STUDY THEME: MODEL OF OBEDIENCE 9-16-01.

“LEAVING A LEGACY”. JOSHUA 3:9-10a, 14-17, 4: 15-24.

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO JOSHUA 3.

After mourning the death of Moses for thirty days, the Hebrew people at last had to move across the Jordan River in order to conquer the land that God had promised to them. It would not be an easy task! The Jordan River flooded every year in the last spring when the melting snows of Mt. Hermon in the far north came rushing down the Jordan River. This was the season when the Hebrew people were to cross it. It posed a major problem both in their faith as well as to their physical lives!

But God wanted not only the people to trust Him, He wanted future generations to know what He had done for the Hebrew people. Therefore, God commanded Joshua and the Hebrew people to take some stones out of the riverbed and put them in a memorial on the bank so that future generations would see the pile of stones and inquire about them. In response, the Hebrew people would tell their descendants how God had delivered them across the river into the promised-land. It would be a visible memorial to future generations as to the power and grace of God and also the rewards of faithful obedience to God’s commands.

The suggested “Biblical Truth” for today’s lesson is that obedience to God influences one’s contemporaries and provides a legacy of faithfulness to succeeding generations. The suggested “Life Impact” is to help us to leave a legacy of obedience to God. In Vs. 8 the priests who bore the ark were commanded to stand in the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant. This took real faith to walk into the swift river.

The dictionary gives two basic definitions of the word legacy. One is a gift by will, especially of money or other personal property. The other is something received from an ancestor or predecessors or from the past.

In a “Secular World View”, people often are concerned to leave a legacy of material things. They have less concern about leaving a legacy of moral and spiritual values, for their children and future generations.

In a Biblical “World View”, believers want to leave for their children and future generations a legacy of faith and obedience to God. They thus take actions to leave this kind of legacy. Over time, a lifestyle of obedience to the Lord becomes a legacy to all who come after us.

1. PLEASE READ JOSHUA 3: 9-10a

Rahab, in mentioning to the spies the drying up of the Red Sea in Josh 2:10, the report of which terrified the Canaanites more than anything else, intimates that those on that side of the water expected that the Jordan, that great defense of their country, would in like manner give way to them. Whether the Israelites had any expectation of it does not appear. Now we are told in Josh.3: 1 that they had come to an upper terrace of the Valley of the Jordan and lodged there some six miles from the river; directly across the river from Jericho. Though they were not yet told how they should pass the river, and were unprepared for the passing of it in any ordinary way, yet they went forward in faith, having been told in Josh 1:11 that they should pass through it.

Before entering the Promised Land, the Israelites were to perform a consecration or purification ceremony. This was often done before making a sacrifice or, as in this case, before witnessing a great act of God. Just before crossing over into the Promised Land, Joshua gathered the people to hear the words of the Lord. Their excitement was so high. No doubt they wanted to rush on, but Joshua made them stop and listen. In vs. 9 Joshua beckoned the Israelites to come closer so that they could hear the Word of the Lord. He would give them proof that God was among them.

It is easy to get caught up in our tasks, becoming too busy for what God says is most important—listening to His Words. Before making our schedule, we should take time to focus on what God wants from all our activities. Knowing what God has said, before we rush into our day may help us avoid foolish mistakes.

The long years of wandering were over. At last the Israelites stood poised to enter the Promised Land. Yet ahead of them were two barriers—the Jordan River at flood stage and the fortified city of Jericho. Joshua could not understand why, in Ch. 1 the Lord had three times repeated “Be strong and of good courage.” He was now the captain, but here was a great Commander-in-chief who gave to him his marching orders.

Joshua’s statement in Vs. 13 must have sounded impossible to the people. Joshua is not simply stating that the living God is with them. He is affirming that the God who marches with Israel is one who is able to act and to perform mighty deeds in contrast to the pagan gods that have eyes but cannot see.

The results of their obedience would be that they would know that the living God was among them. This would be the first result of their obedience. Later the Word of the Lord showed that this miracle would also make God known to people other than the Israelites and also to the descendants of the Israelites in future generations.

Why would God help the Israelites drive out these nations from their native land? God had punished Israel first for its disobedience. He then turned to the rest of the nations. Genesis 15:16 implies that the people of Canaan were wicked and deserved to be punished for their terrible sins. Israel was to be a vehicle for this punishment. More important was the fact that Israel, as a holy nation, could not live among such evil and idolatrous people. To do so would be to invite sin into their lives The only way to prevent Israel from being infected by evil religions was to drive out those who practiced them. Israel, however, failed to drive everyone out as God told them to do. It wasn’t long before Israel—the nation God chose to be His holy people—began following the evil practices of the Canaanites.

