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Crossing the Jordan, Part 4 - The priests remained standing

Joshua 4v10-18

16th October 2015

We've been reading about the day the Israelites crossed the dry bed of the River Jordan to enter the promised land of Canaan. The story is summarised in these words:

Joshua 4v10-11
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, 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.

I know that being a priest is not the same thing as being a leader, but perhaps we can learn some lessons about Christian leadership from these verses.

The story of the priests standing in the river while everybody else passed across, speaks to me about prayer. To be a priest, it's sometimes said, is to represent man before God and to represent God before man - to intercede. Isn't that what the priests were doing? All Christian leaders, and that includes all mature Christians, not just those with acknowledged leadership roles in the church, should pray constantly, interceding for their friends and fellow-Christians.

The priests in this story demonstrate one of the most important aspects of the mature Christian life: They remained standing. You might like to think about Ephesians 6v13-14a: "Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then".

The priests stood firm in the middle of the Jordan. The mature Christian stands where the action is, where the danger is, where he can do the most good. And they stayed there until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people. The mature stay at their post until everybody else has done his part. Finally, they stood firm, playing their full part, so that that what was done was just as Moses had directed Joshua. They remembered their leaders, and what they'd said.

We read that The people hurried over. I'm sure they did. And 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. The priests had done their duty. They'd held up the Ark - the glory of God. They'd served the people. And they were tired. After what must have been a long day, they came up out of the river bed to rest. Did the people help? No. They just watched. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this part of the story, but part of being a mature Christian is serving while other people just watch you do it, without complaining.

Jesus hung on a cross while his friends just watched.

Joshua 4v12
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.

A long time before, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had asked for permission to settle east of the Jordan. Moses had agreed, but only on the condition that they fight with the other tribes to conquer Canaan first. We see here that they complied with that condition, and were the first to cross, as a gesture of commitment. Never make your Christian brothers and sisters wonder whether you'll honour your promise to help them. Be the first to start work.

Joshua 4v13
About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.

This number helps us to understand the magnitude of the miracle God performed in holding up the river so they could cross. I don't know how long it takes 40,000 armed men, plus women, children and those too old or too young to fight, to cross a river bed that's 100 yards wide. I do know that God stopped the water flowing long enough to keep them safe. And He can do whatever it takes to keep us safe.

Joshua 4v13
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.

Joshua was just a man, as Moses was just a man, and you're just a man, or a woman. But God did great things through Joshua, and God can do great things through you. If you will hear His voice, and obey it, then God will exalt you among His people exactly as much as He wants to. I don't think God exalted Joshua for his sake; I think he did it so the people would have confidence in their leadership.

The story ends with these words:

Joshua 4v15-18
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan." So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan." 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.

The water remained backed up for exactly as long as the people needed it to be. When they'd crossed, the waters returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

God makes it possible for us to cross any river that's in front of us. But we need to faith and obedience to cross it at the time God makes it possible.