Joshua 3

Joshua 3:1-6

The chapter, 1. opens with the march of Israel to the hands of Jordan, ver. 1. 2. After three days rest, proclamation is made to the

Before Chill 1411.

the people, to follow the priests bearing the ark, ver. 2—6. 3. God promises to magnify Joshua, ver. 7, 8. 4. The people are informed of what God is about to do for them, ver. 9—13. 5. The most corresponds thereunto, ver. 14—17.

1. AND Joshua role early in the morning, and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2. And it came to pals after three days, that the officers went through the holt; 3. And they commanded the people, saying, ‘when ye feel the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God,’ and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 4. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by mastic: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way; heretofore. 5. And Joshua said unto the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves: for to-morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 6. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and pals over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

All things being now ready for their march, they advance to the banks of Jordan. Joshua very early in the morning, as a diligent commander, arises to his work. They who have business that calls them, must not be flumbering on their beds. Proclamation is now made through the birth, to observe the following orders: To follow the ark as their guide, the cloud having probably departed from them at Moses’ death; the priests were to bear it, and lead the way, and they at an humble distance must go after it; God undertaking to find them a path that had never been pulled before, and to lead them safely through. Note, (1.) They who follow the word of God as their guide, will walk in the right way. (2.) The priests who hold forth this word, must not only go before the people in their ministrations of it, but lead them also by their examples. (3.) Though they who bear the ark, are more exposed than others, they need not fear, their charge shall be their protection. (4.) Death is a path untried, but if God’s presence and promises be with us, we shall not fear, these will guide and guard us safely through the dark valley. 2. They are commanded to Sanctify themselves, to choose themselves from all ceremonial defilement, and by exercises of devotion, and purification of their hearts from moral pollutions, prepare for the mercies God was ready to shew them, and the wonders he was about to work on their behalf. Note, They who would pass the firemen of death comfortably, must have no unrepented sin upon their conscience: in order to see God, we must be pure in heart. 3. Joshua gives the order to the priests to take up the ark of the covenant, and they with readiness obey him, and march before the people to the brink of the river. Note, They who are sure they are in the way of duty, will follow God with comfort and confidence, though insurmountable difficulties in human estimation seem to obstruct their passage.

7. ¶ And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. 8. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. 9. ¶ And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. 10. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Cananites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgathites, and the Amorites, and the Jebutites. 11. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth, passeth over before you into Jordan. 12. Now therefore take ye twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 13. And it shall come to pals, 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 from the waters that come down from above: and they shall stand upon an heap.

Joshua 3:7-13

God being now about to bring his people into the land of promise, under their new general, He is pleased.

1. To put a mark of distinguished honour upon him, by speaking to him from the mercy-beat, before the ark removed, assuring him publically of his presence with him at the banks of

Jordan, as distinguishably as it had been with Moses, at the heirs of God, and the priests themselves are to be under his direction, and receive their orders from him. Note, (1.) Those who honour God, he will honour. (2.) It was at Bethabara, the place where Joshua passed, that Jesus was baptized, and entered upon his ministry, of bringing God’s Israel to their rest in glory. (3.) It is the duty of magistrates to stir up ministers to their work, as it should be their delight to be ready to execute every plan proposed for the good of immortal souls.

2. Joshua communicates to the people God’s design of dividing the waters of Jordan, and from such a miraculous instance of God’s favour to them, infers the certain victory which they should gain over all their enemies. He who went before them down into Jordan, would go up before them utterly to expel the nations of Canaan; and when they had seen with their eyes the waters dried up, they might no more doubt their possessing the land whither they were thus led. Note, The wondrous preservation, and the repeated mercies every believer is daily receiving from God, should be improved as a comfortable ground of confidence in security. He who leads us thus the dangers of to-day, will preserve us amidst the trials of tomorrow; and as we have found him our support in life, we shall also find him our strength and comfort in death.

3. Twelve men are selected from the several tribes, ready to receive the farther orders which should be issued.

4. ¶ And it came to pals when the people removed from their terns, to pals over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 15. And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water (for Jordan over, floweth all his banks all the time of harvest.) 16. That the waters which came down from above, stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zartan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, rose the fair-tea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Joshua 3:14-17

Now was the glorious power of God to be magnified for his Israel. Advancing under his orders, though no way appeared, the priests reached the river’s bank, much wider and deeper than usual, owing to the melting of the snow from mount Lebanon, in the month of Nifan, answering to part of March and April, when their barley harvest began. But no sooner had their feet touched the waters, than they had before them; part rolled backward to their fountains, part ran down into the lake of Sodom, and left a space of 10 or 15 miles dry, for the ranfomed of the Lord to pals over. Note, (1.) The greatness of our difficulties shall only the more magnify the power of God, in overcoming them for us. (2.) When we have an interest in a covenant God, and follow in simplicity the ark Christ, we shall find the passage of death as easy, as to Israel it was to pals through the bed of the river, when the waters were dried up.—To assure the people of the safety of the passage, God’s ark stands in the midst till all are passed over: to encourage them to venture through, God’s priests, as they entered first, stay till the last man has gained the opposite flow. Note, (1.) God’s ministers must be the first to brave danger, and the last to regard their own safety. (2.) Where God’s covenant in Christ is established, no firemen of wrath can overwhelm the soul. The place of their passage was opposite to Jericho, and not a man was left by the way. It could not but strike terror and confusion into their enemies, to see such a miracle: it could not fail to inspire themselves with confidence of success. What city could stand before those, to whom the very elements ministered, and whom the omnipotent God led as their captain. Note, Nothing can withstand the people of God in their passage to glory: in vain the world, or sin, or death, obstruct the way, God will cleave before them the deep waters, till the last believer is passed over, and not one soul shall be lost of all whom Jesus hath redeemed with his precious blood.