on dry ground, the standing waters were meant to symbolize both God’s justice and mercy. On the one hand, the Lord was promising to cut off all their enemies in the same way that He had cut off the waters. Then on the other hand, He was promising to give mercy and protection to his own people so that they would not meet the same fate. By having the priests enter the river first carrying the Ark of the Covenant, Israel was meant to look to God’s mercy seat and find assurance through the sacrificial offering, which pointed them to Christ. And with this sign being carried out by Joshua’s command, the Lord was also elevating Moses’s replacement in the sight of the nation that they would look to him as their guide and savior, who also pointed them to Christ.

Not only would it take faith for the Israelites to walk between the rushing waters, it would also take some consecration on their part to prepare them to carry out God’s holy will. We must keep in mind that the Israelites were not merely supplanting an indigenous people but were carrying out God’s judgment against the wicked by removing them from the land. In this case, they were God’s chosen instruments for judgment and his anointed warriors called to fight a holy war against evil. And for this reason, the Israelites were called to consecrate themselves for this holy endeavor, for the Lord would do wonders among them in the following days. And they would have to rely upon the Lord in order to carry out this work faithfully, so the Lord was using this miracle to remind them of the source of their strength. He was also using this wonder to remind them of the king who was leading them into battle, for the Ark of the Covenant is considered to be the very throne of God. This was not some rag-tag groups of mercenaries being sent into Canaan, but a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to carry out God’s holy will.

Of course, as servants of the New Covenant in Christ, we are not called to conquer any particular land through judgment, but to serve as Christ’s ambassadors throughout the world spreading the good news that our risen king has already conquered sin and death. So, we do not take up a sword of steel, but the sword of the Spirit to convict people of the truth of the gospel. Yet, we too are called God’s holy people sent out to show forth God’s mercy to those fully deserving of God’s judgment, and we too need to remember the source of our strength, the assurance of God’s presence, and the justice of our cause. We are consecrated for a very high calling, so let us look to the Lord to guide us, embolden our faith, and spur us on to the unfinished work that lies ahead.