Joshua 1:1-9 KJV Now after the death of Moses the
servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of
Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise,
go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give
to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I
given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river
Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the
going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of
thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee,
nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a
good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the
land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant
commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou
mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that
thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of
a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God
is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Deuteronomy 1:1-8 KJV These be the words which Moses spake unto all
Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red
sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb
by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)
3 And it came to pass in the
fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses
spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given
him in commandment unto them; 4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the
Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at
Astaroth in Edrei: 5 On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab,
began Moses to declare this law, saying,
6 The LORD our God spake unto us
in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 7 Turn
you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all
the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in
the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto
Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go
in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
It
was a land promised hundreds of years before, to Abraham, Isaac and then Jacob.
The Children of Israel stood on the verge of fulfilling their call, yet failed
because of an evil report. It is an all too tragic fact that many have drawn
back at the very moment when they should have pushed on.
It
makes no sense to swim halfway across the river then turn back because you are
afraid you will not make it fully across!
It
seemed the logical thing to do in enlightening Israel concerning the obstacles
ahead and it was! It's always good to know what you have to face! The follow up
speech however served to create a nation of craven cowards who were afraid to
proceed, but rather wanted to go backwards. We will always be confronted with
new challenges and the accompanying dangers as we move forward. But remember
the old saying: Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
What shall we then say to these things? If God be
for us, who can be against us? Romans
8:31 KJV
Like
I said before, It's always good to know what you have to face! But it is much
more vital to know Who is on your side when you are facing the enemy! Crossing
Jordan requires fortitude, focus and faith in God.
People
who fail to move into new territory are condemned to spend the rest of their
lives moving in endless non productive circles. They usually get the faithful
entangled in their barren wasted years of wandering in circles until the cycle
is broken.
People
who fail to move onto new challenges, new commissions and new consecrations are
condemned to the wilderness of cynical, cyclical and critical carping and
complaining. They are not satisfied with the way things are but are never
willing to step out into the deep waters of challenging undertakings because they
are always citing previous tries and failures. They have toiled all night and
caught nothing. It becomes senseless to expect anything now. It's past the
time. I've tried and I've failed. How about trying again, this time with
Jesus!? Now when he had left speaking, he
said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a
draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto
him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless
at thy word I will let down the net. Luke 5:4-5 KJV
Both
Ruth and Orpah were made acquainted with the expected hardship they were
traveling towards as they approached Jordan River. Orpah made what was probably
deemed a sensible decision, and turned back to familiar territory and
anonymity, forever a type of those who are content to remain unchallenged,
uncaring, uncommitted, and unconsecrated! They remain the types who are content
to lean on their own understanding and not trust in the Lord. Orpah's
father-in-law Elimelech made that same logical and supposedly sound decision
when he dragged his family with him to Moab some ten years before!
Nothing
is wrong with formulating plans and making decisions, but it is important after
all the planning, for the believer to go to God with this plan and let His Word
judge it and then to stand on what God tells him to do...for better or worse!
And I have news for you God will NEVER contradict His Word! Trust
in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
Ruth
trusted Yahweh "...your God will be my God...!" She crossed Jordan
right into the eternal pages of the Redemption Story! She moved right into new
territory and faced new challenges to rise up and become a famous mother in
Israel and an ancestress of our Savior! But she had to cross Jordan!
Every
pawn on the chessboard is a potential queen but it will never experience
coronation until it leaves first base in a persistent forward movement through
enemy territory! Each pawn will take a different route for each starts from a
different square but its movement should ever be forward if it is to be
promoted! It does not get to be queen
until it reaches the final rank! Any permanent stop at any other rank is a
failure to achieve its potential!
There
are no two snowflakes alike and there have been multiplied billions of them in
the course of time! Similarly there are no two persons alike not matter how
sure you may be that they are. We are each different individuals with different
levels of understanding and at different levels of development. We may not
start out from the same place but we are surely heading towards the same place
via the Cross! And God deals with you according to your build and make up for
He knows you more than anyone else!
In crossing
Jordan we are entering into new territory.
Hopping
from one church to another is not moving to new territory and challenges.
