It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Morning. Praise the Lord! God
is good. I wasn't even expecting
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that. That's right all the time.
There you go. For our friends
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who may be visiting or if you
were not here last Sabbath, we
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have just begun a series on
Bible hero of Joshua and we are
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doing part two in that series
today. Don't know how long it'll
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go but we're not going to finish
this Sabbath. I can just about
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tell you that, dealing with one
of the great characters, Joshua.
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Our message today is more
specifically Joshua Part Two,
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From Jordan to Jericho. Now
you notice it doesn't say from
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Jordan through Jericho because
we're just going to get to
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Jericho today. In our next study
we'll probably be talking more
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about the walls of Jericho and
that whole adventure. So where
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we take up our story today is a
good place because we've sort of
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given the introduction from the
experiences of Joshua that we
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found in the wilderness
with Moses. Now Moses is passing
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away and we get to the book
of Joshua. The book of Joshua is
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really a bridge between the Law
and the books of the Judges that
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you find. So we're going to
enter into Joshua chapter one.
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Most of our study is going to be
going through Joshua 1-10. A lot
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of it then breaks down into some
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of the specifics of the
divisions of the promised
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land, but the best stories are
going to be found in the first
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six or eight chapters in
the book of Joshua. In Joshua
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chapter 1 we find where he
really takes over as now the new
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commander of God's people. He is
given a mandate to have courage
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and that was in our scripture
reading this morning. You
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remember that Moses told
Joshua be strong, be courageous.
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Now we get into chapter 1 of
Joshua. The Lord tells him again
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to be strong and be courageous.
Why? Can you imagine trying to
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fill Moses' shoes? Joshua even
with the evidence of God in the
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camp must have felt some
apprehension. Moses had some big
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sandals to fill so to speak.
Here he had stood before the
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Pharaoh and all the plagues, the
mighty miracles and Moses was
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not deemed worthy to lead them
over and God said Joshua you do
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it. Joshua is thinking I
was Moses' servant. How can I be
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worthy? What about the
apprehension that Elisha felt
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when Elijah is going to heaven
and Elisha feels like how can I
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fill Elijah's shoes? This is
a man who prays and fire comes
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down from heaven. And Elijah
says to Elisha, before I leave
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is there something you'd like to
request. He didn't feel fit for
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the job did he? What did he ask
for? A double portion of your
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Spirit. How can I do your work
without your Spirit? So Joshua
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is feeling this element of
apprehension. Moses is dead and
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they mourned for him 30 days.
And God reassures him. He says,
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I am going to give you courage.
You be strong. I am with you.
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That's a wonderful
promise, Amen? What is courage?
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According to the dictionary
courage is the state or quality
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of mind or spirit that enables
one to face danger, fear or
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vicissitudes with
self- possession confidence,
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resolution and bravery.
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Karen lent me a tape I
was listening to this week.
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I haven't found it in the book
anywhere but Pastor David Gates
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described courage as someone who
runs to do the right thing even
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though it looks like the
impossible. Running towards the
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right thing. It's like
David running to fight Goliath.
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That takes courage to run
to fight a giant even though it
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looks like it's impossible
that you might win. I know that
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sometimes there's a very
thin line between courage and
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insanity and many heroes are
called crazy first and heroes
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later. Isn't that right? When
you step out in faith sometimes
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you're called crazy. When you
succeed you're called spiritual.
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So now God says to Joshua, I
want you to cross the Jordan.
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He hasn't told him how he's
going to do it because the river
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is flooding at this point.
And as they're moving in that
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direction, you remember Moses
died and was buried near Mount
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Nebo so they're not too far away
from that place. He realizes
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that it would probably be a
good idea to send a couple of
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individuals over in advance to
sort of scout the area. Now they
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did have guarded crossings that
were crossed by ferries where a
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few people and their oxen could
get maybe get on a raft and they
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were pulled across the Jordan.
The Jordan used to flood during
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the harvest time. The snows of
Mount Lebanon were melting, they
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were running down and it's not
a mighty river like the Missouri
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but it's a pretty formidable
stream this time of year and you
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can't get across it. There's
no bridge. But a couple of spies
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could make it. And you couldn't
have sent 12 like Moses did 40
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years earlier for a couple of
reasons. One, it's too obvious
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when you got 12 spies traveling
together to spot them. They sort
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of stand out. The other thing is
Joshua did not want a repeat of
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the wrong men getting
discouraged by obstacles and
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bringing back an evil
report. So he handpicked two
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individuals based on their
faithfulness. Now there's some
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speculation. We don't know
who one of them is but there is
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speculation that one of
the spies, his name was Salmon.
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Salmon was the father of
Boaz. He was the son of Naashan.
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Naashan was one of the 70 elders
that had been chosen or one of
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the 12 princes rather that
had been chosen by Joshua to
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represent the tribes. So this
was a man of dignity, young,
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trustworthy and he had a partner
who is unnamed. They cross over.
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Now given the charge of courage
in chapter 1, go with me to
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chapter 2 and one of my favorite
stories, I'm glad that I get to
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address it again here, is
the story of Rahab and the two
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spies. Go with me to chapter
2 verse 1. Now Joshua the son of
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Nun... You remember we talked
about Nun. Do you remember what
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the Hebrew interpretation of Nun
is? A catholic woman who's not
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married. No! Nun represents
perpetual or eternal. So here
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Joshua's name is Jehovah is
Savior the son of the Eternal.
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All right. So Joshua the son of
Nun sent out two spies, two men,
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from the acacia grove. They're
camped at this grove that's not
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very far from Jericho. Jericho's
right by the Jordan River. We've
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been there. And they came to the
city and they came to the house
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of a harlot... Some of you might
be thinking, Pastor Doug, aren't
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these supposed to be godly men?
