Joshua 3 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Josh 3 :1-7

1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.’

5 Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’

6 Joshua said to the priests, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.’ So they took it up and went ahead of them. 7 And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

A. Find out:

1. To where did Israel come? v.1
2. What were the people to watch for? v.3
3. Why were they to follow it? v.4a
4. How far behind it were they to remain? v.4b
5. What did Joshua instruct the people to do? v.5
6. What did the Lord say He would do? v.7

B. Think:

1. The Ark signified the presence of God to the people. What does its place signify as they move out?
2. What two things in this passage remind the people that God is holy and special, not to be treated casually?

C. Comment:

The Ark of the Covenant (or covenant box) was a large wooden box, overlaid with gold, which had to be carried by the priests, and which contained the two slabs of stone on which were written the Ten Commandments. When the tabernacle was set up, the Ark was placed in the holy of holies, (most holy place) the innermost part of the tent where God’s presence was said to dwell.

The Ark constantly reminded the Israelites of the Lord’s presence. Its position out front of the people indicated that God would be leading His people into the promised land, but as a reminder that it was holy, the people following the Ark had to stay well back. Not only that, before they set out the people had to perform a specific act of washing and setting themselves aside to God. They were to realise that this was no casual expedition, this was God leading His people, a special people, a chosen people, a holy people.

As they went, they went with the knowledge that the Lord would clearly be with them, and to confirm that, the Lord promises Joshua He will bless him. Things are about to happen that are not of human making. God is on the move!

D. Application?

1. When God calls, God leads.
2. We also are a holy people, separated to God.

Passage: Josh 3:8-17

8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: “When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.”’

9 Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.’ 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is in flood all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

A. Find out:

1. What were the priests with the ark to do? v.8
2. What did Joshua say the Lord would do? v.10
3. What sign would show the Lord was with them? v.10a,13
4. What was the state of the Jordan ? v.15a
5. When did the water stop flowing? v.15,16
6. Where did the ark remain? v.17

B. Think:

1. How was obedience a prerequisite of this miracle?
2. How was the Ark ‘s position (remember yesterday) while the crossing took place, significant?
3. What would this have done for the Israelites?

C. Comment:

In Chapter 1 Joshua knew the Lord was with them because He said so. In chapter 2 Joshua knew the Lord was with them because of the fear of the people of the land. Now Joshua is encouraged yet again to know the Lord is with them by this obvious sign of supernatural intervention. This miracle, as do many, required divine instruction, human obedience and divine power. For the priests to walk into this flooding river carrying this large, heavy box, required strong commitment to Joshua’s leadership. Unless they had complete confidence in him, such instructions would have produced much grumbling, discontent and even rebellion. Instead they obeyed and suddenly the water level started falling.

Actually, how the waters piled up at Adam is irrelevant; it happened so that at the exact moment miles down stream, the water started to fall. The result is that the way is made open for this whole nation to cross over on dry ground. The ark in the center of the river signifies the Lord’s presence in the river, holding the river in the state necessary for the Israelite crossing. This is the Lord at work!

D. Application?

1. Miracles frequently require our obedience after we have heard the Lord.  Are we hearing and obeying?
2. God must be at the center! Let Him be so.