“When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.” Joshua 3:8
Dear Ones:
There have been several notable instances in Scripture where God has called an individual, small group of individuals, or a whole nation to advance, with the menacing, and opposing barrier of water before them. When Israel had come to the Red Sea, and was seemingly hemmed in by Pharaoh, with his army pressing down upon them, the Lord spoke to Moses: “Wherefore criest thou unto Me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” (Exodus 14:15) With that command to believe and obey God, came also a promise: “Lift up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (v.16) What is the great lesson that we discover when the call of God leads the people of God to face incalculable, and “insurmountable” odds, to do and accomplish the will and work of God? The answer lies in two things, the expressed, clear and concise knowledge of the will of God, and also, the authority and power of God, which will be operative according to that revealed will. The raised rod of Moses was the symbol of God’s authority. The promise of God was the commitment of His power. The role of the people was to trust God fully according to His will.
In the days of the Lord Jesus on this earth, we see the disciples on the sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm. Jesus approaches them, walking on the sea. Peter asks the Lord, “Lord if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” (Matt. 14:28) It is then that the Lord gives to Peter a command and a challenge. His command was very simple: “Come.” There was in that word all of the power and authority over wind and wave to allow Peter to walk on the water. The call of God for him to step out of the boat, and walk on the water, was a challenge to the faith of Peter. For a time, his faith rose to that challenge, but then, the effect of the wind, seeing it upon the waves, his faith gave way to fear, and he sank. The Israelites were commanded by God to go forth into the Red Sea, but with a promise, backed up by the authority and power of God. Peter also, was commanded to come forth upon the waves, to even “defy” them. The same power and authority that parted the Red Sea for Israel, was operative that day when Peter stepped out of the boat onto the waves.
When the people of Israel, after their wandering in the desert for forty years, was brought to the edge of the Jordan River, they too were faced with water, a large quantity of it, barring their entrance into the promise land. Scripture tells us that, at that time, “…the Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of the harvest.” (Josh. 3:15) However, even in the face of an impossibility, the Lord will tell Joshua to instruct the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan River. The Lord will give to all Israel a promise: “And it shall come to pass as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off rom the waters that come down from above.” (v.13) It would be as the priests stood in the midst of Jordan on dry ground, that “…all Israel passed over on dry ground…clean over Jordan.” (v.17) With the command of God came the authority and power of God to accomplish the impossible, for not only would there be a path through Jordan, but it would be on dry ground, until all had passed over.
Dear Father, Strengthen our hearts to step into the waters of impossible circumstances, according to Thy command. Show forth Thy glory and power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad