Crossing Jordan Series

CROSSING JORDAN

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

Johnstonian Principle #101

MOSES WAS GOD’S SERVANT

MOSES WAS MY SERVANT

MOSES WAS SUMMONED BY GOD

Summoned by God in the midst of a fiery bush

And commissioned by God to leave his refuge in the dessert to go back home

MOSES WAS ANOINTED

To confront the new king with an announcement

That after 430 years it was time for God’s people to GO!

THE PEOPLE NEEDED A SAVIOUR

God sent him at a time when His people needed a saviour

And Moses was able to show them the way out

And you must realize that they would NEVER have reached their destiny stuck in Egypt

MOSES WAS A RELUCTANT MESSENGER

Moses was anointed

But in spite of this he could only get them to the BRINK of their destiny

KADESH-BARNEA

From the time of their first arrival at Kadesh-barnea, in the autumn of the 2nd year, to the day that the Hebrews crossed the brook Zered in Moab on their final march, is said to have been a period of 38 years. (Dt 2:14)

During this period the first generation died out, and a strong race of desert warriors succeeded it.

For 38 years Israel lived in the nomadic state, changing camp according to the season …visiting the higher pastures in summer, and wintering in the lower lands

And from here they journeyed from here to the last leg of their journey. And in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, they arrived at the plains of Moab – in the Jordan Valley, in the wilderness east of the Jordan River

MOAB

Deutoronomy 34:1-8

5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. 7And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. 8And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Johnstonian Principle #102

The land they were going to was a PROMISE

CAN I TAKE MY TIME?

A FOURFOLD BLESSING

Gen 22:17: that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And your Seed shall possess the gate of His enemies

I will BLESS YOU

I will PROSPER YOU

I will GIVE YOUR SEED THE GATES OF THEIR ENEMIES

And I will BLESS ALL NATIONS THROUGH YOUR SEED

This is a PROMISE that God repeated

To Isaac – To Jacob – To Moses – To all of Israel

And now Watch this:

Exodus 33

The Command to Leave Sinai

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, "To your descendants I will give it.’ 2And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people." (New King James Version)

Deuteronomy 31

7Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched he said to him, "Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the LORD swore to give their ancestors. You are the one who will deliver it to them as their inheritance. 8Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you." (New Living Translation)

Johnstonian Principle #103

THIS WAS NOT ABOUT EGYPT

This was bigger than Pharoah

And bigger than plagues and bugs and locusts and

THIS WAS ABOUT GOD DOING WHAT HE PROMISED He would do

From the time God made this promise to Abraham until the time of our text was

ALMOST FIVE HUNDRED YEARS!

AND YET HERE THEY STOOD ON THE SHORES OF THEIR DESTINY