This morning we see Israel coming to that verge of Jordan, and indeed the anxieties would be high. You know, we have a marvelous God who is able to save. So we turn this morning to Joshua chapter 3. Joshua chapter 3, we'll read the entire chapter this morning. This moment of entering the promised land, they've just They've just encountered Rahab, who helped hide the spies, and now they are at the Jordan River at a difficult time of year when they would seem to have no way to cross it. So, congregation of Christ, hear with me the Word of God. Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan. He and all the children of Israel enlodged there before they crossed over. And so it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp, and they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests and the Levites bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.' And Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.' Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people. So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. And the Lord said to Joshua, this day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You shall command the priests to bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying, when you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in their Jordan. So Joshua said to the children of Israel, come here and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, by this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites, the Hivites and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites and the Ammonites and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore take for yourselves twelve men from each from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off the waters that came down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap. And so it was when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people. And as soon as those who bore the Ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the Ark dipped in the edge of the water, for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest, that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the sea of Arba, the salt sea, failed and were cut off. And the people crossed over opposite Jericho. And then the priest who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan. And all Israel crossed over on dry ground until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan. Thus far the reading of God's holy and perfect word. May his name be ever praised. With congregation, how many of us grew up bringing our broken toys to our dads and asking them to fix them for us? Whether it was something that needed just maybe a little dab of glue, or something puzzling that needed to be put back together again. Whatever it was, it seemed like dad, of all people, would be able to solve our problem. Seeing what he could do would build our confidence in his abilities. If my daddy can fix my bike, well, surely then he can fix anything. Well, children, perhaps you like to watch your daddy do his handiwork. I remember watching my dad fix all sorts of toys. I did it with fascination. I'd hover near his workbench to see what he was doing. And I was in awe of what he could do. I trusted that if I had a problem, my dad could fix it. I need not worry. Just watch. My dad can do it." Well, today we see the faithful covenant God of Israel display His power and ability far greater than any earthly father could. He does this to deal with a problem which seemed completely impossible for Israel to solve. And indeed it was. Crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. And as we'll see this morning, it wasn't as if the Israelites were on the banks of, say, like Pigeon Creek, or some small creek near us here. No human strength, no ingenuity could solve this problem for Israel. It comes at a watershed moment for the people of God. They're about to cross the river into the land that they had only dreamed of for years and years. They'd heard the story of God's promise from generation to generation to generation. But now that seems to become a reality right here before their very eyes. Parents could finally answer that question, are we there yet? By saying yes, just look across the river. Israel had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years as punishment for their disbelief that the Lord would give them this land of the Canaanites. The 12 spies returned in Numbers 14, and they had a faithless response that, no, the Lord cannot bring us through. The people are too big. And so for their lack of rebellion and their lack of faith, they were given one year of punishment each for the 40 spies for the days that the spies were in the land. Numbers 14, verse 34. But now that wilderness generation has passed away, and the time of judgment is finally over. The next generation is now ready to cross into that land which is flowing with milk and with honey. Finally, that promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses is about to be fulfilled. But there's a major problem. There's a giant, rushing torrent of a river which lies between them and a fulfilled promise. They've been anticipating this day for a very long time. I mean, can you imagine traveling for your entire life? For us, a six or even a three-hour trip seems as if it's taking forever. Isn't that true, children, especially? But here Israel is, indeed they've arrived, and how exciting it would have been to be on the threshold of receiving the promised land. How exciting. They've heard the stories from their parents and grandparents, but now what will happen next? And so this morning we'll see that the Lord displays His power and faithfulness to His people as He miraculously opens up the way into the promised land. We'll take this story of God's provision for His people in two different parts. First, the people of the Lord anticipate a miracle. Second, the