HIGHLIGHTS IN JOSHUA
Number 3
OUR GOD IN THE TESTING TIME
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Joshua chapter 3
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THE PEOPLE of Israel had come to a 'crunch time'. For a long time they had known that God was going to take them into the promised land. They had thought about this and considered the implications, but the time had been still ahead so they could put the dangers and difficulties to the back of their mind. Now the time of advance was upon them. They were required to go forward. Forty or more years before their fathers had been in the same place and they had lost their faith, and in consequence lost the inheritance promised to them. That generation was all now dead, but the new generation had to face the problem all over again.

There is a very real spiritual reality illustrated here. The Israelites had all the promises of God concerning being given the promised land. It is relatively easy to hold on to promises when the time for action has not yet arrived, but it is not the same when the time for action has arrived. When the time to act is upon you it is altogether different. It is not different as far as the promises are concerned. They have not altered. The difference is in ourselves. When the time of action comes, all the difficulties grow into massive proportions, and our own impotence and weaknesses press upon us. We can imagine all the things that may go wrong. The strengths of the enemy would have been magnified in the minds of the Israelites. Then in spite of the promises of God, and the proof of God's action of the past, it is so easy to doubt God. Faith is not an easy thing at the 'crunch time'

This chapter reveals God to us and his covenant understanding love at this time of testing. God understands us and he is so graciously loving in his attitude towards us. He does not test us beyond what our strength is, and gives us a way of enduring and bearing and overcoming. This is what we see in this chapter. Let us look at the way God lovingly dealt with the Israelites in their testing time, and then apply this to our spiritual lives today.

THE COVENANT LOVE OF GOD

a. The next step.

The first thing the Israelites needed was to know how they were to go forward and how the campaign should be conducted. To begin with, where and how were they to cross the Jordan river? God is so wise. He did not outline the whole campaign to the Israelites, but in verse 4 tells them the next step they were to take. They were to follow the Ark of the Covenant as it was carried before them by the Priests and Levites. They were told that then they would know the way they should go. The Israelites were encouraged by this not to worry about the outcome of the campaign, and to leave that to God. They were just encouraged to take the next step which was well within their resources.

God knows that if we are presented with the whole problem altogether and at one time, we will be overwhelmed and not be able to cope, so he guides us to the next step that we must take. We are encouraged to take this step, and in faith see God unfold the next step at the appropriate time. In this way the problem is broken down to manageable proportions and the outcome we are encouraged to leave in the capable and omnipotent hands of God. This is a very important principle. A task that is broken up into its different component parts and operations never looks so daunting. Each part is seen to be manageable, whereas the whole is absolutely daunting. This is why God never throws the whole at us, but just the next step, and the way to live the Christian life is to take each step in faith, and leave the outcome to God.

b. Great thoughtfulness and love.

Then in Israel's case there was the question of the leadership. They had known Moses over a very long time. His competence had been proved, as had been the fact that God was with him. They had no such experience with Joshua. Joshua also had the disadvantage of being a much younger man without the same experience in life. God particularly dealt with this problem. He identified it, specially to Joshua himself, who no doubt was worried whether he could hold the obedience and loyalty of the people. God provided an action in aid of the Israelites which would prove Joshua was approved of God, and assure them that he was the leader for them. This was done by the miraculous overcoming of the problem of how the whole of Israel were going to cross the Jordan river successfully (v7).

God never overlooks anything. In the trials that come our way God has got all things in mind and under control, and even though we do not appreciate some point or difficulty, God has already identified all the relevant matters, and is ordering all things for the best result in his wise purpose for us. God is not a God who is indifferent to the problems and anxieties that his people face or suffer. It would not make any difference to the outcome of his good purpose if he did not allay our fears or meet our anxieties, but he is a loving and a caring God, and so he meets our needs with action and explanation that will allay them and strengthen us for what lies ahead.

c. Action in grace.

The great thing that is demonstrated in this story is the gracious action of God in providing the way for Israel to cross the Jordan. It was an action calculate to give the maximum assurance and strengthening of the faith of the people to go forward and possess the land. It was an action calculated to assure the Israelites that God was with them, and that his power was exercised on their behalf, and thus they had no fear that they would not triumph.

Notice the way God worked. He did not first cause the waters of the river to hold back, and then tell the people to cross. Instead he told them to advance, promising them that as soon as the feet of the priests carrying the Ark touched the water, then the water would roll back, and the people would be able to cross on dry land. In this way a positive act of faith was required, faith was also needed throughout the crossing, specially for the priests who held the Ark. They had to believe that the water would hold back while they stood in the center of the river bed. There is always the element of risk in the service of God. We have to risk placing our whole trust and confidence upon God.