Oftentimes church hopping is simply the way a believer does an Orpah and get
away from challenges. In new territory we face new challenges and we are
confronted with new problems to which we must find solutions. In our own family
we will find ourselves thus confronted sometimes daily. We do not run away from
it all but we find solutions as we trust in God. What did God tell Joshua? Only
be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to
all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the
right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success. Joshua 1:7-8 KJV
This
is when spiritual growth occurs and where spiritual growth takes place. Faith
is tried and tested and proven when it is worked! Without works it is dead! Yea,
a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy
works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is
one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou
know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:18-20 KJV
In crossing
Jordan we are facing new enemies.
They
may appear new now but they were the same enemies that their fathers ran from
about 40 years before. The enemy did not disappear but remained there larger
than life and still a very formidable threat. We will find that we cannot run
away from our problems. They will not go away. Running away only complicates
things and delays the inevitable. God will bring you right back to the place
where you ran even if He has to charter for you your own sea going vessel to do
so! Ask Jonah! In God's school you do not graduate unless you have successfully
completed the course. There is no entitlement here! What we need to remember
however is that God has promised and HE does not lie!
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee
all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will
not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this
people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their
fathers to give them. Joshua 1:5-6 KJV
In crossing
Jordan the manna stops and we live off the land!
When
we make that new commitment to God we will find that life in not the same. The
manna has stopped. We have to live off the fruit of the land and therefore have
to do some real working of the land!
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and
kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of
Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the
passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna
ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither
had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the
land of Canaan that year. Joshua 5:10-12 KJV
Miracles
do not make one mature and are not an indication of maturity. Israel
experienced the miracle of manna day by day in the wilderness. All they had to
do was pick it up as instructed. They had water miraculously and had the
tangible visible presence of God in the camp. That did not mean they were
mature or high up in God's estimation. Actually there were on a circular march
of death due to disobedience and rebellion. In Canaan they had to plant in
cooperation with God expecting an increase from Him. Today many are inclined to
follow after and emphasize miracles as though it is a sign of maturity on
Christ. Never in the pages of the gospels do we find Jesus emphasizing signs
and miracles. Rather He continually exalted His Father and all signs and
miracles served to show men the glory of the Father.
Of
course miracles occurred in Canaan too! Look
however at the way the miracles differed. And Moses stretched out his hand over the
sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that
night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children
of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters
were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Exodus 14:21-22
KJV
And it shall come to pass, 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. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass
over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
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
overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came
down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam,
that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain,
even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right
against Jericho. 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 3:13-17 KJV
In
the former the waters parted first before the people crossed. In the latter the
waters parted only when the feet of the priests touched it in on obedience to
God!
Jericho
fell after a week of obedience to God’s command! It was now a case where man
had more responsibility. When they exited Egypt it was without one sick or
feeble among them as God unbidden, performed a major healing on the nation.
People fail to
cross Jordan because they think too much of themselves.
People fail to
cross Jordan because they are not keen to face the enemy.
People fail to
cross Jordan because they are not willing to make the effort
People fail to
cross Jordan because they contented with the status quo
In
our daily lives we will be faced with new challenges, new issues, and new
problems. It may seem daunting but when we realize that we are not alone in
this but we have One who said "...I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:5-6 KJV
We
should therefore look forward with confidence to new challenges, new planning,
new advances, new directions, new goals, and it won’t be too long before we are
rejoicing in new victories. When our
church never move and never progress we need to examine how willing or
reluctant we are to engage in new territories under the guidance of the Lord.
It is foolish presumption to take it upon ourselves to give advice to God or to
think we are more capable of determining what is best for us. No one can
imagine trusting themselves to a blind chauffeur! "...Can the blind lead the
blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Luke 6:39 KJV
How
much more foolish are we when we presume to know more than God who dwell in
eternity where past and future are all present before Him? He sees the
beginning and the ending as continuously present before Him.
Do
not be satisfied or contented in the same territory or make tabernacles. And
after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth
them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured
before them. 3 And his raiment became
shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with
Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be
here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and
one for Elias. 6 For he wist not what to
say; for they were sore afraid. 7 And
there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud,
saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. Mark 9:2-7 KJV
Many
times we prefer that with which we are familiar and friendly. We tend to
surround ourselves with a personal armor that will not be penetrated and
therefore often shut the Lord out so He ends up outside our lives saying, Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 KJV
It
is imperative that we listen to the voice of God than follow the carnal advice
of mere men. More often the carnal advice of men will distract us from the
perfect will of God.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted
loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any
means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had
already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I
may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I
count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. Philippians 3:7-14 KJV
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