“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.” Joshua 1:2
The Jordan River is a landmark in Biblical history, especially as it applies to the nation of Israel. It is a place to be remembered in particular with regard to Israel’s crossing of it as a nation. If we would understand something of the significance of that crossing, we must look at the context.
Israel had spent the previous forty years wandering in the wilderness. During that time, though all those who had seen the glory of God revealed in the deliverance at the Red Sea had died, except for Caleb and Joshua, God had led the people, revealed Himself to them, given them the Ten Commandments, and provided food and clothing for them. They had not lacked for basic needs, nor for the provision of God in giving the seeking soul the possibility, of seeking Him in worship, and finding Him. To the believer, all things were still possible in the measure of God’s calling, mercy, and grace. The great difference however between the wilderness, where Israel then lived, located between the Red Sea and the Jordan, and the land on the far side of the Jordan River, was the matter of fullness, abundance, liberty, power, victory and the revealed glory of God in great measure. Israel’s experience in the “desert” was one of pitiful leanness of soul, where the revelation of Christ was limited to the individual believer because of unbelief. Because of the greatness of the revelation of God in HIs glory to the people, there was the greatness of God’s judgment upon the people. Even though God would not reward them according to the wickedness of their rebellion against Him, and Moses His servant, and even though He would demonstrate again and again His mercy and grace in dealing with them, the nation would not be allowed to know the fulness of God’s blessing, the power and the glory that was theirs when coming out of Egypt. They had been delivered from the tyranny of Pharaoh to live in the blessed freedom of the promised land, but they would not believe God. The wilderness experience was the result of the people’s refusal to receive from God all that He desired to give. They had been delivered, not to know and live a wilderness, arid existence, but the fulness of the blessing of God, knowing Him, worshipping and serving Him alone in a place where the promises of God were just as real and abounding as the law of God, and principally where God dwelt in the midst of the people. The Jordan River was that line of demarcation which separated the wilderness from a land of victory and fulness. To cross it in God’s time, and in His way, was a point of reckoning, a point of repentance, change, and total commitment to God. It was a moment, not only of a decision made, but of an entirely different life to be embraced. In the will of God, God, by the hand of Joshua, would lead them to the edge of the Jordan River, there to prepare to cross it, there to begin to know something of the fulness of God, of Christ in His victory over all the power of the enemy.
Before the crossing of the Jordan, God had given to Joshua certain commandments, and tremendous promises concerning not only the successful crossing of the river, but the essence of what life was to be on the other side. Joshua and Caleb, who had been faithful to the Lord, were prepared and ready to cross the Jordan, and to enter Canaan. The people of Israel were now ready also, for by their very words they declared their very serious commitment to God, to Joshua, and the entire mission. They said to Joshua, “All that thou commandest us we will do, and withersoever thou sendest us we will go,””…only be strong.” (Joshua 1:16,18)
Dear Father, Empower us to follow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.