God's Heart Series

Background to passage: The people of Israel have been wandering around the desert for 40 years, Moses has died, Joshua has been commissioned and encouraged. The people have been given a charge and accepted. Rahab hid and made a deal with the spies. The people have come to the encampment on the east side of the Jordan at Shittim. Last week, Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because they would see the wonders of God.

Joshua 3:7-4:24

Opening illustration: Tell of meeting Erika at Camp Jubilee in June of 1998 and how she BECAME the closest thing to my heart. I desired a relationship with her.

Main thought: Today we will see the first major miracle of Joshua and God’s purposes and desires behind this miracle — relationships with people.

1) God Desires His People’s Faith and Fear (v. 3:10, 4:24)

Joshua 3:10 ESV

And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

Joshua 4:24 ESV

so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

1) God Desires His People’s Faith and Fear (v. 3:10, 4:24)

Explanation: Miracles in scripture, all share a purpose—to demonstrate that Yahweh is the one true and living God, to attest to himself, to put on display his power in order to point people to himself. Speaking about the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground Joshua tells the people that by this miracle they will know two things—that the Lord is among them, and that he will not fail to drive out the peoples of the land for them.

Hebrews 11:33–34 ESV

who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

2 Corinthians 12:8–10 ESV

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Illustration: the church planter’s wife, the Success Syndrome.

Application: God wants our faith not to fail. He wants us to know that is always among us. We all face crisis of faith in our lives, where we are tempted to doubt, where we are forced to choose between anxious fear or determined faith. We walk by sight, normally don’t see rivers or seas part, but we trust in the goodness, faithfulness, and power of our unseen God. What is it that you are facing now that requires you to choose to believe? To step out in faith and do something that you know God is leading you to do is what your family needs, is what your church needs.

?

2) God Desires Generations of Faith and Fear (v. 4:6-7)

Joshua 4:6–7 ESV

that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’

then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

2) God Desires Generations of Faith and Fear (v. 4:6-7)

Explanation: These stones had a similar purpose: they pointed back to a God who did the supernatural on the behalf. What we see here is God desire for multi-generational faithfulness. He wanted the children of those who crossed, those not yet born, their children and children’s children to believe in the Lord. God had a plan for Israel, for the world, but Jesus would not come for over 1400 years, about 70 generations. All the feasts, sacrifices, scripture, and traditions are given to practice to pass on the faith for generations.

Psalm 78:2–7 ESV

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.