Stand in the River

Go and stand in the river. ~ Joshua 3:8

Have you ever been told to do something by God that made you quirk an eyebrow? One thing I've learned about God is that He likes to do things in such a way that make people stand up and notice and know that it was Him. When God was speaking to Joshua, all the tribes of Israel were camped on one side of the Jordan waiting to finally enter the Promise Land. The barrier that stood between them and victory was the Jordan River, which the Bible tells us was at flood stage, (v. 15). Now it was the priests, the Levites, whom God told Joshua should enter the river first, while carrying the ark of the covenant.

Now, imagine you are one of the Levites, whom Joshua said must enter the rushing waters first, all the while carrying the ark of the covenant. I imagine that their response may have been, "Just so we're clear, you want us to walk out into that rushing water, which is going to be waist deep and stand in the middle, all the while carrying the ark?" Now carrying the ark was not like carrying groceries. The ark of the covenant was designed and built in such a way that it could not be lifted if even one Levite was not there to carry it; and all the Levites who carried the ark were aware that they all had to work together to carry it. The concern would be that if even one man was swept away by the rushing waters, then the others would fall and fail to carry the ark.

Between us and victory is sometimes one last test, one last challenge, one last something, because the devil is trying to put up every block in our paths to keep us from victory. But what the devil doesn't realize is that what he intends to harm us, God can turn around for our good and His glory, (see Romans 8:28). These men were all standing, staring at the river that threatened to rush over them. When we are facing situations that threaten to rush over us, we need to remember two promises from God: 1) He is with you. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you," (Isaiah 43:2). 2) He will cause the enemy to flee. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight," (Isaiah 59:19a). It almost sounds like the introduction to a superhero: Never fear, God is here! God is the only superhero we need.

The Levites trusted that if God told Joshua that they were to go and stand in the river, that He would protect them. They knew that God would watch over them and take care of them, even if there was still rushing water when they entered the river. God makes that same promise to us. He says that where He has called us to go, He will protect us and keep us safe.

Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from up stream stopped flowing...The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of God stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by...on dry ground. ~ Joshua 3:15-17