Lord accomplishes that miracle. So first, the people anticipating it. As we said, crossing this Jordan River was a momentous occasion for Israel. It was the climax of one era and the beginning of a new era for them. Gone are the days of uncertainty in the wilderness. Here are the days of dwelling in the Promised Land, that land flowing with milk and honey. And so the Lord wants them to focus on His presence among them, to anticipate that He is who He says He is. That He will do what He says He will do. The Lord has never left His people alone for these past 40 years. He's been with them every step of the way. What the Lord promised to Abraham in Genesis 15, He now begins to make good on. He had said, on that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadamites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. And of course, paying attention to our passage this morning, many of these names sound quite familiar. No, the Lord has not forgotten his people, not for a moment. He will once again display his mighty power on their behalf. He'll do this for all the world to see. As he had delivered his people from the bondage of Egyptian slavery, now he delivers his people's inheritance to them. And so we see here many times the reference to the Ark of the Lord, the Ark of the Covenant. As Israel has finally made its way to the banks of the Jordan, that brink of the promised land, we are told that they camp there for three days. And so their travel that's been going on comes to a grinding halt as they wait to do what to do next. Forty years of weary wandering comes down to this. As Israel encamps close to the promised land, As close as they possibly can be, now they wait for instruction from God Himself. When Joshua delivers the people the word of the Lord, when he delivers the word of the Lord to his officers, they make their way to the camp so that they can carefully inform the people of what they shall do and where they shall go. Verse 3. When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it." Follow the ark being carried by the priests. Follow it. But where are we supposed to follow it to? There's a river right here before us. Well, that information has not been given yet in the story. Yes, there's a giant river in the way. Nonetheless, the people are called to follow the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord their God. They're called to follow it. But why the Ark? Why? Why the Ark of the Covenant? Why is it so important? If you were to count them up, it's mentioned 17 times between chapters 3 and 4 of Joshua. Well, congregation, perhaps you've seen the old Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. In that movie, the Ark of the Covenant is sought after because those who seek it think it will have magical powers. They think it will give them an edge over the enemy if they can just harness the power that's inside of it. And while some may be entertained by such a story, the Ark has absolutely positively nothing to do with magic. Nor did the Ark itself have any power in and of itself. And that is because the Ark of the Covenant symbolized God's presence with His people. The Ark and its structure spoke of God's character. The Lord has been faithful to them from generation to generation. The same Ark built under Moses now leads his successor, Joshua. The Ark speaks of God's holiness. Inside it contained those tablets of the Law. Those who did not take the holiness of God seriously were judged, see the story of Uzzah. The Ark also displayed God's power. As it was taken into battle, the Lord fought on behalf of His people. But the Ark did not only speak of God's holiness and His power. The Ark also spoke of God's mercy to His people. On top of the ark between the cherubim was the mercy seat, where the blood was sprinkled on that day of atonement, where an innocent animal would shed his blood on behalf of the people, the guilty people, no less. And so, therefore, the presence of the ark had meaning and significance, not only because it was attached to the presence of God, but because where the ark went, the presence of God went. In Numbers 10, verses 35 to 36, we're told this. Numbers 10, 35 through 36. So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said, rise up, O Lord, let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you. And when it rested, he said, return, O Lord, to many thousands of Israel. Where the ark was, the presence of God was. Where the ark went, the presence of God went. Where the ark rested, the presence of God rested. And so he was there to lead his people through that winding path to this final destination, the Promised Land. And during this winding path, the wilderness, wanderings, the ark, resided in the innermost part of the tabernacle, that holy of holies that we're familiar with. The various tribes of Israel would then pitch their tents in designated locations around the tabernacle. So you have the ark in the center of the holiest part, the center of the tabernacle, and then the people of God gathered around it. The Lord was in the midst. He's at the center of his people. So now by way of the ark, the Lord sets these authorized people, the priests, apart. And the Lord goes before his people. to lead them. The people are now prepared to follow their faithful covenant God. Since it is God who will lead his people, they must follow at a distance to see where the Lord leads, as well as have a prime seat to observe this miracle that the Lord will do for them. So they're also called now to consecrate themselves. Whenever the Lord would reveal himself in a special way to his people, they're called to sanctify, to consecrate themselves in preparation for the Lord's visit. This would be a time of renewal and reflection. You could look at Exodus 19 to see what this would represent. Exodus 19, Numbers 11, Joshua 7. It would involve putting on new and clean clothes. It would