What, has this turned into a
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business trip? What's going on
here? They came to the house of
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a harlot named Rahab and they
lodged there. Well before you
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jump to conclusions about
what these spies were doing, in
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Bible times it was just a very
common practice that the inns,
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the hotels, were operated by
families and it was something
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like a mom and pop operation
with a bed and breakfast and
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sometimes there was a little
more emphasis on the bed part
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because that was the oldest
profession and it was just the
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way of life back then. People
who operated these inns were
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automatically labeled as harlots
and it didn't necessarily mean
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it's what they did, it meant
that happened in their house.
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You understand? But she is
called, you can't escape it,
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several times in the Bible Rahab
the harlot. So of course Mary
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Magdalene was given that
reputation as well. One reason
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they went there is first of
all when you go to one of those
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houses of ill repute or a
bordeleau, it's a place where
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nobody asks questions because
someone might ask you what
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you're doing there. You
understand? It's a good place to
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mix in. How nervous were the
people in Jericho at that time?
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Think about this. Right then
the people who were in the city
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of Jericho could stand on the
massive walls, look right across
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the river and they could see
at night this glowing pillar of
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fire coming up from the
tabernacle of God's people.
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The evidence of God's presence
among his people was visible
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from their city on the other
side of the Jordan. Would that
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make you nervous? Had they heard
the story over the last 40 years
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of the miraculous deliverance
of Israel and all the plagues
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that fell on the Egyptians.
How they were being fed. Can you
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imagine looking from your
windows, suppose you had a nice
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vantage point in the walls
of Jericho and you see every
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morning the children of Israel,
as soon as the sun comes up,
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there they are fanning out
picking up bread off the ground.
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Would it be evidence to you that
God is with them? And everybody
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knew that they had been told the
land of Canaan was theirs and
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they were coming to take
possession. That would make the
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people of Jericho very nervous.
So they are on what do you call
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it; we've got orange, yellow,
red alert in North America
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for our security levels. They
were on red alert. Would you
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agree? The microphone is
popping here a little bit.
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And so here the guards are
carefully watching the gates.
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So these spies try to come in,
they mingled. The other thing
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they're wanting to do is the
caravans that went from Europe
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to Africa and India, through
Asia often went through the
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Jordan valley specifically
Jericho. Jericho was one of the
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oldest cities in the world
because it was by a great spring
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called the spring of Elisha.
It's by a river and it was in a
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valley that was an easy natural
trail through these continents.
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If you went too far one way you
had the ocean. If you went too
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far the other way you had a
desert. It was the natural place
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to go and so caravans, great
commerce, came through Jericho.
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People from all over the world
came through Jericho. If you
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wanted to know what was
happening in the news room, you
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went to Jericho. And if you
wanted to know especially, you
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would go to the hotel in Jericho
So these men went there to do
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reconnaissance. They would sit
there quietly, eat their food
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and listen to what people were
saying and they could hear all
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the chatter of what was going
on. But evidently something
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happened to blow their cover.
Somebody noticed; didn't I see
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them cross the Jordan? Weren't
they on the ferry with me?
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They're dressed a little unusual
They've got that glow about
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them and they look suspicious.
Their clothing, something.
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Somehow someone said I detected
when we asked them a question
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they had an accent that sounded
like Hebrew. In any event,
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people became suspicious. It was
told the king of Jericho saying
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behold men have come here
tonight from the children of
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Israel to search out the country
Now by the way, if Joshua
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represents our Jesus, who is
it that had unrightfully taken
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possession of the Promised
Land? What king? Who is called
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the prince of this world? Satan.
Does Satan know what God's
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representatives are doing? Does
the devil have his eye on God's
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messengers. Is he threatened?
The devil knows who God's
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messengers are and he is on high
alert. He's watching what they
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are doing and so report came to
him right away. So the king of
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Jericho sent to Rahab saying
bring the men out who have come
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to you and entered your house
for they have come to search out
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the country. Now the reason
the soldiers didn't go marching
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right into Rahab's house
is because in Bible times the
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person's house was their
sanctuary. Even if it was a tent
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you said bring them out.
Remember the men of Sodom.
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They said to Lot send those
two angels out. In the book of
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Judges the man from the
Levites stayed in that house
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in Benjamin, the men of the city
came and said send him out. Send
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the wife out. They didn't go in
because there was a very strong
00:13:30.90\00:13:34.34
taboo to invade the sanctuary of
someone's home. You had to send
00:13:34.38\00:13:37.82
them out. So he said to Rahab,
send them out. She said, well
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you know the house is full
of guests. Let me go find them.
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So she runs and she's a very
quick thinker. She runs in the
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house. She took the two men,
I'm in verse 4, and she hid them
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and she said to them, Yes the
men came to me but I didn't know
00:13:54.14\00:13:58.79
where they were from and
it happened as the gate was
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being shut and it was dark that
the men went out. Where they
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went, I don't know but go after
them quickly and you'll overtake
00:14:04.32\00:14:07.46
them. I understand they just
left. Now she's thinking very
00:14:07.49\00:14:10.64
quickly. You know what else
Rahab is doing. What would it
00:14:10.68\00:14:13.76
be called if you fraternize with
the enemy and you betray your
00:14:13.80\00:14:18.30
country. Aren't you called
a traitor? Isn't that treason?
00:14:18.33\00:14:21.77
What is the punishment usually
for treason? Even in America we
00:14:21.81\00:14:27.69
have executed spies and traitors
She is putting her life on the
00:14:27.72\00:14:33.57
line to deliver God's
messengers. She is willing to
00:14:33.60\00:14:37.80
die to preserve the two
messengers. Now you've maybe
00:14:37.84\00:14:41.97
picked up on it. I believe these
two messengers represent the
00:14:42.01\00:14:45.74
word of God. The word of God is
compared to two witnesses. You
00:14:45.77\00:14:49.17
get to Revelation chapter 11 and
there are two witnesses, right?
00:14:49.20\00:14:52.47
And they're a symbol of you can
say the Law and the prophets,
00:14:52.51\00:14:55.68
the New and the Old Testaments.
The word of God is often given
00:14:55.71\00:14:59.16
in the context of something
dual. It's a sword with how many
00:14:59.19\00:15:02.75
edges? A double edged sword.
