Notes
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”
Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
Joshua 3:1-17 (NIV)
The Ark of the Covenant symbolized God’s presence among the Israelites. The God who was with the Israelites back then is the God who is with us now in 2022. There are three important things to learn from these verses that will encourage us when we are facing struggles:
1. They consecrated themselves.
To consecrate something means that you are setting it apart from what is unholy or defiling, and dedicating it to God. By consecrating themselves, the Israelites would enable themselves to see the amazing things God was about to do.
We can’t see God move if we haven’t separated ourselves from what separates us from God. Recognize the sin in your life, turn from it, and move forward through consecration.
2. They got up and followed.
The Ark typically traveled in the middle of the camp, but in this situation, the Ark went ahead of the camp. God knew the Israelites were entering into a new season, and needed to see Him go first and focus on His presence.
As He did with the Israelites, God will not only travel with us, but He’ll lead us forward into the new seasons of our lives so that we won’t be afraid.
3. They trusted God in the gap.
The Ark was the first in the gap, and the last out of the gap. Every person saw and passed by the Ark. They saw the presence of the Lord and could pass on to the next generations what He had done for them.
God is with us in the gaps in our lives, too. We may not see it because our focus shifts to other things, but God has more in store for us than we can ever ask for, think, or imagine. We just need to consecrate ourselves, follow God, and trust in Him.
Group Questions
- What does the word “consecrate” mean?
- How do we consecrate ourselves?
- Why is it important that the Ark went ahead of the Israelites?
- When have you seen God’s presence and work in a gap?
Prayer
Thank you for giving us new lives in you. Help us to set aside what separates us from you and to consecrate ourselves so that we can see your work.