LIVING IN GOD’S PROMISES
A Study In The Book Of Joshua
Stepping Into Our Dreams – Joshua 3:1-4:7
So Far…
· Chapter 1 – This is land to take/ this is your potential – “Be Strong”
· Chapter 2 – Getting Past Your Past – Breaking Generational Curses
Consider this:
Walt Disney - was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. Walt also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.
Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace, flunked out of college. He was described as “both unable and unwilling to learn.”
Michael Jordan, perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time, did not make his high school basketball team his sophomore year.
Beethoven’s teacher called him hopeless as a composer.
Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade. He did not become Prime Minister until he was 62. His greatest contributions came when he was a “senior citizen.”
Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.
Today… we’re going to talk about reaching for your dreams and the results of persistence.
It must have been an exciting time for the Israelites to finally enter their land of promise.
They had been in the dessert and in the wilderness for forty years.
It was time to move out of the desert – across the Jordan River – and into Canaan.
There had been discouragement and disappointments along the way – but it was now time!
Some of you have had set backs and disappointments along your journey – BUT THE TIME HAS COME FOR YOU TO ENTER INTO YOUR LAND OF PROMISE!
TO REACH FOR YOUR DREAMS…
1. Keep Your Eyes On God – vv. 1-4
Josh 3:1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.
Josh 3:2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp;
Josh 3:3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
Notice that they had to wait for three days. They had been waiting for 40 years – three days wouldn’t make a difference.
Keep in mind that Joshua is about 80 years old at this time.
This was an exciting day… This was the beginning of a covenant that had been made to Abraham about 500 years before.
Moses got to the edge of the river and never crossed over. How many of us get to the edge and never cross over?
How many of us can see the promises but never obtain them?
Notice v.3 – “when you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God…”
“The ark” is mentioned seven times in this chapter. There must be some importance to it.
We must keep our eyes on God. When God moved, they were to move-----When God stopped they were to do the same.
In his book… “Experiencing God”----by Henry Blackaby - He states—“we need to see what God is up to around us and then get involved”
This may require us to leave our comfort zone.
Israel was about to follow the Ark through a river that was over 1 mile wide. There were obstacles ahead.
OBSTACLES ARE OFTEN GOD’S WAY OF PRYING US OUT OF OUR RUT.
· The Jordan River forced Joshua out of the rut of being second in command to Moses.
· The river compelled them to get out of the “manna mentality.”
If you ever expect to get past your obstacles and enter your Canaan, you must learn to follow God.
Under Joshua’s leadership – the people now prepare to cross the Jordan. They could see the prize.
The “Jordan River” – is not a wide river. Normally… It was about 40 feet wide at the widest point.
In the springtime – the normally narrow river flooded its banks. In places it could be around 150 feet deep and as much as a mile wide.
The people now walk to the edge of the Jordan and stayed there three days – “waiting for the direction of the Lord.”
Josh 3:4 "Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before."
There are two commands given in vv. 3-4…
1- Follow the ark – (keep your eyes on God) – v.3
“then you shall set out from your place and go after it”
They were entering into territory that they had never entered before. They needed direction from God.
2- There shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure (3,000 feet)
TWO PURPOSES:
1- That you would know the way
v.4 – “that you may know the way to go”
If this great number of people thronged around the ark – the direction would have been obscured.
“for you have not passed this way before”
We are all on a journey to live and walk in God’s promises for us. We are going places that we have never gone before.
WE NEED HIS GUIDANCE AND HELP!
2- That they would have a reverence for God
Exo 25:21 "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.
Exo 25:22 "And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.
It is here that God said that He would meet with them.
They were to have a reverence for the ark of God – for the holiness of God.
Do you have a reverence for God’s presence? For God’s house?
2. Prepare Your Heart – vv. 5-7
Josh 3:5 And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."
Josh 3:6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
Josh 3:7 And the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
“Sanctify your heart…”
Hebrew – qadash – “to be set apart/ consecrated.
They had to do this in order for God’s miracles to among them. God will not work in unholiness.
To the Hebrews – this meant washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual activity for a season. It was also a time of fasting.
It was a time of waiting on God. Listening to His voice. Preparing our heart.
It is interesting… they needed to sanctify themselves because “tomorrow the Lord would do wonders among them…”
Tomorrow would be a better day! Say that with me…
They had to be prepared.
How many of us have missed the opportunity to step into our dreams because we weren’t prepared.
Interesting note: In Numbers – a word was used 28x’s “nasa”, meaning to journey. Here we have a new word “abar” – meaning to cross over.
3. Listen To God’s Instruction – v.8, vv. 12-13
No matter how ridiculous it would sound.
Josh 3:8 "You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ’When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’"
The priests were commanded to come to the river edge and wait for God’s instruction.