This is the word of God. These
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two messengers that came from
Joshua represent the word of
00:15:06.25\00:15:09.91
God. And what does she do? She
hides them. Thy word I have hid
00:15:09.95\00:15:14.10
in my heart that I might not
sin, Amen? And she's doing it
00:15:14.13\00:15:18.34
where she's willing to die
to preserve it. We all must be
00:15:18.37\00:15:22.51
willing to take up our cross and
to die. Now people always take
00:15:22.55\00:15:26.82
issue with the part; they
say well she lied. Yes she did.
00:15:26.85\00:15:31.93
She was also a harlot. So give
her a break. I mean this is a
00:15:31.97\00:15:36.16
pagan woman. God meets us where
we're at. Isn't that right?
00:15:36.20\00:15:40.63
By the way in war, I'm not
saying the Bible condones it,
00:15:40.67\00:15:45.03
but it is a fact that deception
was frequently used for the
00:15:45.07\00:15:49.74
enemy in war. Even Joshua
later on uses deceptive tactics.
00:15:49.77\00:15:53.62
He looks like he's retreating
from the city of Ai and then
00:15:53.65\00:15:56.80
they come in and they charge.
I mean it was just a common
00:15:56.83\00:15:59.91
practice back then. So not that
God's endorsing lying and don't
00:15:59.95\00:16:04.88
ever use Rahab as your excuse.
She's not the perfect example
00:16:04.91\00:16:09.62
for you to use. But still God
blessed her for that and he said
00:16:09.65\00:16:14.06
that it took faith, she was
willing to die to protect them.
00:16:14.09\00:16:18.11
She brought them up to the roof
and had hidden them with the
00:16:18.14\00:16:22.13
stalks of flax which she
had laid in order on the roof.
00:16:22.16\00:16:25.12
Now it was a common practice in
Bible times that many families
00:16:25.16\00:16:28.64
often had a cottage business.
They used to do different things
00:16:28.68\00:16:31.93
to make ends meet. She not only
had a bed and breakfast, she
00:16:31.97\00:16:35.18
probably was making some kind
of cloth on the roof. The fine
00:16:35.22\00:16:38.38
part of the flax was made into
clothing. The course part of the
00:16:38.42\00:16:42.28
flax was made into cord or rope.
In the same way Lydia was a
00:16:42.31\00:16:46.14
seller of purple, Rahab was
probably a seller of scarlet
00:16:46.17\00:16:50.16
because later she ends up
hanging a scarlet rope or cord
00:16:50.19\00:16:54.11
in the window. They were taken
on the roof, they dye it, they
00:16:54.15\00:16:57.33
dry it and the roof was the
place to do that. She's got this
00:16:57.37\00:17:02.04
big pile of loose fabric on the
roof and she hides them in it.
00:17:02.07\00:17:08.88
Scarlet colored fabric. Thy word
I have hid in my roof. This is
00:17:08.91\00:17:13.82
where you hide it, right? That
I might not sin. It's in the
00:17:13.85\00:17:18.25
roof. You don't hide it in your
foot. You do want to walk with
00:17:18.29\00:17:22.66
the Lord. You can hide it
in your hand and you can do the
00:17:22.69\00:17:26.57
deeds of the Lord. But this
is the holy of holies. The very
00:17:26.60\00:17:31.62
fact that they are probably
hidden in scarlet fabric is a
00:17:31.66\00:17:36.61
symbol for the blood of Christ,
right? In that context. So the
00:17:36.65\00:17:41.14
men locked the gates. There's no
way of escape. They are scouring
00:17:41.18\00:17:44.82
the city looking for them. They
probably got a platoon that's
00:17:44.86\00:17:48.44
heading for the Jordan River
trying to catch them before they
00:17:48.48\00:17:52.03
escape with their secret
reconnaissance information that
00:17:52.06\00:17:55.48
they had gained. And it says in
verse 7, the men pursued by the
00:17:55.52\00:18:00.53
road to Jordan the fords. As
soon as those who had pursued
00:18:00.56\00:18:03.47
them had gone out, they shut
the gate. There was no way out.
00:18:03.50\00:18:07.73
So before they lay down she
came to them on the roof and she
00:18:07.76\00:18:11.98
said to them... Now listen to
this speech. I know the Lord has
00:18:12.01\00:18:16.20
given you the land and the
terror of you has fallen on us
00:18:16.23\00:18:19.89
and all the inhabitants of the
land are faint hearted because
00:18:19.92\00:18:23.24
of you, for we have heard how
the Lord dried up the waters of
00:18:23.28\00:18:26.33
the Red Sea for you when you
came out of Egypt and what you
00:18:26.36\00:18:29.11
did to the two kings of the
Amorites who were on the other
00:18:29.15\00:18:32.20
side of the Jordan, Sihon and
Og who you utterly destroyed.
00:18:32.24\00:18:35.09
And as soon as we heard
these things our hearts melted,
00:18:35.12\00:18:38.50
neither did there remain any
more courage in anyone because
00:18:38.53\00:18:42.11
of you. For the Lord you God,
she uses the word Jehovah there,
00:18:42.14\00:18:46.26
for the Lord your God he is God
in heaven above and the earth
00:18:46.29\00:18:50.37
beneath. Now therefore I beg
you swear to me... You know what
00:18:50.40\00:18:54.56
she's asking for? She saying
make a covenant with me. I have
00:18:54.59\00:18:58.13
put my life on the line. I'm
willing to die to protect you.
00:18:58.17\00:19:01.78
Make a covenant with me.
