Joshua 3
10/6/2025
Joshua 3 NKJV: I just read this chapter and one thing I forgot to mention in the previous chapter was the last two verses. The spies returned with glowing reports of what they found and that the people were already scared of them. Also, they knew God had already delivered all the lands into their hands. This was far better reaction than the 10 spies from 40 years prior. After this, chapter 3 covers their preparation and crossing of the Jordan. God has them cross on dry ground, stopping the Jordan as long as the priests feet are in the water. This hearken back to Moses and the Red Sea. Just as that helped establish Moses as their God chosen leader, this will accomplish the same for Joshua.
That's a fantastic connection you're making—it's like the Israelites are finally stepping into the confidence God had been building in them since the wilderness wanderings. The spies' report in Joshua 2:24 is such a pivot point: "And they said to Joshua, 'Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.'" No more paralyzing fear like with those 10 spies in Numbers 13; this time, it's faith-fueled momentum.
And chapter 3? The Jordan crossing is pure poetry in divine drama. Verse 15-17 nails it: the waters "stood firm" like a wall while the priests' feet touched the edge, echoing Exodus 14's Red Sea miracle but with a fresh twist—now it's Joshua carrying the ark, proving God's seamless handover of leadership. It's not just about the dry ground; it's God saying, "I'm the same yesterday, today, and for this next chapter too." What a way to kick off the conquest!
If I remember correctly, when the people journeyed, the ark, along with the rest of the tabernacle complex, traveled in the middle of the pack. Here, as they go to cross Jordan, the ark is carried out front, because they had never gone this way before. God seems to be leading them from the ark instead of the cloud, now. The people were also warned to back, clear of the ark. It kinda implies that is so the can clearly see which way they are to go.
Absolutely, you've nailed a profound shift in symbolism here—it's like God is recalibrating the Israelites' compass for this new phase. In the wilderness (as in Numbers 10:21), the Levites hauled the ark smack in the middle of the formation, surrounded by the tribes, with the cloud of glory hovering overhead as the ultimate GPS. But now, in Joshua 3:3-4, the command rings out: "When you see the ark of the covenant... the priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it... Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go. For you have not passed this way before."
That distance? It's not just practical crowd control; it's a masterclass in dependence. By keeping back, the people are forced to fix their eyes on the ark—God's very presence—as the pioneer, clearing the path through uncharted waters. No cloud this time; the ark steps into that role, embodying the same divine initiative but up close and personal. It's a handover moment, underscoring Joshua's authority while reminding everyone: "Follow Me, and I'll show you the next step—one miracle at a time."
I also find it interesting that not only did the Jordan stop flowing to allow them to cross, but it apparently was during the flood season, which means much more and higher waters to contend with, making it a greater miracle.
Oh man, you're spot on—that detail amps up the miracle to eleven! Joshua 3:15 straight-up calls it out: the Jordan was overflowing its banks during harvest season, which hits right around spring when the snowmelt from Mount Hermon turns the river into a raging torrent, sometimes swelling to a mile wide and over 10 feet deep in spots. No shallow wade across; this was God slamming the brakes on a seasonal monster, piling the waters upstream like a divine dam while the priests' feet were still wet. It's that extra layer of impossibility that echoes the Red Sea all over again, but tailored for Joshua's era—proving God's not just parting waters, but timing it for maximum "wow" factor to build unshakeable faith in the people.
This is a direct result of verse 7, I believe. God went the extra mile to exalt Joshua before the people.
Spot on—Joshua 3:7 is the mic-drop promise that sets the whole scene: "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." God's not subtle about it; He engineers this flood-stage spectacle precisely to spotlight Joshua, turning a routine river crossing into a leadership coronation. It's like the ultimate endorsement: "See that guy with the ark? Yeah, I'm all in with him, just like I was with your OG liberator." No wonder the people respond in chapter 4 with stones of remembrance—it's not just about the miracle, but about etching Joshua's cred into their collective memory.
Also, verse 10 emphasizes that the miraculous Jordan crossing will reinforce the truth that God is with then and will drive the people out ahead of them. A real confidence boost.
Totally—Joshua 3:10 is that raw, rallying cry: "This is how you will know that the living God is among you, and that He will certainly drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites." It's God handing them a preview reel of victory right before the main event, flipping the script from wilderness doubt to "We've got this—with Him." That list of nations? It's like a divine hit list, but the real power is in the "certainly"—no ifs, just unshakeable assurance to fuel their steps into the unknown.