Day 82

Read: Joshua 3:1 – 6:27

Things are getting pretty exciting as we continue to read our Bible in chronological order! I hope you are picking up on some amazing details in this process that you may not have noticed before or forgot. Today gets really interesting because:

• Remember yesterday we read about Rahab and the spies Joshua sent in Joshua 2. Rahab shared with the spies that the people of Jericho were already in physical and emotional distress because they know of the God who parted the Red Sea. Don’t forget, this took place BEFORE the Israelites stood at the edge of the rushing Jordan River while it was in its “flood stage.” It could’ve been an impossible barrier to the Promised Land, but God! The water did not part until the spiritual leader’s (priests) feet touched the water’s edge while carrying the ark.
• In Joshua 3, the people are instructed to follow the ark carried by the Levitical priests. Bringing the ark of the covenant represented God’s presence. By bringing the ark, it meant that God’s people were about to move.

  • Don’t forget: the ark of the covenant was the centerpiece of the tabernacle and contained the tablets God gave Moses, a jar of manna, and Aarons rod. The priests sprinkle the sacrificial blood for the sins of the people on the covering of the ark. The covering symbolized the presence of God resting on top of the ark.

• Before God worked wonders, the people had to sanctify themselves via circumcision. Remember, this process separates God’s people as we read in Genesis 17 on Day 5. God intended this time as another reminder to the Israelites of their special relationship with Him.
• The visitation to Joshua in Joshua 5:13-15 is similar to Moses’ experience at the burning bush in Exodus 3:2-8 (Day 32) because the Lord pronounced the ground “holy” and instructed them to remove sandals in both experiences. This is also a significant experience that had been promised years earlier in Exodus 23:20, which we read about on Day 39.
• The fall of Jericho in Joshua 6 displays God’s power and is significant because 40 years earlier the fathers of the current tribes had been terrified (Day 61 Numbers 13:28)

When a nation comes under judgement and innocents are destroyed, its people have only themselves to blame and not God. These people had known about God (Joshua 2:8-14). God had given them hundreds of years to change, refer to Genesis 15:16 from Day 5. The pagan nations were to be destroyed because of their own wickedness. God is a God of patience and mercy, but He is also a just God (Genesis 18:25).

The plunder was not important to God, His priority was the obedience of His people. He did not demand the spoils from all the cities, but the plunder of Jericho because Jericho was the first victory. As we read in Exodus, firstfruits were to be given to God in acknowledgment that all things come from Him.

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Trust God with the unknown.
   When you face a “river” that seems too high, step forward in faith and trust that He will provide a path.
2. Consecrate yourself.
   Ask God to reveal anything in your life that needs to be surrendered so that you can better walk in His presence today.
3. Obey in silence.
   Faithfully follow God’s calling even when you don’t understand the “how” or the “why” because your “shouting day” is coming.

Prayer:

Lord, I bring my “river” and my “Jericho” to You. Strengthen my faith to step into the water when it is high and follow Your guidance, even when it seems unusual. Consecrate my heart to behold Your wonders. I trust that my victory comes from Your presence, not my own strength. Amen