These are the terms of salvation
00:19:01.82\00:19:05.36
friends. We hear the word of God
we receive the word of God, we
00:19:05.40\00:19:10.56
are willing to lay our lives
down and accept the covenant
00:19:10.59\00:19:14.24
that is made. She says, make
a covenant with me, swear to me,
00:19:14.28\00:19:18.17
she says I have shown you
kindness that you will also show
00:19:18.20\00:19:22.05
kindness to my father's house
and give me a token, give me a
00:19:22.09\00:19:25.74
sign, and spare my father, my
mother, my brothers, my sisters
00:19:25.78\00:19:29.01
and all that I have and deliver
our lives from death. We are
00:19:29.05\00:19:32.59
under a death penalty because
Joshua is coming, he's going to
00:19:32.63\00:19:36.14
blow the trumpets and we'll
be doomed. Now is our Joshua
00:19:36.17\00:19:41.26
coming? Are there going to be
trumpets blowing. Those who are
00:19:41.30\00:19:46.06
not in covenant with him, what
is their fate? They'll perish.
00:19:46.10\00:19:49.96
You see how important it is
for us to make a covenant now?
00:19:50.00\00:19:54.79
Did Rahab know exactly when
Joshua was going to cross the
00:19:54.82\00:19:58.62
Jordan? So you better make
a covenant when you find the
00:19:58.65\00:20:02.38
messengers. When you hear the
word, you better be willing to
00:20:02.42\00:20:07.84
receive the word and make your
covenant now. Verse 14: So the
00:20:07.87\00:20:12.99
men answered her, Our lives for
yours. You know this is called
00:20:13.03\00:20:17.29
substitution in the Bible. It's
like when David said, Absalom,
00:20:17.33\00:20:21.52
my son, my son, would God I had
died for thee. Moses said Lord
00:20:21.55\00:20:25.29
let me perish that Israel might
be saved. Paul said I am willing
00:20:25.32\00:20:29.25
to die that all Israel might be
saved. Here is the substitution
00:20:29.29\00:20:33.24
of Jesus dying in our place.
They said, our lives for yours.
00:20:33.27\00:20:36.62
You put your life on the line to
save our lives. We're going to
00:20:36.66\00:20:39.98
do all we can now with our
lives to save yours. If you
00:20:40.01\00:20:43.90
tell none of our business, it
shall be when... You notice they
00:20:43.94\00:20:47.98
don't say if. Joshua has chosen
two men of faith. Some of those
00:20:48.01\00:20:52.09
first spies doubted. When the
Lord has given us the land...
00:20:52.13\00:20:57.60
Did they have faith? That we
will deal kindly and truly with
00:20:57.64\00:21:03.09
you. There'll be truth and
there'll be grace. Then she let
00:21:03.12\00:21:08.50
them down by a rope through the
window for her house was on the
00:21:08.54\00:21:12.60
city wall. Where's her house?
What's going to happen to those
00:21:12.64\00:21:16.35
walls later? All right I want
you to pay attention to that
00:21:16.38\00:21:19.73
because you have to remember
that for when that subject comes
00:21:19.76\00:21:25.25
And she said to them, get out to
the mountains lest your pursuers
00:21:25.28\00:21:30.74
meet you. Hide three days.
When Jesus died how long was it
00:21:30.77\00:21:35.54
before he rose? You often find
that three days there in these
00:21:35.58\00:21:39.22
gospel stories somewhere and
these allegories of salvation.
00:21:39.25\00:21:43.06
And hide there three days until
the pursuers have returned.
00:21:43.10\00:21:46.84
After that you may go your way.
And the men said to her, we will
00:21:46.88\00:21:50.05
be blameless of this oath
of yours which you have made us
00:21:50.08\00:21:53.72
swear unless when we come to
the land you bind this line, the
00:21:53.75\00:21:58.29
word line there is cord or rope,
scarlet rope, in the window
00:21:58.33\00:22:02.40
through which you have let us
down. What was the token to be?
00:22:02.43\00:22:07.71
A scarlet cord in the window.
And unless you bring your father
00:22:07.74\00:22:11.53
your mother, your brother, your
sister, all of your father's
00:22:11.57\00:22:15.44
household into your home. So it
shall be that whoever goes out
00:22:15.48\00:22:18.94
of the doors of your house into
the street, his blood shall be
00:22:18.98\00:22:22.56
on his own head and we will be
guiltless. And whoever is with
00:22:22.59\00:22:26.36
you in the house, his blood is
on our head if anything happens
00:22:26.39\00:22:30.14
to him, if any hand is laid upon
him. Oooo, this is such a good
00:22:30.18\00:22:33.90
story. It's the story of
salvation. What was the criteria
00:22:33.93\00:22:37.40
during the Passover if people
wanted to survive that angel of
00:22:37.43\00:22:40.83
death? They had to be in the
house with the token. What was
00:22:40.86\00:22:44.80
the token? The red blood on
the door or on the window of the
00:22:44.84\00:22:48.85
house. And in this case
only those who were in the house
00:22:48.89\00:22:54.55
with the red cord will survive.
All right. What is the Lord
00:22:54.59\00:22:59.59
trying to teach us through
this story? The allegory is very
00:22:59.63\00:23:03.18
powerful. Some people dream
things up and they just don't
00:23:03.21\00:23:07.10
match. I'm not dreaming this
up friends. This fits. This is
00:23:07.14\00:23:11.39
truth. Our Joshua is coming,
he is coming to judge those who
00:23:11.43\00:23:16.12
wrongly possess the land that
God gave to Abraham. This world
00:23:16.15\00:23:19.92
was made by Jesus, it belonged
to him. It's been kidnapped.
00:23:19.95\00:23:22.93
Trumpets are going to blow.
There's going to be miraculous
00:23:22.96\00:23:25.87
power. He's coming with the ark,
the law. Only those who are in
00:23:25.91\00:23:31.50
the house in Christ. Jesus
said my body is the church. Only
00:23:31.54\00:23:36.10
those that are in the house
where that token is, that is the
00:23:36.14\00:23:39.93
blood of the covenant that
covers our sins. It's not only
00:23:39.96\00:23:42.86
talking about the church,
it's talking about your hearts.
00:23:42.90\00:23:46.52
They will be saved. Everyone
else was doomed to destruction.
