Crossing Jordan

Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession (Deuteronomy 32:49).

Can you imagine the excitement as the children of Israel stood on the mountain and looked down on the Jordan River and the land they'd been promised just beyond? They'd spent forty long years in their journey, and all those over twenty years of age when they left Egypt had died because of their hard-hearted disobedience, except for three people, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. Now those left were about to possess that land "flowing with milk and honey" their forefathers had lived in -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's sons (the heads of the twelve tribes).

Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:52).

Because in a moment of weakness and anger, Moses had disobeyed God, he would not be allowed to cross the Jordan with his people, but he would watch them from Mount Nebo. By now, he was a very old man and near the end of his life. He had fulfilled his purpose, freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, and brought them to this promised land.

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan (Joshua 3:17).

In a miracle reminiscent of the parting of the Red Sea as the Israelites began their journey, the Jordan River parted, so they could walk across on the dry riverbed. The Ark of the Covenant led the way, symbolizing how we should always follow God. The men carrying the ark stood in the middle of the river until the last person made it safely to the other side. Then, they carried the ark over. As soon as they stepped up the banks, the river resumed its swift flow, driven by the melting snows in the mountains.

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abrahan, Isaac, and Jacob,  to give unto them and to their seed after them (Deuteronomy 1:8).

Although the Israelites had come home, their struggles hadn't ended. They would need to take back the land from the people who had taken possession of it. But as long as God's people followed Him they would be victorious. It was only when they tried to do it their way or on their own that they got into trouble. That teaches important lessons all of us need.

(Above photo credit  - By Davidbena - https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89266504)

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