Sunday, January 04, 2004
Joshua 3-5:1 The importance of standing still
Here, Yahweh begins to act as a warrior on behalf of Israel in occupying the promised land. Does he drown an army as at the Red Sea? Does he order a slaughter? No. He appears to Joshua to arrange a sign:
Joshua 3:8 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’
Recall that earlier, at the Red Sea, the God instructed the people through Moses:
Exodus 14:13 "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still."
Joshua determined that at the Jordan God would perform a tremendous sign -- essentially a repetition of the parting of the water at the Red Sea. When the priests carrying the ark (the symbol of the presence of the Lord) put their feet in the Jordan, God would cause the river to stop flowing and the people could cross over dry. And this would be a sign, as Joshua explains:
Joshua 3:10 "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites
This is indeed what happens. To commemorate this miracle, in Chapter 4 Joshua sets up twelve stones ("in the middle of the Jordan” [4:9]) and “in Gilgal” [4:19]) as a memorial, to be recalled in questions and answers reminiscent of the questions and answers to be repeated at the Passover celebration:
Joshua 4:21 "When your children ask their parents in time to come, 'What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall let your children know, 'Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."
During this crossing of the Jordan, Joshua 4:13 tells us, "About forty thousand armed for war crossed over..." But, according to the Bible, this show of force was not what impressed the kings of the land.
Joshua 5:1 When all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them, because of the Israelites.
The essential victory was won before any battle was fought or any sword raised. This is the power of God to defeat the most powerful army, by depriving it of the will to fight. This is why people of faith rely on God, not arms, for victory. This, incidentally, is the heart of the pacifist strategy of the followers of Jesus.
Joshua 3:8 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’
Recall that earlier, at the Red Sea, the God instructed the people through Moses:
Exodus 14:13 "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still."
Joshua determined that at the Jordan God would perform a tremendous sign -- essentially a repetition of the parting of the water at the Red Sea. When the priests carrying the ark (the symbol of the presence of the Lord) put their feet in the Jordan, God would cause the river to stop flowing and the people could cross over dry. And this would be a sign, as Joshua explains:
Joshua 3:10 "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites
This is indeed what happens. To commemorate this miracle, in Chapter 4 Joshua sets up twelve stones ("in the middle of the Jordan” [4:9]) and “in Gilgal” [4:19]) as a memorial, to be recalled in questions and answers reminiscent of the questions and answers to be repeated at the Passover celebration:
Joshua 4:21 "When your children ask their parents in time to come, 'What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall let your children know, 'Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."
During this crossing of the Jordan, Joshua 4:13 tells us, "About forty thousand armed for war crossed over..." But, according to the Bible, this show of force was not what impressed the kings of the land.
Joshua 5:1 When all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them, because of the Israelites.
The essential victory was won before any battle was fought or any sword raised. This is the power of God to defeat the most powerful army, by depriving it of the will to fight. This is why people of faith rely on God, not arms, for victory. This, incidentally, is the heart of the pacifist strategy of the followers of Jesus.
