Joshua 3:2-17.

Crossing the river Jordan.

The second time the Israelites had to cross a water obstacle since leaving Egypt.

The first obstacle was a deep sea, the second one a flowing flooded river.  What are the lessons drawn from this passage in Scripture?

1. The faithfulness of the priests bearing the Ark.

2. The obedience of the Israelites to the leadership of Joshua.

What is the situation?

 The Israelites after 40 years wandering in the wilderness are poised to enter the Promised Land encamped  on the plains of Moab. They are faced with a formidable obstacle, the flooded river Jordan,  It is the time of harvest and the river overflows its banks, a huge area under water, full of danger. There is no bridge, no transport or any other means to make the crossing possible. But God commanded that they cross. It is God's way and the Ark leads the way for the people, but for this to happen the priests are involved.

God's command to the priests was clear, ' Take up the Ark.....'

The Ark led the way; clearly visible for all the people to follow, making sure that it was safe for them to cross. It is God who leads us and shows the way to go, Is.48:17. He leads and guides us and we must not think that we know the way. He has the means to do so.

Throughout their journeyings to the Promised Land the Ark went before them to prepare the way and they followed, Not the other way round. But for this to happen there was a vital element-The Priests who carried the Ark. They were the ministers of God's Grace to the people. Without them the Ark would be stationary, i.e. no leading forward. Now we are the Priests of God ministering to His people.

The Priests had an awesome responsibility before the people and before God. They had to carry the Ark and walk ahead. They stood in the water and trusted God to do what He had said. They believed what God had said and moved on in Faith. They were between God and the people. A picture of Intercession. What was the result of this situation? The river parted, the waters stood still, the way for the people was open to cross over. It is a good and desirable thing to want a ministry but we must realize that this carries a great responsibility before God and the people. It needs faithfulness and obedience.

In spite of the obvious risks they faced the priests stood firm without murmuring or objections. Not like us.

After 40 years of wandering we see a clear change in the attitude and behaviour of the new generation of the Israelite Nation. The previous generation that came out of Egypt perished in the wilderness. We see a new generation, obedient and ready to move on with God.

Moses, the great leader bore the brunt of that rebellious and murmuring generation but he pressed on 'as seeing the invisible'. In the end he was excluded from entering the Promised Land. God found a new leader, faithful and obedient to Him. God clearly endorsed the leadership of Joshua. We hear of no objections or murmurs against Joshua. People recognized that he was God's choice. Do people recognize us as God's choice to lead and minister to His people? A godly minister in the Church is a comfort to all the people of God. What are our attitudes in the Church of God? How do we face problems?

John 15:1

'I am the true vine and.....'

The Heavenly Father as the Husbandman watching over our abiding in the vine, over our growth and fruit bearing. It is not left to our faith or to our faithfulness to maintain our union with Christ.

God the Father Himself will see that the branch is what it should be and will enable us to bring forth fruit we are appointed to bear.

'every branch that beareth fruit He.....' More fruit is what the Father seeks. More fruit is what the Father Himself will provide. That is why the vinedresser cleanses the branches.

Of all  fruit bearing plants on earth there is none that produces fruit so full of the spirit from which spirit can be distilled. Of all fruit bearing plants there is none that is so ready to run to wild wood and for which pruning and cleansing are indispensable.

The one great work that a vinedresser has to do for the branch every year is to prune it. Other plants can go for a time, dispense with it and yet bear fruit. The vine must have it. One thing that the branch which desires to abide in Christ, bring forth much fruit, be able to ask whatsoever it will must do is to trust in and yield itself to this Divine cleansing.

What is it that the Divine vinedresser cuts away with the pruning knife? Nothing but wood with the true vine nature in it. This must be cut away. Why? Because it draws away the strength and the life of the vine and hinders the flow of the juice to the grape. The wood of the branch must decrease that the fruit for the vine may increase in obedience to the laws of nature that death is the way  to life, that gain comes through sacrifice.

The rich luxurious growth of wood must be cut off and cast away, that the life more abundant may be seen in the cluster.

What in us appears perfectly innocent and legitimate and which yet draws out our interest and strength that must be pruned and cleansed away. It is only as our will and strength and effort and pleasure, even where these appear perfectly natural and sinless, are cut down so that the whole energies of our being are free and open to receive the sap of the Heavenly vine, the H.S. that we shall bear much fruit.

It is through the surrender of what nature holds fast, through the full and willing submission to God's Holy pruning knife that we shall come to what Christ  has chosen and appointed us for, to bear fruit that whatsoever we ask the Father in Christ's Name He may give it to us.

What is the pruning knife? Jesus said, 'You are clean through the Word.....' The Word of God is sharper than....'  'Sanctify them through thy Truth....'  What heart searching words Christ had spoken to His disciples in love and humility, on being the least and, like Himself, the servant of all. On denying  self, taking up the Cross and loosing the life.

Through His Word the Father cut away all confidence in themselves or the world and prepared them for the inflowing  and filling of the Spirit of the Heavenly vine. It is not we who can cleanse ourselves. God is the vinedresser. We may confidently entrust ourselves to His care.

Joshua 6:1-21.