Keep in mind that it was deep in the place where they were going to cross.
I can imagine… “Wasn’t I first yesterday… it’s your turn today…”
Josh 3:12 "Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.
Josh 3:13 "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap."
They had to have faith to put the soles of their feet in the water.
Nothing will happen until you step off the riverbank of your life. It is a step of faith.
It is interesting: This is probably the same place where Jesus was “baptized by John.”
It is the place where Jesus also went under the water. It is a point of submission.
Just as the water parted for Moses – it would now part and become “a wall” for Joshua.
V. 13 also explains v. 7.
4. Remember God’s Promises To You – vv. 9-11
Josh 3:9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God."
Josh 3:10 And Joshua said, "By this you 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:
Josh 3:11 "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
· God is with you – v.10
· He will give you victory – v.10
o Notice all the “itites” mentioned here
Deuteronomy 7:1 states that these seven nations were greater than Israel.
· Canaanites – lived along the coast of Phoenicia – “peddlers of humiliation”
· Hittites – “fear”
· Hivites – “open to anything”
· Perizites – “dwellers in unwalled villages”
· Girgashites –
· Amorites – most powerful race in Palestine, next to the Hittites. They lived on both sides of the Jordan.
They were a nomadic people. Their name meant pride.
Exo 23:23 "My Messenger will go ahead of you and will bring you to
· His presence will be with you – v.11
5. Believe In Miracles – vv. 14-17
Josh 3:14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
They broke camp, they tore down their tents, and they uprooted their lives to follow God.
They went out on a limb and they finally received what they were praying for.
God did amazing things that day.
Were there obstacles? You bet.
The river was over 1 mile wide and there were 2 million people who had to cross over.
· They could not build a bridge, there wasn’t enough time or materials
· they could not transport everyone over in boats,—there were no boats
· there was only one way around their problem and that was through – they needed a miracle
Aren’t you glad that we have a God that goes before us and make a way for us?
The spies came this way 40 years ago – and all they saw was the giants and the problems.
It was different now – they had to look to God. He was saying, “Follow me… I have a plan…”
Josh 3:15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
But there was a catch in this plan-----the water would not part until the priests who were carrying the Ark stepped into the water.
In other words–it took a step of faith for them. Their miracle wouldn’t happen until the “priest” began to lead in faith!
Isn’t that the way with us? We must step out in faith in order for God to move!
Ephesians 3:20—“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all at that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us”
Josh 3:16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
Josh 3:17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
Verse 16 says that the waters backed up to the City of Adam—this is some 15 to 20 miles north of where the children of Israel were crossing.
God made them a path through the water that allowed a couple of million people to pass through quickly and safely.
This was a miracle of God. Remember… this was during the flood stage – not in the low season of drought.
Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible -- He does the things others cannot do.
By Oscar Eliason (c) 1945, 1971 Singspiration Music.
· What kind of river do you face today?
· Perhaps it Is a river of bitterness and anger standing between you and God’s peace?
· Is it a raging flood of addiction, keeping you away from intimacy with God?
· Is your river a river of discouragement or depression?
· Is it unconfessed sin?
Whatever obstacle you may be facing, do you believe God can see you through it?
6. Make A Testimony Of What God Has Done – 4:1-5
Josh 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying:
Josh 4:2 "Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe,
Josh 4:3 "and command them, saying, ’Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’"
Josh 4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe;
Josh 4:5 and Joshua said to them: "Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
These stones were to be a sign to future generations.
· It…
o Reminds us of the power of God
o Reminds us that we have poor memory
o Would be a reminder to future generations – v.21
7. Tell Others What God Has Done – v.7
Josh 4:6 "that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ’What do these stones mean to you?’
Josh 4:7 "Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever."
We can’t keep it a secret as to what God has done for us.
Woodrow Wilson: “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winters evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until the sunshine and light appears. It appears to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.”
Soren Kierkegard, the 19th century Danish religious philosopher, tells a story about a town where only ducks live.
Every Sunday the ducks would waddle out of their houses and waddle down Main Street to their church. They waddled into the sanctuary and sat in their proper pews.
The duck choir waddles in and takes its place, and then the duck minister comes forward and opens the duck Bible.
He reads to them…“Ducks! God has given you wings! With wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fence can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings and you can fly like birds.”
All the ducks shouted “AMEN!” and they all waddled home.
God has offered us all we need today. But are we complacent?
Has God called you to something great? To reach for your dreams? Has he called you to fly? But do you choose to waddle?
Like Henry Ford, Beethoven, Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, the Israelites and others – we have all been discouraged at times.
Remember (from last week) – “Your past does not determine your future but your future does”
He has given us wings to fly. No walls can confine us. And there is Joy in taking risks - in being daring.
There is joy in using those wings. There is joy in going out on a limb for God.