00:23:46.56\00:23:50.08
Everybody else. And if they
went out of the house they were
00:23:50.11\00:23:53.58
doomed. We'll get to that more
when we get to Jericho but I
00:23:53.61\00:23:56.18
just want you to be thinking
about this because I don't mind
00:23:56.22\00:23:59.07
you hearing it twice. I want it
to sink in. Now what would you
00:23:59.11\00:24:02.65
do if you were Rahab and you
don't know exactly when they're
00:24:02.69\00:24:05.37
coming back but you know that
they're are coming back and you
00:24:05.41\00:24:08.30
know that only those that are
in your house when they come are
00:24:08.33\00:24:11.47
spared. Would you say, you know
one of these days I'm going to
00:24:11.50\00:24:14.61
tie that cord in my window.
And it says if you tell this
00:24:14.64\00:24:19.61
business of ours, I'm in verse
20, we'll be free of your oath
00:24:19.65\00:24:23.24
which you made us swear. She
said according to your word so
00:24:23.28\00:24:28.28
be it. And she sent them away,
she let them down by this rope,
00:24:28.31\00:24:32.57
and she bound the scarlet cord
in the window. How soon after
00:24:32.60\00:24:36.83
they left did she tie the
scarlet cord in the window?
00:24:36.86\00:24:39.19
Right away. She wanted the
sign of that covenant right now.
00:24:39.23\00:24:43.07
The best time to do God's will
is when you know his will. The
00:24:43.11\00:24:46.24
best time to listen to his voice
is when you're hearing his voice
00:24:46.28\00:24:49.38
Friends, if you have not yet
tied that scarlet cord in your
00:24:49.41\00:24:54.09
window do it today. Amen? Make
a covenant. Joshua is coming.
00:24:54.12\00:24:58.74
And the walls are going to fall.
And they departed. They went to
00:24:58.78\00:25:03.37
the mountains, stayed there
three days until the pursuers
00:25:03.40\00:25:06.07
had returned. Now the pursuers
sought them all along the way
00:25:06.11\00:25:09.19
but did not find them. God
protected them. Now suppose that
00:25:09.22\00:25:14.10
you were Rahab and you know that
when Joshua comes only those
00:25:14.14\00:25:18.58
in your house are going to
survive. How motivated would you
00:25:18.62\00:25:23.49
be to get people in your house?
I think that she probably went
00:25:23.53\00:25:27.93
to all of her family members and
all of her friends and she said
00:25:27.97\00:25:32.34
look. You need to come to
my house. I've got something to
00:25:32.37\00:25:34.90
tell you and it's top secret but
I can't tell you till you're in
00:25:34.94\00:25:38.66
my house. And she brought them
all together and she said when
00:25:38.70\00:25:42.81
Joshua comes we better be here
when it happens. We don't know
00:25:42.84\00:25:45.82
exactly when it's going to
happen. I bet they spent a lot
00:25:45.85\00:25:48.76
of time at Rahab's house. I also
think she probably changed her
00:25:48.80\00:25:53.67
occupation. Can't prove that but
I bet that there was a lot of
00:25:53.70\00:25:58.51
change that came into her life.
I'll talk more about this when
00:25:58.54\00:26:03.85
we get to Jericho. So the men
returned and they descended from
00:26:03.89\00:26:07.93
the mountain. They crossed over
and they came to Joshua the son
00:26:07.97\00:26:11.99
of Nun. You notice it always
mentions who he was the son of.
00:26:12.03\00:26:15.29
It doesn't just say Joshua. We
would have known who it was, but
00:26:15.33\00:26:18.87
it always says Joshua the son
of Nun. Why because he's a very
00:26:18.90\00:26:22.99
powerful type of Christ and it's
telling us Jehovah is salvation,
00:26:23.02\00:26:27.08
he is eternal and that's the
name of Christ. Remember what
00:26:27.11\00:26:32.30
Deuteronomy 18 says? God said
to Moses, I'm going to send a
00:26:32.33\00:26:37.45
prophet like unto you. Hear him.
He is the Angel of the Covenant.
00:26:37.49\00:26:42.62
And my name is in him. Did
you hear that? The Angel of the
00:26:42.65\00:26:48.19
Covenant in whom is his name.
That's another name for Jesus.
00:26:48.23\00:26:52.51
Verse 24. Now we're at the last
verse of chapter 2. I'd like to
00:26:52.54\00:26:56.65
have spent more time here. And
they said to Joshua, truly the
00:26:56.68\00:27:01.07
Lord has delivered all the land
into our hands for indeed the
00:27:01.10\00:27:05.19
inhabitants of the country
are faint hearted because of us.
00:27:05.22\00:27:09.89
You know there's a number of
major components to win a battle
00:27:09.92\00:27:14.26
One of them they say is the
element of surprise. Another one
00:27:14.29\00:27:18.04
is confidence and courage. I
mean, even in a football game
00:27:18.08\00:27:21.90
what does the coach try to do
during half time if they're not
00:27:21.93\00:27:26.56
playing well? Inspire them with
faith. Give them confidence.
00:27:26.60\00:27:31.16
And here they came back and they
said, they have lost faith. They
00:27:31.20\00:27:35.08
are defeated in their own minds.
Their hearts are faint hearted.
00:27:35.12\00:27:38.95
They're going to run. It will
be the mother of all surrenders
00:27:38.98\00:27:43.58
when we get there. And God is
with us. How different was the
00:27:43.61\00:27:49.11
report of Joshua's messengers
the two spies, than the ones who
00:27:49.14\00:27:53.78
40 years earlier had gone
out on their own volition at the
00:27:53.81\00:27:57.52
request of the people. They
came back and brought a negative
00:27:57.56\00:28:01.89
report. There were only two
positive reports among the 12
00:28:01.92\00:28:06.07
spies, Joshua and Caleb. There
were only two positive reports
00:28:06.11\00:28:09.35
that came back later. This is
the symbol for the word of God.