2. PLEASE READ JOSHUA 3: 14-17

The Israelites were eager to enter the Promised Land, conquer the nations, and live peacefully. But first they had to cross the flood-level waters of the Jordan River. God gave them specific instructions, in order to cross. Vs. 14 shows that the priests and people followed instructions about the line of march. The people came out of their tents and they followed the priests bearing the ark of the covenant. They knew that the crossing was impossible, humanly speaking. Harvest time in the ancient land of Canaan was during what we know as spring months—March through May. During that time the Jordan River was at flood stage. Easily forded at other times of the year, the Jordan poised a seemingly insurmountable barrier to Joshua and the thousands of Israelites. It would take a miracle for the people to continue their advance with children and cattle.

What occurred was because of the reality behind the ark, not because of the priests’ abilities. The Lord performed a miracle. He caused the waters to stop flowing, as the people were obedient to His instructions. In following the ark they must keep their distance. They must none of them come within a thousand yards of the ark. Thus, it was better seen by those that were to be led by it.

Notice when the waters stopped flowing. This did not happen until the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water. As soon as the priests’ who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from up stream stopped flowing. What if these priests had been afraid to take that first step? Often God provides no solution to our problems until we trust Him and move ahead with what we know we should do.

The water piled up some 16 miles to the north at a place called Adam near Zarethan. Below Adam to the south the water flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off. Thus the children of Israel crossed over opposite Jericho on dry land.

To emphasize the miracle of the Lord opening a passage for Israel through the swollen Jordan, the writer of Joshua said the waters stopped flowing and they piled up. They were completely cut off. As a symbol of God’s protection while Israel crossed, the priests who carried the ark stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. The Lord not only parted the water, but He also kept the water piled up until the last of His children crossed safely.

Forty thousand armed soldiers from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh whose families settled on the eastern shore of the Jordan led the way.

While Ch. 3 views the crossing from east of the Jordan, Ch. 4 views it from the west side inside Canaan.

PLEASE TURN TO JOSHUA 4.

3. PLEASE READ JOSHUA 4: 15-22

In Joshua 3:12 and again in Joshua 4:2 Joshua had commanded that a man should be selected from each of the12 tribes but didn't say for what purpose. In Vs. 5 each of the 12 men is commanded to take up a stone from the dry riverbed. These would be carried to Gilgal, some 2 miles east of Jericho, where the Israelites would camp that night. Later they would make this the center of their military operations. The Gilgal memorial stones were to serve an important purpose. The stones would be a powerful witness of God’s redeeming love.

In Vs. 9 we read they also set up anther 12 stones in the midst of the Jordan so the top could be seen above the waters. So here were two memorials to this wonderful miracle that could be used later to remind future generations of what God had done. These two memorials of 12 stones were to be a constant reminder of the day the Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. The sign being doubled, left no doubt that the thing was certain.

Their children would see the stones, hear the story, and learn about God. Through these memorials Israel left her descendants a legacy of obedience. Deut. 6:5-9 commanded Israelite parents to speak of their faith to their children. In Eph. 6:4 fathers were told to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In 2 Tim. 1:5 the faith of Timothy had been planted by his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice.

Parenting is a great responsibility. Responsible parents want to leave a worthy legacy for their children. Many think only of the money and property left in their estate. But a moral and spiritual legacy is more important. James Dobson is right in what he said about many parents who were raised in Christian homes but who neglect to give the same legacy to their children because they are too busy working to buy themselves and their children a high standard of living. ‘We are so busy giving our children what we never had that we forge to give them what we did have.”

One of the tragedies of life is when parents fail to give to their children what God wants every child to have. Parents owe their children to love God, each other, and their children. This takes an investment of time and energy, a life of faith and love, and teaching the children by word and deed.

Many people have not made a will. This is unwise because without a will, the state will divide one’s estate in ways the deceased did not intend. The Baptist Foundation of Okla. Will pay for the making of a will or a trust or both if you will designate some Baptist cause to receive a portion of your estate. Robert Kellog of our church is Vice President of the Foundation and very knowledgeable of these matters.

