By Faith The Harlot Rahab Perished Not With Them That Believed Not. Series

SS#20~Joshua ~pt.4 Heb.11:30-31 10-26-14

Today we'll continue in our study of Heb.11: -- the "hall of faith" chapter.

Heb.11: 30-31 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. 31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

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Last time we were in Joshua chapter 3: -- there Joshua was informing the priests about the Jordan River, that when their feet touched the water the Jordan River would part and the people would pass over to the other side on dry ground. -- Listen as I refresh our memory about that.

@@@ >Joshua 3:16 -17 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:

-- 17 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.

The location of the city of Adam is marked by the present site of Damieh, some sixteen miles north of Jericho.

About the Jordan River:

The Jordan rises from several sources near Panium (Banias ), and passes through the lakes of Merom (Huleh ) and Gennesaret.*** The two principal features in its course are its descent and its windings.

From its 4 fountain heads to the Dead Sea it rushes down one continuous inclined plane, only broken by a series of rapids or precipitous falls. Between the Lake of Gennesaret and the Dead Sea there are 27 rapids.

The depression of the Lake of Gennesaret below the level of the Mediterranean is 653 feet, and that of the Dead Sea 1316 feet. (The whole descent from its source to the Dead Sea is 3000 feet. Its width varies form 45 to 180 feet, and it is from 3 to 12 feet deep.

Because it runs through the Sea of Galilee, (Gennesaret-Teberius~ Galilee) are the one and the same body of water.

It may have been that when the Jordan River heap-up, it¡¯s possible went back into the Sea of Galilee; there would most likely would have been ample room?

~ As soon as the priest's feet touched the water of the Jordan River the waters backed up and heaped up beginning at a city called Adam. --- leaving a great amount of dry river bed in order that the Israelites could pass over, they were not funneled into a little section, God saw to it that His people had plenty of room to cross over.

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~~ If you'll recall there had been 12 men chosen in chapter 3:12 -- 1 from each tribe. -- 12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. -- We'll read shortly why they had been chosen.

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Joshua chapter 4:

¡¡1And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

¡¡~ Notice, all of Israel was now crossed over.

Now we'll understand why the 12 men were chosen back in chapter 3:12 -- let's be sure to recognize that GOD is directing Joshua what to do.

¡¡"2Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 3And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests¡¯ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night."

¡¡4Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, (chapter 3:12) out of every tribe a man: 5And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

¡¡ 6That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, "What mean ye by these stones?"

¡¡ 7Then ye shall answer them, "That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever."

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¡¡>Psalm 145:12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

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¡¡~These twelve men, after they had gotten over Jordan, must be sent back to the place where the ark stood, being permitted to come near it (which others might not) for this service: ~ notice, the priests are still in the middle of the dry river bed.