involve abstaining from certain activities. And this would allow them to focus on God, to remember that He is the one who is leading them. They're not doing this on their own. And while we today are no longer bound by that ceremonial law, what we are doing here today is not that different. Today we've set aside our daily activities. We've come to meditate on the Word of God. To be reminded of His saving work in our lives and His claim in all parts of our lives as we seek to glorify Him and to serve Him. So when we fail to see the work of God in our lives, it's not because He's not there. It's because we don't stop and slow down enough to see it. We don't take the time to meditate on it through study of His Word and through worship. And this is one reason why corporate worship and personal study is so important. It focuses us back on God. It grounds us. And so Israel, again, begins to anticipate this miracle. They are also called to recognize God's appointed leader in Joshua. We're told in verse 7 that the Lord says this to Joshua. The Lord said to Joshua, Just as the Lord had appointed Moses to lead God's people for a time, Now the Lord is bringing, the Lord had appointed Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. He'd appointed him to lead them through the Dead Sea, the Red Sea. Now the Lord is appointing Joshua to lead his people, to lead them through the Jordan into the Promised Land. A new leader is in town, and Israel must be given the confidence that while, yes, the leadership has changed, God's plan has not. It's continuous. So that the Lord promises that He will make it clear that what is about to happen, He Himself, the Lord God Almighty, is with Joshua. And Israel will see this, and they will trust in Him. They must also trust in God's power as they recognize God's new leader. They must trust that the Lord is powerful enough that He's able to accomplish what He promises. And so Joshua tells the people, come here, listen to the words of the Lord, verse 9. And he tells the people, he explains that their ultimate goal, that inheritance, that promised land is within sight, verse 10. Joshua said, By this you shall know that the Living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, the Perizzites, and the Gergesites, the Ammonites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. What the Lord had told to Abraham that he would drive out all his enemies before him, the Lord again now says to Israel through Joshua. He will drive out their enemies from every corner of that promised land. Not one region will be spared. There are about seven regions listed here, the number of perfection and completeness and fullness. And so kids, think of this, this list of names. It sounds silly to us, perhaps. But the Lord is making this point. What if someone came to you and said, I'm going to give you New York, Maine, Connecticut, and they went on down the list, Ohio, Michigan, Utah, all the way to California. The point is that all of it will be yours. Belaboring that point makes it clear how sure, how fulsome God's plan is. Surely He is the living God, as He says to Joshua. He's not a dumb God made out of stone, not a helpless God made out of wood. No, He is the living God, and He is able, and He will fully make good on His promise. But before Israel enters the promised land, they will witness an incredible miracle, which will assure them that, yes, He is that living God. He will be able to make full good on His promise. Look with me at verses 11 through 13. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the souls of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from the upstream, and they shall stand as a heap." Just think of how stunning such a revelation would have been The water's going to stop? Remember, this generation was about to get their water crossing. Just as the generation before had the Red Sea, the waters were going to heap up. And just as God had delivered His people from the armies of Pharaoh, He, the Lord, will certainly now deliver His people into the Promised Land. As one commentator put it, if God can get you into the land, surely God can give you the land. So now we see not only are the people anticipating the miracle, but the Lord provides the miracle. He accomplishes that miracle, secondly, this morning. The anticipation has begun to build that, yes, perhaps living God will make good on His promise. The living God is powerful enough, He's mighty enough to accomplish this. And indeed He does. And so as the priests enter, the water, the drama seems to come to a maximum. The story, however, comes to a halt. We have that parenthesis there. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. Verse 15. Some have called this little aside there a frustrating weather report. But congregation, this is a very key bit of information. The Lord does not waste a word. Remember, this isn't some little creek or drainage ditch that Israel is about to cross. It's not the Grand Haven Channel that we're talking about here. No, the Jordan Valley lies between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. It varies between 3 and 14 miles wide at points. Its floodplain is 200 yards to 1 mile wide, with lots of brush in it. It's not easy to walk through, and even some have said it's jungle-like. And now our text has told us that in God's providence that the Israelites have come to the banks of the Jordan River at a time when it's the fullest it can possibly be. It's full to the brim. That floodplain is covered over by a minimum of 10 to 12 feet of water at this point. And in addition, because of the spring rain, the water would have been rushing past, perhaps even at places a mile wide. So the strongest of men would not have had a chance to successfully ford the river at this point, much less women and children and livestock. So why at this time of the year has the Lord brought them here? Why has the Lord