Crossing Over

The word transition is often mentioned. The dictionary defines transition as a passing from one condition or place or activity to another. None of us like change or transition with its fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of entering uncharted territory.

I've been going through my own mid-life transition physically at ? (I guess it's mid-life if I live to be ?). In the past period of time I've had to deal with heart condition, back and internal problems. I have seen a miracle of healing with the internal problem and Praise God the other issues are being controlled with the assistance of doctors and my making some changes in my life.

The elements of fear of the unknown and potential disaster in these kinds of transition times in life would have been very familiar to the people of Israel standing at the Jordan River. Remember, these people had been waiting for three days for the command to move. Joshua 3 v 4 implies their apprehension about what lay before them when Joshua says, "...You have not passed this way before."

Joshua 1 v7-13, it is interesting that God gave Joshua, the priests and the people only as much information as they needed to accomplish what he wanted them to do. God always gives us enough information, and we can trust him with the knowledge that is communicated to us. Whenever he asks us to trust him and cross over into new areas of conquest, adventure, and discovery He will fulfil in us what he asks us to do.

The counsel of King Jehoshaphat, who was one of the godly kings of Judah many years later, echoes this wonderful truth: "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed" (2 Chronicles 20:20). Solomon also said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise...." (1 Kings 8:56).

.We see how God fulfils his good promise and honours the prophetic ministry of Joshua. Joshua 3 v14-17:

¹⁴ So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. ¹⁵ Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, ¹⁶ the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ^[b] ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷ The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Although the Jordan River was only about a hundred feet wide most of the year, during the spring flood season it overflowed its banks and became up to a mile wide. But as soon as the Levites carrying the ark put their feet into the water, the river immediately stopped flowing and stood up like a wall about twenty miles upstream near the city of Adam. This was a miracle of God in response to the faith of the people.

They were called to put their feet one in front of the other in following the Lord. Remember, in Joshua 1:3 God had said, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses." He was saying, "It's already yours, now just walk into it." Unless we're willing to step out by faith and get our feet wet, we're not likely to make much progress in these cross-over times of following the Lord. So as the priests followed in obedience, step after step, the river waters disappeared and they were walking on dry ground. And they stood in the middle of the river and waited for all the people to pass by. Can you imagine some of the comments those two million Israelites would have made as they walked across that river?

"This is not a very safe place."

"This is worse than were we have come from"
"I feel a little exposed."
"I don't feel very secure doing this."

"This can never be right"

"God can't be in this"
"It's what God said to do, so I guess we'd better keep walking."

The word "nation" in verse Joshua 3 v17 is a significant word that describes the unity of the twelve tribes. It speaks of a community that is united. These people didn't cross over as isolated individuals. They were together trusting the Lord in the presence of the ark of the covenant.

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