00:28:09.38\00:28:13.96
All right. Now we go to chapter
3 of the book of Joshua and this
00:28:14.00\00:28:18.78
deals with crossing Jordan. The
Jordan River in the Bible, the
00:28:18.81\00:28:23.28
Jordan means descending. It's
because it is one of the most
00:28:23.32\00:28:28.36
radical rivers as far as highs
and lows in the Bible. There's
00:28:28.40\00:28:33.19
no river geographically like the
Jordan, anywhere like the Jordan
00:28:33.23\00:28:37.99
anywhere in the world. It starts
in the mountains of Lebanon
00:28:38.02\00:28:40.77
thousands of feet above sea
level, up where there's snow
00:28:40.80\00:28:44.09
line and it goes down to
the hottest and lowest point on
00:28:44.13\00:28:47.80
earth, the Dead Sea in a
comparatively short span of
00:28:47.84\00:28:51.44
space. And so you can understand
why they called it descending.
00:28:51.48\00:28:55.00
Because it goes whoosh. In
the Bible the Jordan River is a
00:28:55.03\00:28:59.75
symbol of death. It's a symbol
of death and if you think I'm
00:28:59.78\00:29:03.99
making that up look through your
hymnal some time. Every time
00:29:04.03\00:29:07.82
you find the word Jordan you'll
know that the great hymn writers
00:29:07.86\00:29:11.62
had great theology. They
understood that as Israel
00:29:11.65\00:29:15.21
crossed the Jordan it was a
symbol of death. Let me see if I
00:29:15.25\00:29:19.17
can illustrate. The
exodus experience is a type of
00:29:19.20\00:29:22.05
salvation. Slaves of the Pharaoh
in Egypt. You go through the Red
00:29:22.09\00:29:25.99
Sea; that's kind of like baptism
then you enter the wilderness.
00:29:26.02\00:29:32.20
Justified by the Lamb in Egypt,
sanctified in the wilderness,
00:29:32.24\00:29:36.09
and then you cross the Jordan
River. How do most people get
00:29:36.12\00:29:40.89
from this life into Canaan?
Don't they die? And so it's a
00:29:40.92\00:29:44.42
symbol of that. Baptism is
a symbol of death, burial and
00:29:44.45\00:29:47.88
resurrection. Oh, and don't miss
this point. Before the children
00:29:47.92\00:29:52.39
of Israel could leave Egypt
there was a death. Not only was
00:29:52.42\00:29:56.82
it the death of the first born,
but there was the death of the
00:29:56.85\00:30:01.14
Passover lamb and they began
their journey following a death.
00:30:01.17\00:30:06.03
How does the book of Joshua
begin. It says after the death
00:30:06.07\00:30:10.86
of Moses. They now began a new
journey to a new phase. You know
00:30:10.90\00:30:15.57
it's often true in our lives.
Sometimes a death marks a whole
00:30:15.60\00:30:19.83
new phase. Sometimes it might
be the death of a parent. Some
00:30:19.87\00:30:24.07
of us realize after our
last parent dies we are now the
00:30:24.10\00:30:27.11
patriarch in the family. Feels
kind of weird. After my mother
00:30:27.15\00:30:30.12
and father died I sort of
thought, I'm now the oldest of
00:30:30.15\00:30:33.58
the clan. And it's like a new
chapter in your life. Some of
00:30:33.62\00:30:37.60
you have lost a spouse. It
represents a new journey, a new
00:30:37.63\00:30:40.73
chapter. Death is one of the
more traumatic things in life
00:30:40.77\00:30:43.80
but it also begins a new journey
Think of it that way and you
00:30:43.83\00:30:47.66
might find some encouragement
from that. So the Jordan River
00:30:47.69\00:30:51.57
is a symbol for death. They're
getting ready to cross. God
00:30:51.61\00:30:55.42
instructs them before they cross
to prepare. He has not told them
00:30:55.46\00:30:59.85
how it's going to happen. How
are we going to march this one
00:30:59.88\00:31:04.77
and a half to three million
people across this flooding
00:31:04.80\00:31:07.67
river. There's no ferry that's
going to do it. But God said to
00:31:07.71\00:31:12.11
Joshua, Go forward and he said,
Okay Lord. You know I remember
00:31:12.14\00:31:15.52
when you parted the sea. I don't
know what's going to happen but
00:31:15.55\00:31:18.90
we're going to trust you
and we're going to go forward.
00:31:18.93\00:31:20.96
They're given instructions to
gather provisions for three days
00:31:21.00\00:31:24.39
because this was going to be
a process. They were also told
00:31:24.42\00:31:29.13
that the ark must rise up and
go before them. As always they
00:31:29.17\00:31:32.88
follow. And they said you don't
know where we're going this time
00:31:32.92\00:31:36.60
and so it will lead the way.
They go forward and the ark is
00:31:36.63\00:31:41.53
being carried by 12 priests. And
they said maintain a distance, I
00:31:41.57\00:31:46.70
think it's called a thousand
cubits or something in the Bible
00:31:46.74\00:31:50.83
It's the equivalent of half
a mile. The people were to stay
00:31:50.87\00:31:55.30
half a mile behind the ark. So
12 priests... Someone ought to
00:31:55.33\00:31:59.73
if you're any good at math,
calculate what the ark might
00:31:59.76\00:32:04.92
have weighed and figure out how
that weight would be distributed
00:32:04.96\00:32:08.06
among 12 priests because those
priests had to hold that ark a
00:32:08.10\00:32:12.48
long time that day. What they
had is the ark had two long very
00:32:12.52\00:32:16.87
strong poles that went through
sticking out from the four
00:32:16.90\00:32:20.67
corners and there would be three
priests at each corner carrying
00:32:20.71\00:32:25.53
it and so it was divided among
them. And what was it made of?
00:32:25.56\00:32:30.15
It was wood overlaid with gold
with we don't know what kind of
00:32:30.19\00:32:34.75
stone. Some believe it
was jasper stone that the 10
00:32:34.78\00:32:37.56
commandments were written
on because that was like a blue
00:32:37.60\00:32:40.70
stone or was it sapphire?
