So That All the Peoples of the Earth May Know -- Joshua 4:1-24

The Fifth in a Series of Sermons on the Book of Joshua

As Israel’s priests carried the ark of the covenant into the waters of the Jordan, the moment their feet touched the water, the river miraculously stopped flowing.  The people of Israel then began crossing through the river on dry ground.  As they did so, they were, at long last, entering that good land flowing with milk and honey which God promised to them.  But not only was God fulfilling his covenant promises to his people, at the same time through this display of his mighty power, he was instilling fear in the hearts of the Canaanites, causing them to melt away before the approaching Israelites.  In fact, once the people of Israel finish crossing the river, they will camp at Gilgal, just a few miles from Jericho, that fortified city which blocked Israel’s way into the land of Canaan.  It was truly a great day in Israel’s history.  It is a day long to be remembered by all.

We are continuing our series on the history of redemption and we are in that section of the Book of Joshua (chapters 3-4), in which Joshua describes Israel’s dramatic entrance into the land of promise.  It is important to remember that this dramatic entrance into Canaan was the fulfillment of that covenant promise which God made to Abraham some four hundred years earlier, a promise which was then subsequently reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob, and then finally to Moses as the people were about to leave Egypt at the end of their captivity.  Since the book of Joshua opens shortly after Moses’ death, we see throughout the opening chapters God reaffirming this promise to Joshua and then to all Israel.  The forty years of wandering throughout the wilderness of the Sinai finally have come to an end.

As we saw last time, Joshua gave the final orders for the people to march the 7 miles or so from Shittim to the banks of the Jordan River.  As they marched, the ark of the covenant–which contained the two tables of the law, Aaron’s staff and a jar of manna–went before the people, leading them to the very spot where they would cross the river.  Since the ark symbolized the presence of God with his people, the presence of the ark at the front of the Israelite column as they marched was a very clear warning to all those watching–especially in Canaan–that Israel was in covenant relationship with the great king, YHWH, and that YHWH was leading them into the land of promise.  And because Israel was in covenant relationship with YHWH, YHWH is Israel’s shield and defender.  He will lead his people to their inheritance in Canaan and the Canaanites will not be able to stay or turn God’s hand.

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