Joshua 1:10-18 Which Side Of The Jordan Are You On?:
Good morning and welcome to Grace Point. It is so nice to see everyone today. Did you all have a good time at the cookout yesterday? I hope so – I know I did. It is always a pleasure and a blessing to be able to fellowship together – especially when we have the added blessing of celebrating the birth of one of our own.
As we were celebrating and enjoying each other’s company in fellowship yesterday – I was just struck by how far we have come and yet how far we still have to go – not unlike the Israelites in the days of Joshua that we are studying – they had come so far – and could see the end goal – but still had so much yet to go through – so much yet to surrender to God before they were able to rest in the victory that God laid before them. The Book of Joshua is all about getting to that point where we realize we need to (and - more importantly - mature enough to actually do) surrender completely to God!
Years ago I heard the story of a Pastor who was preaching and casting the vision for the future of his congregation. He told them, "With God's help we can see the day when this church will go from crawling to walking." And the people responded, "Let the church walk, Pastor, let the church walk."
He continued, "And when the church begins to walk, next the church can begin to run." And the people shouted, "Let the church run, Pastor, let the church run!"
Fired up, he continued, "And finally the church can move from running to flying. Oh, this church can fly high for God!" The people were getting as wound up as the preacher and cried out, "Let the church fly, Pastor, let the church fly."
Then the preacher said, "And friends, in order for this church to fly, it's going to take lots of money – lot’s of sacrifice - we're going to have to dig deep and give greatly of all we are and all we have – surrendering it all to God for Him to use as He sees fit."
The congregation grew quiet, and from the back, someone mumbled, "Let the church crawl, Pastor, let the church crawl."
That’s not an uncommon thought and it was very similar to what was going through many of the Israelites as they looked forward to what God was calling them to do.
Open your Bibles if you would please to the Book of Joshua and turn to Chapter 1 and follow along as I read aloud verses 10-18 our study verses for today:
Joshua 1:10-18 (New King James Version)
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’” 12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” 16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
There is a lot going on in these verses and if all you did was read these verses you would miss a lot of the key points of what is transpiring. Remember – this is a actually historical series of events that are being played out for our edification – they are pointing towards what is yet to come and to get the full context of what God is sharing with us – we need to be diligent and do the study work pulled from these verses – the study that reaches out and gets the supporting verses of scripture that fill in the blanks of what is going on. So that is what we are going to try and do today – you can keep you finger in Joshua but have your pen and paper ready because I will be giving you some supporting verses to study at home – because it would just take too long to read them all here today.
After Joshua receives his challenge from the Lord, without hesitation, he goes to the people and tells them that the time has come to take their land. First, he challenges the nation as a whole and then he addresses a specific group within the nation of Israel.
Joshua tells the people to get ready to go into Canaan and claim the land. These were the words they had been living with anticipation for 40 years. However, before they could go in, they had to get ready! God told them to prepare some food. You see, the manna was about to stop. God had told them that He would give them manna while they were in the desert, but it would cease when they entered the Promised Land, (Ex. 16:35). The manna was desert diet, now they were about to move up to something a whole lot better. They were going to a land flowing with milk and honey. What had worked in the wilderness would not suffice in the land of blessing!
The same is true for us today. Before we can enter our Canaan, we have to prepare for that land. The way we live must change. The things we feed on must change. The entire scope of our lives must be altered to adjust to life in Canaan! This is why so many never enjoy the victorious Christian life. They simply refuse to make the necessary changes to adjust to living in spiritual victory. The fact is, if you expect to walk in victory, you will have to learn to walk by an entirely new set of rules: (Rom. 6, Col. 3:1-10.)
We need to be prepared to enter: But isn’t it interesting -- Here is an entire nation about ready to cross a flooding river, and what is the first thing they are to prepare? A bridge? – no --- That would seem reasonable. Boats, at least. But without a bridge or a boat in sight God told them to prepare food – and what is our Daily Bread – God is!
Please see this: the diet that was adequate to maintain life in the desert will not nourish combat troops conquering and settling a new land. Most Christians I know are content to exist on a desert diet--just enough to keep them alive. But if you want to move into the land of promise and experience daily victory in the battle you must upgrade your diet and increase your intake.
I'm talking about your personal worship time with the Lord in prayer and the Word. I am convinced that this is the single most important factor in consistent / victorious Christian living. If you're serious about a victorious life, then determine right now that whatever the cost or sacrifice, you will establish a daily time with God in prayer and Bible study. The strength and stamina you have in the conflicts of life will be determined by the quality of nourishment you receive from the Lord.
Deuteronomy 8:3 (New American Standard Bible)
3"---man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.
Are you ready to enter the land – are you nourished for the battle?
