Chapter 3:10-17
The Red Sea was God’s way of power for bringing His people out from their slavery in Egypt; the Jordan was His way of power for bringing them into their blessings in Canaan.
The priests, the representatives of the people, were to take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before Israel, and He takes the title of the Lord of all the earth. Satan acts through the power of the world to hinder our entrance into our heavenly portion. These seven nations of the Canaanites within the land represent the enemy’s power arraigned against God and His people. Yet, the earth is the Lord’s and Joshua says, “Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites...”
The people then remove “from their tents” to pass over Jordan. They were going to a place of permanent habitation, and their tent life and pilgrimage would be over. Our standing is fixed, for we are made to “sit together” in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
It was harvest time, and the Jordan was overflowing all its banks. “And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water,... that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam... and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.”
The waterfloods could not overwhelm the Ark of God, conqueror of everything. So death has no dominion over the Lord Jesus. He has destroyed the power of death for His people. “Death and judgment are behind us” for we have in Christ already died, the judgment has already passed on us at the cross. We are beyond them and their power and dread.
What a wonderful sight it must have been! We can hardly imagine what it was like, the wide river dried up, the priests going on before bearing the ark, now standing still in the deepest part, while the thousands of Israel passed by—men, women and children, with their animals and cattle, and all the Levites with the parts of the tabernacle. For the moment the feet of the priests touched the brim of the water, it all dried up.
“Until all the people were passed clean over Jordan” the Ark stood before the heaped-up waters. When the Ark was removed, the waters swept on in their place. So only in Christ are we safe. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).
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