Josh 3:8    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.' "

      

In Britain we have the story of King Canute who sat before the incoming tide and challenged it to stop coming in. He failed! I suspect these priests must have wondered what Moses was doing when he instructed them to do this. It wasn't until he later added, “And as soon as the priests who carry the ark …set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap,” that it became clearer. (v.13) Right!

 

There are several things about this picture we should note. The ark was considered the place where the presence of God sat in the Tabernacle. Wherever the ark went, was seen as the presence of God going. Thus God was leading them into the river. It would be His presence that would affect the river. It was almost as if His presence would cause the waters to draw back from Him.

Second, it was the priests who had to carry it and step into the water. Where God goes His servants have to go. Thus Jesus said to his disciples, “Follow me.” The priests were seen as the leaders within the people and so the leaders have to go ahead. God requires His leaders to go ahead first.

Third, it is an act of pure faith. They are stepping out to do something which, unless God turns up, is going to make them look very foolish. This is a classic picture of faith, of how it works. God speaks, you obey and step into a situation that often looks very foolish and THEN God moves. Don't be afraid to be a person of faith. If your are a spiritual leader, make sure you ARE a person of faith.

Fourth, we only go where Jesus leads. Jesus taught, "the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing." (Jn 5:19) We don't have to worry about what our 'Jordan' is to be, that we may have to step into. We simply focus on the Lord and our relationship with Him and then He will lead us into whatever He has for us that He knows we, with His enabling, can handle. The parting of the waters, remember, is not our work, it is His.