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Strong and Courageous
We are in a series for this summer from the book of Joshua that we’ve entitled Strong and Courageous.
Last week, Pastor Gene talked about Rahab’s strong and courageous faith.
He said, “Courageous faith always leads to action.”
We are going to leave Rahab for a few weeks.
We’ll come back to hear the rest of her story and how her courageous faith resulted in deliverance for her entire family.
But before we can talk about Rahab’s actions in faith, we need to turn our attention back to Joshua and the nation of Israel.
Rahab lived in Jericho and she mentioned to the 2 spies that the people of Jericho were in a tizzy because of the nation of Israel.
It was well known in the area that Israel’s God was fighting for them.
So many of the city-nations in what would become God’s inheritance to Israel, the Promised Land, feared when Israel was on the move.
I know the usual custom is for us to stand and read the entire passage for the sermon together.
But this particular chapter is written to build up until the grand finale.
So I would like to just read a bit and then point out some truths from that bit and then read a bit more.
You may stand if you are so convicted, but I won’t be prompting you to stand as we go.
Look with me at the end of Joshua chapter 2 and the beginning of Joshua chapter 3.
Joshua 2:23-3:
Strong and Courageous
As soon as the 2 spies return to Joshua and give their report, Joshua leads the nation to get into position.
Remember, right now, Israel is on the east side of the Jordan River.
Jericho is on the west side of the river.
Joshua leads the nation to move closer to the Jordan from where they were camped when the spies went to Jericho.
And this is where we will really engage this story.
The time has come for Israel to take the land.
Their wanderings in the wilderness are over.
Moses saw the Promised Land and died.
Moses’ right hand man, Joshua, is now in the lead.
And he sees that God is leading them to take the land beginning with the city of Jericho.
Now, before we go on, I want you to realize just what an undertaking is about to take place.
In , we read that a census was taken of the Israelites at the Jordan by Jericho.
That would be this gathering of people in .
And tells us there were 601,730 men counted at that census.
Women, children, and old or lame men were probably not in that number.
So it is a conservative estimate to say that there are at least 2 million Israelites at the banks of the Jordan getting ready to take the Promised Land.
That number of people will get more important as the story unfolds.
Look with me at
Joshua 3:2
On your mark!
After 3 days of camping by the Jordan, the leaders call the people to look for the ark of the covenant to move.
The ark represented the very presence of God for the people.
So, in essence, the people were told, when God moves, you follow.
But they were to keep a distance of 2,000 cubits which is about a half-mile.
Why would they have to stay back?
Because 2 million people needed to see where God was leading.
And they would know God’s leading because the priests were carrying the Ark and everyone could see it.
So, they are prepared as a nation to see where God would lead.
But their hearts weren’t ready to follow where God was leading.
Let’s read a little further
Josh 3:5-
Get ready!
From telling everyone to watch for the ark to preparing their hearts.
The nation is told to “Consecrate themselves.”
They were to take care of anything that would hinder their ability to follow where God would lead.
They were to set themselves apart for God’s service.
Then the priests are told to pick up the ark and and start moving.
God is on the move.
Will the people do what they have been told to do?
The Lord speaks to Joshua.
Look with me
Get set!
God tells Joshua that it is time for him to truly take the reins of leadership of the nation of Israel.
They all knew the stories of how God used Moses to deliver Israel from the hand of Pharoah.
Their parents had told them about the journey in the wilderness, about the manna for food and water gushing from rocks.
Now, God says, Joshua will be the God-ordained leader of the nation.
And the whole nation will know that is true by the end of the day.
The priests have the ark and are moving and God tells Joshua to tell them to go the banks of the river and then that they will stand still in the Jordan.
Think about it.
The river is rushing by and they are supposed to take the Ark of the Covenant, the very presence of God, into the river and stand still.
Do you know how hard it is to stand still in a rushing river?
But God has said that He will be demonstrating His power today.
And Joshua turns and speaks to the people
Josh 3:9-
Get set!
Joshua says, “You are about to see God do something that will prove to you that He is going to to be your deliverer.
He is going to show you that He will be with you to take the Promised Land.
He will prepare the way.
You only need to go where He tells you to go.”
And notice, Joshua tell them that the water of the Jordan will stop flowing.
They don’t have to worry about standing in a rushing river because the waters will stand up in a heap upstream.
Wait a minute.
I think I remember another time when water did something strange.
And Moses was in charge back then.
They were leaving Egypt and Pharaoh and his army were chasing them on chariots.
We read in
Exodus 14:21-22
That’s right!
God split the Red Sea and the people had walked through on dry ground and the next morning, the sea closed up and drowned all of Pharaoh’s army.
And here, Joshua says God is about to do a very similar thing.
The big difference being no one is chasing them this time.
I can imagine some conversations somewhere in the midst of that 2-million person crowd.
Did they believe that God would do what Joshua said?
If God did that how should they respond?
How would you respond?
Let’s keep reading
Josh 3:14-17
GO!
Can you see the priests carrying the ark approaching the flood washed shore of the river?
Half-a-mile back is the nation of Israel almost holding their breath as the priests lift up their feet for the last time on dry ground.....or so they thought.
As they place them down, suddenly, the water all rushes downstream like it a sink draining.
And the priests feet come down on dry ground.
And they continue to walk on dry ground down into the bed of the actual river.
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