Sapphire stone, sorry, that the
00:32:40.74\00:32:43.77
10 commandments were written on
and so you have the gold and all
00:32:43.81\00:32:48.05
that. It was probably a pretty
good load. They go out ahead of
00:32:48.08\00:32:52.29
them and as the priests go
forward, you got your Bibles
00:32:52.32\00:32:55.98
here? God says in verse 7, well
let's read verse 6. And Joshua
00:32:56.02\00:33:00.60
spoke to the priests, I'm in
chapter 3, take up the Ark of
00:33:00.64\00:33:04.33
the Covenant and cross over
before the people. So they took
00:33:04.37\00:33:07.83
up the Ark of the Covenant and
went before the people. And the
00:33:07.87\00:33:11.14
Lord said to Joshua, This day I
will begin to magnify you in the
00:33:11.18\00:33:14.42
sight of all Israel that they
might know that as I was with
00:33:14.45\00:33:18.32
Moses so I will be with you. You
shall command the priests who
00:33:18.35\00:33:22.19
bear the Ark of the Covenant
saying, when you come to the
00:33:22.22\00:33:25.11
edge of the water of the Jordan
you shall stand in the Jordan.
00:33:25.15\00:33:28.84
So Joshua said to the children
of Israel, Come here and hear
00:33:28.87\00:33:32.34
the words of the Lord your
God. And Joshua said by this you
00:33:32.38\00:33:35.75
shall know that the living God
is among you. They needed that
00:33:35.79\00:33:39.39
confidence. Here was this nation
that was still basically unarmed
00:33:39.43\00:33:43.20
they had probably picked up some
arms from the Egyptians that
00:33:43.23\00:33:46.53
washed up on the sea shore and
the people they conquered. Now
00:33:46.57\00:33:49.74
they're getting ready to go
against seven nations that were
00:33:49.78\00:33:53.83
mightier than them. He
will without fail drive out from
00:33:53.87\00:33:57.82
before you the Canaanites
and the Hittites and the Hivites
00:33:57.86\00:34:01.37
and the Perizites and the
Gergashites and the Amorites
00:34:01.40\00:34:04.84
and the Jebusites. Behold the
Ark... Some of you have probably
00:34:04.88\00:34:10.71
have wrestled with the
intimidation of the ites in your
00:34:10.74\00:34:12.44
life, huh? Behold the Ark of the
Covenant of the Lord of all the
00:34:12.48\00:34:17.15
earth is crossing over before
you in the Jordan. Now therefore
00:34:17.18\00:34:20.88
take for yourselves 12 men from
the tribes of Israel, one man
00:34:20.91\00:34:24.58
from every tribe and it
will come to pass as soon as the
00:34:24.61\00:34:27.61
soles of your feet of the
priests who bear the Ark of the
00:34:27.65\00:34:30.67
Lord of all the earth shall
rest in the waters of the Jordan
00:34:30.70\00:34:34.03
that the waters of the Jordan
shall be cut off and the waters
00:34:34.06\00:34:37.43
that come down from upstream,
they will stand up as a heap.
00:34:37.46\00:34:40.51
So it was when the people
set out from their camp to cross
00:34:40.55\00:34:43.53
over the Jordan with the priests
bearing the Ark of the Covenant
00:34:43.57\00:34:46.51
before the people. As those who
bore the Ark came to the Jordan
00:34:46.54\00:34:51.85
the feet of the priests who bore
the ark when they dipped in the
00:34:51.89\00:34:57.17
edge of the water, for the
Jordan overflowed its banks
00:34:57.20\00:35:00.19
during the whole time of harvest
it was a flooding river, that
00:35:00.23\00:35:04.58
the waters which came down from
upstream stood still and rose up
00:35:04.61\00:35:09.08
in a heap very far away at Atam,
there was a town or village up
00:35:09.12\00:35:13.56
the river named Atam miles
up the river, and the city...
00:35:13.59\00:35:16.54
it was kind of like a beaver
dam it just stopped and it just
00:35:16.58\00:35:20.23
created a lake that went up.
The waters coming down that were
00:35:20.26\00:35:23.88
flooding God performed his
miracle. You notice he didn't
00:35:23.91\00:35:27.21
wait until it was the lowest
time. God often does his miracle
00:35:27.25\00:35:31.78
at the times of greatest
extremity. It's not just the
00:35:31.81\00:35:33.91
furnace. The furnace was heated
seven times hotter. You know
00:35:33.95\00:35:36.67
what I'm saying. He often
performs these miracles in times
00:35:36.70\00:35:39.63
of great extremity. It's
flooding. The waters coming down
00:35:39.66\00:35:42.71
all of a sudden begin to congeal
and they pile up higher and
00:35:42.74\00:35:45.59
higher and then they begin to
back up. Now remember when the
00:35:45.62\00:35:49.15
children of Israel crossed
the Red sea the waters created a
00:35:49.19\00:35:52.80
wall on the right and the left.
Now when they're crossing the
00:35:52.83\00:35:56.41
Jordan it is just creating
a wall. Think about which way
00:35:56.44\00:35:59.49
they're going. The waters run
from the north, Lebanon, down to
00:35:59.53\00:36:03.23
the south. The waters are
just walled up on the right hand
00:36:03.26\00:36:06.64
because they're crossing over
from the east to the west into
00:36:06.67\00:36:09.46
the Promised Land. Isn't that
right? You know basic geography
00:36:09.50\00:36:12.80
you'll know that's true. They've
just got one big wall of water.
00:36:12.84\00:36:16.06
Before they were looking at salt
water fish on both sides, now
00:36:16.09\00:36:19.56
just fresh water fish on the
right. Before it was tuna and
00:36:19.59\00:36:23.71
now it's bass. I wonder if it
was clear where you could look
00:36:23.75\00:36:27.80
right into it or if it was a
little murky. Not only does it
00:36:27.84\00:36:32.04
say that, keep reading here.
It says, the priests who bore
00:36:32.07\00:36:36.20
the Ark of the Covenant of the
Lord stood firm on muddy ground.
00:36:36.24\00:36:41.92
Dry. Not only did the water stop
God did something miraculous for
00:36:41.96\00:36:47.61
it to be dry. And the people
crossed over opposite Jericho.
