Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Joshua 3

1 - 17 Israel Crosses the Jordan

The Isrealites set out and after (another!) three days, Joshua commands the people to follow the Ark of the Covenant.

God speaks to Joshua and tells him he's in charge of the Ark of the Covenant and that that "when you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan." He tells the Isrealites and they select 12 men from the tribes, 1 from each tribe - when their feet rest in the waters, the Jordan will stand still. This happens and Isreal crosses the Jordan.

Question of the Day: Are there any parallels between this story and baptism?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

God wanted to show the Israelites that He was with Joshua as He was with Moses. The tribes had to stay 1000 yards from the Ark.
5 They were to "consecrate themselves" the night before the crossing. Notes indicate that this involves washing all their clothes, taking a bath, and abstaining from sex.
The Jordan was in flood stage. The waters stopped and "piled up" at a town upstream called Adam.
It wasn't quite as dramatic as the Red Sea but it was obvious that God stopped the river's flow so they could cross to Jericho on dry ground.

Answer: I'm not sure but: entering the water to start a new life?

Karlton said...

That's a good answer - I hadn't thought about that. Going backward, I also see another parallel with Moses and the Red Sea.