Crossing at Flood Stage
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
Timing is everything – so they say. Have you ever wondered about God’s timing? Joshua may have felt the same way when he went to lead the people of Israel into the Promise Land. After 40 years of wondering in the desert, they were finally back at the Jordan River. God had been preparing them to take possession of the Promised Land. A trip from Egypt that could have lasted only a few weeks had now lasted more than a generation. What was worse, at the very time that God said to cross over, the Jordan was at full flood stage. This was the worst possible time to cross at the Jericho crossing. Joshua 3:14-15a says:
“So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.”
Can you imagine standing on the eastern shore of those cliffs, looking down into the river valley and seeing that mighty river, dark with mud from seasonal rains? Many probably said, “Wait! We’ve been waiting 40 years. What would it hurt to wait 40 days.” Timing is everything. The only reason that I can think of for God to move the people at this time was glory – God’s glory. Jericho needed to tremble at the hand of God. Something miraculous needed to happen to show that God had done it. So God said move forward. Here’s what happened next: (more…)