led them to the Jordan River at the worst possible time? One commentator says, Yahweh, the Lord, likes to show His might at our times of utter helplessness so that we cannot help but seeing that it was only Him who could offer us deliverance. So as the people entered the promised land, they would know that they contributed nothing to their inheritance, that they contributed nothing to their deliverance. Only the true and living God, that covenant God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could accomplish something so miraculous. And if they make it to the other side of the river without being overwhelmed or washed away, it would be by the grace of God alone. And so as the nation of Israel watches the raging river rush by, they must have wondered. You see in verse 16 what happens. The waters came up from downstream and they stood still. They rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. And so the waters that went down to the sea of Arabah, the salt sea, failed and were cut off, and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. It's likely, congregation, that that water stood up in a heap fifteen miles away. Not much is known about that city of Adam that we read. 2 Kings 7 verse 46 mentions a city named Zarethan, which is near the modern city of Damia. And so if they had set out from Shittim, as our passage tells us, if they had set out toward the Jordan, and the water was heaped up near the city of Zarethan, then the space that the Lord made for his people to cross over the river was incredibly large, miles and miles. And having such a great and large place to cross over would have been miraculous enough. But the Lord takes it one step further in verse 17. We see there that as soon as the feet of the priest touch the ground, what happens? They cross onto dry ground. So not only was there plenty of room to pass through an unpassable river, they do so on dry ground. And congregation, as we see here as well, no one is left behind. All of Israel passes through into the Promised Land. They do so under the leadership and the provision of that living God. He has done the impossible for His people. He has done for them what they could not do for themselves. There could be no doubt that the Lord is the living God, the God of all the earth, as we read. The well would not be long again before Israel would falter. Not long before Israel would forget God's character. Not long before they would desecrate themselves again as God's people. God still remained faithful. The people did not find their final rest and inheritance in Canaan, no. The redemptive history unfolded and another Joshua came. Another man whose name was the Lord saves. Another Joshua who was pure. One who was appointed and authorized by God to lead his people to suffer and to die for his people. One who secured permanently his people's inheritance. This greater Joshua was set apart by God at these very waters of the Jordan River. Look with me at Matthew chapter 3. We'll read verse 3, 13 through 17. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you are coming to me. But Jesus answered and said to him, Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus Christ is God's appointed and exalted leader. Jesus Christ is God's messenger. Remember, He's called Emmanuel, God with us. Just as the ark sat in the tabernacle, in the midst of God's people as it surrounded Him, so too Christ comes down and He dwells in the midst of His people. He lived among His people. He died for His people. He did for us what we could never ever do ourselves. He bridged that great chasm. He bridged that torrent river between us and God. There was no other way than His life and death for this to be accomplished. He has done the impossible for His people, those who cling to Him in repentance and faith. So when we fix our eyes on Jesus, that author and perfecter of our faith, When we delight in the good news of the gospel, then we can come to terms, we can come to grip the fact that the crossing of the Jordan River and the death and resurrection of Christ are explosions, as a man put it, explosions of God's power that are meant to color the whole horizon of the believer's life and to assure him that God is able to save him, that God is able to work all things for his or her good. Congregation just as the presence of God went before his people into the Jordan River to bring them into the promised land So to Christ has gone before us the greater Joshua has gone before us He's attained salvation for us And if he's done so great a miracle on our behalf giving us salvation those of us who are enemies of God What do we have to fear? We have seen that he is the living God of all the earth. We have tasted and we have seen that he indeed is good. And now he's gone before us to prepare a place. John 14 verse 3. Our Lord will return and on that day every wrong will be made right. Every enemy defeated and every tear wiped away. So congregation, may we ever consecrate ourselves as we come to hear the word of the Lord. May we see His saving work. May we see that He is the living God. The God who has brought us through the raging torrent of this life. And He's bringing us through on dry ground. Amen. Let's pray. Gracious God and Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the good news of the gospel. Father, that we were those who were at the brink of Jordan, those who had no hope of crossing except by the presence of Christ, Father, our Lord and Savior who came, who lived amongst us, who died for our sins, and Lord, who has brought us over the river on dry ground to our eternal inheritance, to our eternal home with you. We praise you for the good news. We ask that you would help us, Father, now, in light of this glorious salvation, to consecrate ourselves, Father, for your service and for your glory. We ask this in the name of Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.