Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today 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. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”

14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (ESV)

There is only one sure and safe way to travel through this world. It is by ‘fixing our eyes’ on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). The ”ark” symbolised the presence of God. The people of Israel were being called to follow God through this formidable water barrier, and into the promised land. God had done this miracle before (or something very similar). This generation had heard about it. Now they were now going to experience it for themselves.

‘ Whenever we step out on the unknown path, the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolizes Christ, precedes, Isaiah 52:12 .’ F.B. Meyer

The Bible teacher, David Pawson, pointed out that when the Jordan river was in flood, it could undercut the banking upstream, causing a landslide, and stop the flow. It has happened from time to time. But, he added, the miracle is in the timing, that this should occur at the precise moment the priests set foot in the water. To quote him:

‘Now there are also parallels to some of the events in Joshua, for example the Jordan River regularly dries up in time of flood. That sounds a contradiction but I tell you how it happens. It is a very Meandering River as it goes down the Jordan valley. In flood when it meanders, it undercuts the banks on the curve and there we often see, even to this day, when it undercuts one of the big banks, the bank falls in and temporarily dams the stream until it rises and goes over the dam and it may stop for 4~5 hours.’ But, as he goes on to say, the significant thing is that it happened precisely when God said it would, and when it was most needed.

‘We face an unknown future (v.4) and need the Lord’s presence as we set out each day. God goes before us and we must follow as He directs. God knows the way, leads the way and opens the way. He is ”Lord of all the earth” (v.11), and there is nothing for us to fear.

The priests had to get their feet wet before the nation could cross over, and that took faith. Your faith can encourage others in their walk with God…The future is your friend when you follow the Lord and trust His promises.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

No barrier, however great, can stand in our way, if the Lord wants us the other side of it. We just need to keep our eyes on Him, and follow in faith.