Further in this action of God was an element that was specially designed to bolster the faith of the people. Their act of faith in going forward into the river was not such a blind act of faith as at first it may seem. The Israelites had an example in their history to assure them that God could and would hold back the water. Their history was bright with the great deliverance of God given to Israel from the Egyptians, when they went across the Red Sea on dry land. Such is the way God so often works. He calls us to steps of faith, but at the same time giving us things that will bolster our faith to step forward without fear.

d. The Ark of the Covenant.

No careful reader can fail to notice the central place the Ark of the Covenant had in all this operation. It was to be carried before them. It went before them, not only to show them the way forward but also to be the symbol of their salvation. It was the Ark of the Covenant which had to be held in the middle of the river for the waters to be held back.

The Ark was the focus of the covenant promise of God to Israel. It was called the Ark of the Covenant for this reason. Inside it was the tablets of stone on which the commandments were inscribed. It was the outward symbol of the promise of God to be the God of Israel and them to be his people. It was the seal of God's promise to protect and save them and bring them into the promised land. In this the Ark of the Covenant is a type of the Covenant of grace to us in Christ. Christ went before us to the cross, and by his perfect and great work we are saved, and the promised land of heaven is secured to us by promise. It is Christ also that goes ahead of us in our earthly pilgrimage, and it is our faith and obedience to Christ which is called for from God, just as the Israelites were called upon to follow where the Ark went before.

e. God's strengthening assurance.

This act of God to hold back the waters of the river Jordan were calculated and purposed to have the greatest impact on Israel, so that they may be sure amongst all their doubts and fears, as they advanced into the promised land. It was a most powerful and dramatic act. The Jordan was at the time when its waters were largest, yet the waters were held back at the town of Adam. It must have been an awesome and terrible sight for those who saw it in that town. More and more water pouring down to add to the pile, which grew larger and higher, until all Israel was safely across and the Ark of the Covenant had moved forward out of the bed of the river.

By this act God assured Israel that he was still present with them and engaged on their behalf. It assured them of the fact that the power of God was equal to all the tremendous demands that the campaign to possess the land entailed. It assured the people that they could safely obey the instructions that they were given by God through Joshua. It gave them assurance that Joshua, their new leader, was truly appointed by God and equipped by God. It assured them in a sentence that God's promise for them to possess the promised land was no myth or vain promise. How much greater was their faith when they were told to carry out the extraordinary method of attack on Jericho.

APPLICATION

This history is not recorded simply as an interesting story, nor as simply an example of a one off act of God in those days. It is meant to be for our learning in the testing times of today, and in every period of history. Whatever our experiences, which may seem trivial in the light of this tremendous operation, we go through the same test of faith and obedience as the Israelites. It is meant to relate to our one great campaign, which is our progress to our promised land of heaven, and the churches progress to increase the kingdom of God on earth. How may we be sure that we will persevere to the end of our lives, and that God will not abandon us, and that we can trust in the Lord whatever the circumstances or the cost.

The Israelites were promised by God their inheritance in the promised land of Palestine. God has promised us in Christ the promised land of heaven in eternity. The promise was sealed by the Ark of the Covenant. The promise of heaven is sealed to us in and through Christ, as the one who has met all the demands for our place in heaven for us. He has fulfilled all righteousness for us.

Just as the Israelites could look to God in the immediate conflict for his support to ultimate success because of the promise, so we have the assurance that as God has paid so great a price for our salvation as the suffering and death of his one and only Son, he will never allow us to be lost or fall away. He has begun a good work in us, and he will continue it unto the day of Jesus Christ.

Then we have the assurance in each of the times of testing which come our way. Like Israel at the commencement of this campaign had all sorts of worries to contend with, so we no doubt are unable to see how we can possible succeed. But as this passage teaches us, we do not have to worry about the end of the campaign, we have only to trust in the Lord and his direction at each particular time, believing not only that we shall be victorious through Christ, but that when the next stage comes, we will be given the next directions. Our guidance is not always easy, but no Christian who earnestly seeks to know and do the will of God, will find that they are left without guidance. Sometimes we may have to be patient. Another time we may have to test the way forward by making the next step, believing that if we have discerned the will of God wrongly then the Lord will correct us.

Just as the Israelites had to exercise faith at each stage, and take the risk of faith, so will we. But what is certain is that at the time of testing, we shall, as we believe, prove the Lord is with us, by unmistakable action of God, which will strengthen our faith, and build up our assurance and confidence in God.

CONCLUSION

We need to lay hold of the revelation of God given in Scripture as it is given here. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He was faithful to his people then, and he will be just as faithful to his people today. Let us strengthen our faith as we see the gracious and powerful acts of God in Scripture, and remember he is no less active on his churches behalf today.