Note also please that the next part of their preparation is even more surprising than the preparation of food. There would be a three-day delay. But Lord, why this delay? We've been delayed forty years already and now we're ready to go. But God said, "Wait" One of the things I've learned about God is that He never hurries. The toughest thing I have to do is wait, and I hate it. We Americans are accustomed to instant gratification: instant credit, instant comfort, and instant coffee. Our cry is, "Lord, give me patience right now!" But God never wastes time, and the delay plays an important role in His plan. It gives them time to get right – to sanctify themselves for the journey – we will cover that in more detail in subsequent chapters in our study of Joshua, but what I wanted to point out today is the 3 days – where else do we see a period of 3 days:
• Abraham and Isaac took 3 days to get to the place of where God told Abraham to
sacrifice Isaac and instead substituted Himself – “God will provide Himself the Ram”
• Jesus was 3 days in the belly of the whale
• Jesus was 3 days before He rose again in fulfillment of the scripture
This is a symbolic indication pointing toward the death and resurrection of Christ – of dying to the old self – being resurrected in Christ Jesus!
Romans 6:4 (New American Standard Bible)
4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Next comes something very interesting and I want you to pay close attention please – because this is one of those sets of verses that if you don’t do your homework – you miss out on the meaning of what is going on:
Next Joshua addressed the tribes of Reuben, Gad and that half tribe of Manasseh. Prior to Joshua addressing them – sometime when Moses was still alive - these tribes had sought, and received, permission from Moses to remain east of the Jordan, just outside the Promised Land. Their reason in making this request? The land east of Jordan was a land that was good for raising cattle, (Num. 32).
Listen to what Moses said to them when they asked him for permission to stay behind – to not enter into the Promised Land:
Numbers 32:5-8 (New American Standard Bible)
5They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession; do not take us across the Jordan." 6But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here? 7"Now why are you discouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the LORD has given them? 8"This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
You can read all of Numbers Chapter 32 to get the full story, but in short – they don’t want to go into the land – they don’t want to risk it – they are comfortable where they are – they ask permission from Moses to stay behind and Moses gives them the "what for" and so they strike a deal with Moses – they will send some men along with the others to fight in the land if Moses will give them permission to stay behind and let those they sent to fight, return home when the fight is over.
That is what Joshua is reminding them of:
Joshua 1:12-15 (New King James Version)
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, ---. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan
Folks, there is a very powerful lesson for us in these verses. We have literal legions of Christians who are just like these 2 ½ tribes. They are more concerned about comfort and making a good living than they about victory and living a good life! The primary thing that motivates them is the here and now. In other words, they are materially minded instead of spiritually minded! These people represent those Christians I would call "borderline Christians". These are people who have trusted Jesus for salvation, but that is about as far as they are will to go. They will come when they want to, tithe when they feel like they can afford to, fight a battle now and again, but most often, they are seen just playing around the edges, refusing to put God first in their lives. By the way, it is this type of Christian who is usually the first to fall in times of attack and temptation! People who live like this can say anything they want to, but the truth is obvious: they have other gods in their lives to whom they give preference!
This verse is also a foreshadowing of what is yet to come – it foreshadows the "wide road which leads to destruction" that many will find versus the narrow road that leads home that few will find.
Guess how many from those tribes made it across the Jordan into the Promised Land – you took hold of God’s promise and received that which awaited only their taking possession of?
A mere 29% (Num 32:1, 4, 16)
They lived so far from the Promised Land – so far from the place of worship erected by Joshua when they crossed into the land, they had to erect a special monument to remind their children of their heritage (Josh 22:10ff).
They represent the “borderline believers” who get close to the inheritance but never quite claim it, no matter how successful they may seem to be. While available for a time, when their appointed task is finished, they head home to do what they want to do.
It is also a foreshadowing of those who will be left behind during the rapture.
Matthew 24:40 (New American Standard Bible)
40"Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
What side of the Jordan are you on? – What side of the Jordan will you be on when Christ Comes Again to Judge the Living and the Dead?
Do you love God enough to "Let Go and Let God?" Have you made the decision to cross on over - to leave behind anything that is holding you back from serving God like you should.
Folks, it is a pretty simple choice but it is a choice that only you can make – The Promised Land awaits - It has been given to us by our Heavenly Father and all we have to do this morning is to march in and claim it for ourselves. However, while it is ours, it isn't cheap! If you really want to walk in spiritual victory and live in the land west of the Jordan, then you will have to pay the price.
So I ask you, what is it going to take to get you into the land? Are you willing to pay the price, whatever it is? Or, are you more willing to stay on the east side of Jordan - you know - hey it may not be the Promised Land – but it feels good to me - right? It is entirely up to you -- I don't know your heart, but I do know that sadly enough there are way too many Christians content to be on the east of Jordan.
Let Us Pray!