Peter Marshall’s widow, Catherine Marshall told of her experience of going through her father’s things after his death. She mentioned two things that impressed her. One was his checkbook, showing a balance of 65 cents. Her father was a minister who never had much of the world’s goods. She also found a letter she had written to him not long before his death. She was glad that she had written this while he still could read it. In her letter she had written these words: “You and Mother gave me the most gorgeous childhood any little girl ever had, because you gave so much of yourself…But of course, the greatest thing that you and Mother did for us was to bequeath us the sure knowledge of the love and goodness of God abroad in the world.”

4. PLEASE READ JOSHUA 4: 23-24

The presence of the stone memorials would provide Israel and opportunity to bear an important testimony. Through the stones, the Israelites could testify to their descendants. Also, Israel could bear a witness to nations other than itself.

When future generations of Israelites asked their fathers about the meaning of the stones, the fathers could point out how the Lord God performed a miracle in the crossing, bringing Israel across on dry land. He dried up the Jordan for Joshua’s generation as He dried up the Red Sea for Moses’ generation. The stones testified to God’s grace and power in bringing Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua said to the Israelites that because the Lord is the Lord your God, their descendants would have the same God as Moses and Joshua had.

The stones also witnessed to others. As a reminder of the miracle of the crossing, they gave all the peoples of the earth a message concerning Israel’s God. That message was that they might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful. God wanted the nations to know that He was the powerful God of all the world. Also God wanted the next generation of Israelites to always fear the Lord your God.

When the Israelites acted in faith and obedience by marching into the flooded Jordan River, the Lord stopped the river’s flow until all could pass safely over. As God had instructed, they built a memorial of 12 stones as a way of leaving a legacy of faith and obedience to future generations. The purpose of the crossing of the Jordan was that the Israelites might fear the Lord and that people of other nations would hear about the power of the God of Israel.

The Lord was the God of Israel. But He also wants to be the God of all people. In His covenant with Abraham, the Lord had revealed his ultimate purpose of blessing all the peoples of the earth through Abraham. The apostle Paul taught in Gal. 3: 16 that the Lord’s covenant with Abraham was fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ. The Lord’s deliverance from sin—pictured in Israel’s exodus from Egyptian slavery and their possession of the promised land—was ultimately and fully accomplished through Jesus Christ and is offered today to all people on earth.

God had parted the waters of the Red Sea to let the people out of Egypt, and here He parted the Jordan River to let them enter Canaan. These miracles showed Israel that God keeps His promises. God ‘s presence among His people, and His faithfulness to them, made the entire journey from Egypt to the Promised Land possible. He was with them at the end of their wanderings, just as He was with them in the beginning.

After all Israel had come up out of the river, the Lord commanded Joshua to instruct the priests carrying the ark of the Testimony to come up out of the river. They had stood firm in their place until the Lord commanded them to come out. Just standing in the middle of the riverbed must have taken courage and faith. Yet they had been faithful, and God held back the waters. So Joshua gave the priests the Lord’s command and the Priests came out of the river to the dry ground. When they did, He released the waters to their normal flood stage. God was in control.

Israel came out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. That day also was the day the Passover lamb was selected in preparation for the observation of Passover. According to Josh. 5:10-12 they celebrated this important feast a few days later. Israel had come out of Egypt on that day, and Israel came out of the Jordan River on that day. This served to tie the crossing of the Jordan River to the earlier miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea. The relation of the two miracles is spelled out in Vs. 23.

CONCLUSIONS:

Sometimes it is easy to obey the commands of God but at other times it can seem very difficult because the obstacles may seem so great!

Sometimes Christians may feel that God is asking too much of them, but we must always trust that God knows best

Obstacles to us today may appear to be as great as the Jordan River was to the Hebrew people in the time of Joshua but ours is the same God with the same great power.

The Bible teaches from the beginning to end that obedience is absolutely necessary if God’s people are to see the power of God in their lives.

God’s people need to setup visible memorials from time to time in order to teach future generations about what God has done in their lives.

Just as the Hebrew people set up a pile of stones to remind them of God’s deliverance, so Christians today need to teach our children the great truths of our experiences along life’s way a we have seen the miraculous powers of God in our own lives.

Of course, the greatest memorial sign is that of the cross, which reminds us of God’s infinite love and of our infinite sinfulness and His incredible grace in saving us.

NEXT SUNDAY FROM JOSHUA 6 WE FIND THAT GOD EXPECTS HIS PEOPLE ALWAYS TO OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS, EVEN IF THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND ALL THE REASONS FOR HIS COMMANDS. A.V. DAUGHERTY 9-16-01

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