Right Understanding
Opening Prayer
Lord, give me a right understanding of what You are doing in and through me at the moment.
Read Joshua 4:10-24
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[10] Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, [11] and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. [12] The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. [13] About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war. [14] That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. [15] Then the LORD said to Joshua, [16] “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” [17] So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” [18] And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. [19] On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. [20] And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. [21] He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ [22] tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ [23] For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. [24] He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How did God respond to faithful obedience?Aware of their vulnerability and awe-struck at God’s power, the people hasten across the Jordan river (11), preceded by the vanguard (12). Then the ark is brought close to the western bank. It appears that God wants what’s been accomplished to be rightly understood by both Israel and the nations in the land.At God’s command given through Joshua, the priests come out of the Jordan carrying the ark and the waters return to their normal path (15–18). This is just what Joshua had prophesied (3: 9–13), and so it reinforces his authority. The people transfer to Joshua the reverence they’d held for Moses (14), correctly understanding that his authority has been given publicly by God.Setting up the stones causes Israel to reflect upon what’s happened, both then and in coming generations (21,22). The stones are a standing reminder of God’s power to save, explicitly compared here with the crossing of the Red Sea (23). Israel thus understands that God is to be feared (24).The nations, too, rightly come to fear the Lord and his judgement (Leviticus 18:24–28), and leave Israel’s landing uncontested (Joshua 5:1).
Apply
Pray for local leaders you know – in business, politics, education and the local church – to have a right heart toward God.
Closing prayer
Good Shepherd, thank You that You lead me beside waters that You have quieted.
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