All Israel Was Passing Over on Dry Ground -- Joshua 3:1-17

The Fourth in a Series of Sermons on Joshua

In the history of every nation, there are those defining moments which give that nation its character and which determine the course of its future.  Israel’s crossing of the Jordan River is certainly one such event.  From the days of Abraham–some four hundred years earlier–the promise of dwelling in the land of Canaan had been the dream of every Israelite since.  Having been delivered from their bondage in Egypt, the people of God have spent the last forty years in the wilderness, waiting for this glorious day to come.  In terms of the course of redemptive history, Israel’s crossing over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan is on a par with the crossing of the Red Sea.  Crossing the river into Canaan changes everything.  In this event, we see God working mighty wonders, fulfilling his covenant promises, and setting the future course for his people.  Israel will now enter Canaan as a great nation, about to inherit that land God had given them.  And all the inhabitants of Canaan are terrified, because they know that Israel’s God is the LORD and that he will give his people the land he has promised them.  

As we continue our series on the Book of Joshua, we now come to Joshua chapters 3-4, which describe a monumental event in Israel’s history, that day when God’s people cross the Jordan River and enter the land of promise.  Because of the importance of this day in Israel’s history, Joshua covers this material in substantial detail.  In chapter 3, Joshua describes the events associated with the preparation for the crossing (the topic for this sermon).  And then in chapter 4, Joshua recounts the building of a memorial to commemorate the crossing and the entrance into the promised land (the subject of our sermon next time).

As we have seen, the people of Israel are camped at Shittim on the plains of Moab eagerly expecting the news which they have waited so long to hear.  In chapter 1, Joshua issued the command for the people to spend three days in preparation for crossing the river.  The officers then went through the camp and spread the word among the people.  There can be no doubt that everyone was excited and filled with anticipation.  Joshua also used this three days to gather intelligence upon the land around Jericho as well as the morale of its inhabitants.  As we saw in chapter two, Joshua sent two spies into Jericho to gather this important information.  Aided by Rahab–a Canaanite prostitute who lived in the city and who hid the two spies from her own king, who had discovered that the two spies were in the city–the spies had reported back to Joshua that the people of Jericho were terrified of YHWH and that they were well aware of YHWH’s promise to give Israel the land of Canaan.  Everything was falling into place just as God had promised.  Israel was ready to move, and the Canaanites will melt away before the Israelite advance.

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