Three lessons from the Book of Joshua:

1.The absolute faithfulness of God

2. The gifts of God and His blessings

3. The hatred of God for sin

God intended Israel to be taken to the land of  Canaan but they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because of their disobedience -Deut.8:7-9,15.

They had their trials in the wilderness. The first thing they came up to when they left the wilderness was a walled city. We do not meet walled cities in Heaven. Canaan was something different from Egypt (the world we live in under the control of Satan:-Satan's world). There should be no Jericho in Canaan. In the spiritual life there should be no Egypt.

Jericho must be overcome. It was on the border, before crossing into Canaan. They overcame it in order to occupy the promised land, God was with them. Some people have Jerichos in their lives and are hindered from following Jesus.

God insisted that the people of Jericho be driven out-Deut.18:9-14. God intended to bring His people into a rich place, flowing with milk and honey. To get into the place God wants us, we must get Jericho out of the way. No compromise.

We must get rid of all flesh. Our heart is the property of the H.S. No flesh should be entertained in it. If we want to advance with God we must do it His way.

The pre-eminent place was given to the Ark. It led all the way. Jesus should have the pre-eminence in our hearts. God was with Israel conquering Jericho-Jos.5:13-15. He was also working from inside Jericho (Rahab).

God's Word has the means of getting in though men try and stop it Jos.5:1. Jericho was shut up but God said go in and take it.

We have problems and impossibilities but God is able to shift all difficulties before us. God would work, but Israel had to obey.

There is a prize to be won, but there is also something we must do. They had to walk round Jericho blowing  horns. It would seem a foolish way to do it.

I may not see the results but I should keep going. It's a test of faith. God could have brought the wall down the first day, but they had to obey. I should keep going into the alleyways and byways. 

If they had not stuck by what they promised God, they would not   have seen the wall come down. They kept going without any sign of encouragement. It was tough going but God honoured their faith.

We like to see results immediately, but God works in His own time. Moses was in a hurry but God sent him to Midian for 40 years. The disciples said, 'Lord why can't we cast him out?, but Jesus said this needs prayer and fasting'.

When they shouted at God's command, the wall came down, not before. But Jericho had its temptations- Achan and the Babylonish garment. The punishment was  harsh, no compromise with sin and disobedience- 'A little leaven, leavens the whole lump'.

When Jericho was taken the way was open for the conquest of Canaan, but they had to fight all the way. God knows before He calls us to Salvation that we have to face the unknown, full of difficulties, so He made provision to guide and lead us in our Christian lives.

The cloud by day and the pillar of fire guaranteed a sure compass to the Israelites all the way to Canaan.

We are reminded of Paul and his companions in the Acts on their journeys in Asia. The H.S. repeatedly forbade them to go into various regions where they desired to go. Only when they reached Troas did they realized why. God revealed His will in a vision to Paul. It is the same with us when our desires push us in various directions, until the H.S. says "not this way". We should be thankful to our God who in His Mercy saw the need to guide and lead us from the moment we decided to follow Christ. It is part of our calling. His leading and guidance is not an emergency act but a carefully planned road that He wants us to follow.

What is our responsibility in all this?

Obedience that says-not my will but yours be done.

Sometimes we may find ourselves perplexed but let us be careful to show the right attitude, not like the Israelites. Their  disobedience and rebellions led them to destruction and a 40 year delay in reaching their destination. 'Today if you hear His voice harden not your hears.....'

 

Joshua 7:1-15

The hatred of God for sin.

Though God leads His people to Victory, Satan will do his best to rob them of the fruits of victory.

The sad story of Achan illustrates this in our lives. Though we may hide any sin in our lives, no such thing can be hid from God's eyes-Heb.4:13.

God's command to the Israelites concerning Jericho was clear. They should not touch any of the wealth of the city or  appropriate it for their personal property. We may think that was a hard command for warriors who are entitled to the spoils of war.

We think sometimes that we are also entitled to some award for our labour as workers of the Gospel, but God says that 'what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination....' Luke 16:15.

Achan thought that a bit of gold and fancy garments would not matter if he took them. It is the same for any worker for the Gospel. We are called to fight God's battles as the soldiers of God's army. He provides the weapons which are sanctified to be used in holiness and in obedience to His call. Every effort on our behalf must be dedicated to the cause of the Gospel and offered on the altar of sacrifice.

A perfect offering unblemished in the sight of God. Nothing marred or defective would be accepted by Jehovah on the altar of sacrifice.

God was fighting in the midst of the Israelite host. Where sin is to be found, God is not to be found. A Babylonish garment was an offence to God's holiness, therefore His presence was excluded in the Israelite host. Paul the Apostle writing in Corinthians says, 'a little leaven, leavens to whole lump'. Even the smallest sin in the Church can act like a cancer that spreads and mars the whole congregation.

The defeat at Ai warned of disaster for the Israelite force. It had to be dealt severely, lest disaster overcame them. We cannot afford to leave sin unattended in our lives or in the Church.

Jesus said, 'If your eye is single your whole body is full of light'.

The tragic story of Achan is a lesson for us and the whole Church of God. God will not tolerate sin in us or in the Church. If we want to fight God's battles we must do it on God's  terms.