00:36:47.64\00:36:53.77
Now the rest of the water just
flowed down to the Dead Sea and
00:36:53.81\00:36:59.13
just stopped. That must have
been a sight to behold that the
00:36:59.16\00:37:04.09
people would never forget. The
12 priests, they got down in the
00:37:04.13\00:37:09.03
middle. Can you imagine
being one of the priests? You're
00:37:09.06\00:37:12.20
carrying something that's a
lot heavier than a car battery.
00:37:12.23\00:37:16.00
I mean you're going to sink if
you're carrying a great big old
00:37:16.03\00:37:19.79
golden box with rocks inside.
It's like an anchor. And you're
00:37:19.83\00:37:22.98
being told to walk out into
the water. Those priests needed
00:37:23.01\00:37:27.17
faith. They did not wait until
the waters parted before they
00:37:27.20\00:37:31.12
went forward. They went forward
and once their feet touched the
00:37:31.15\00:37:36.14
waters then they parted. Please
don't forget this very important
00:37:36.17\00:37:40.95
point. Hear me now. This is how
God often performs miracles for
00:37:40.99\00:37:44.29
us. You know how many miracles
you missed because you didn't
00:37:44.32\00:37:47.72
put your feet in the water.
You'll never know. There's the
00:37:47.76\00:37:51.52
story of the 10 lepers. They
came to Jesus and they shouted
00:37:51.55\00:37:55.25
Son of David have mercy on
us, have mercy on us. They had
00:37:55.29\00:37:58.60
leprosy, full of leprosy. Jesus
said go show yourself to the
00:37:58.64\00:38:01.88
priest and make the offering for
cleansing from leprosy. And they
00:38:01.92\00:38:05.11
looked at each other; we still
got leprosy, why would we give a
00:38:05.14\00:38:07.92
thank-you offering for cleansing
when we still have leprosy, but
00:38:07.95\00:38:10.70
he said do it and it says
in going they were cleansed.
00:38:10.73\00:38:16.14
As they went to do what God told
them to do the miracle happened.
00:38:16.18\00:38:19.98
Jesus went to the man by the
pool of Bethesda and he had not
00:38:20.01\00:38:23.95
walked for 38 years and he said
get up. He could have argued
00:38:23.99\00:38:27.00
with the Lord and said you know
I can't get up. I haven't walked
00:38:27.04\00:38:30.02
in 38 years. But he made an
effort to do what he was being
00:38:30.05\00:38:32.72
told to do and suddenly
his limbs received strength
00:38:32.75\00:38:35.49
miraculously. Now God say's
to the priests cross over. They
00:38:35.53\00:38:38.37
could have said well we're
waiting for the waters to part
00:38:38.40\00:38:40.95
and then we'll start. We're not
going to carry this heavy old
00:38:40.99\00:38:44.12
box down there and drown. I mean
let's not be crazy. God said go.
00:38:44.16\00:38:47.26
You've got the word of God
with you. Isn't that what was in
00:38:47.29\00:38:51.63
the box? You've got the command
of Joshua, Go. And so they put
00:38:51.67\00:38:55.00
their feet in the water. Can you
imagine being on the front end?
00:38:55.04\00:38:58.44
I would have wanted to be on
the back probably. If these guys
00:38:58.48\00:39:01.86
start to bubble, I'm dropping
it and going back on the shore.
00:39:01.90\00:39:05.64
Ah don't say that. Hopefully I'd
have enough faith to go forward.
00:39:05.68\00:39:09.39
But the first ones they really
had to... You'd probably want
00:39:09.42\00:39:12.84
the most faithful guys on
the front of those poles, right?
00:39:12.88\00:39:16.32
And they put their feet in
the water and all of a sudden it
00:39:16.36\00:39:20.00
stopped and began to back up
and it dried before their feet.
00:39:20.03\00:39:23.26
You know the Bible tells us...
There's a couple of miracles,
00:39:23.30\00:39:25.93
I've got about four miracles
I could think of around the
00:39:25.97\00:39:29.18
Jordan River. Of course, the
baptism of Jesus is one where
00:39:29.22\00:39:32.84
the Holy Spirit came down.
You've got where Elisha and
00:39:32.88\00:39:36.43
Elijah crossed the Jordan. And
what made the Jordan part for
00:39:36.47\00:39:40.97
Elijah and Elisha? The robe, it
parted for the robe. That robe
00:39:41.01\00:39:45.62
of Elijah is a type of the grace
of God, the robe of Christ's
00:39:45.65\00:39:49.84
righteousness. Now the Jordan
river was parting for the Ark.
00:39:49.88\00:39:54.29
What's in there? The Law. You've
got it parting for the Law and
00:39:54.33\00:39:57.87
you've got it parting for grace.
You've got it for the word of
00:39:57.91\00:40:00.75
God and you've got it for the
robe of Christ's righteousness.
00:40:00.78\00:40:04.20
Then you've got Elisha, an
axe head fell off in the Jordan
00:40:04.24\00:40:07.83
River. He threw a stick in. A
stick is a type of the cross in
00:40:07.87\00:40:11.43
the Bible and it does the
impossible. The axe head now
00:40:11.46\00:40:14.44
begins to swim or to float
like a cork, an axe head in the
00:40:14.47\00:40:17.38
water. Naturally the gravity of
sin in our carnal natures brings
00:40:17.42\00:40:23.19
us down but through the cross
we can walk on water, Amen?
00:40:23.22\00:40:26.52
We can swim when we ought to
sink. Isn't that what happened
00:40:26.56\00:40:29.50
with Peter? When he kept his
eyes on Joshua, he was able to
00:40:29.54\00:40:32.72
walk on water, isn't that right?
So there's a lesson here for
00:40:32.76\00:40:36.44
us that God will work miracles
for us. Not only did they cross
00:40:36.48\00:40:40.64
on dry ground. Elisha when
he struck the water it says the
00:40:40.68\00:40:44.23
same thing. They went over
on dry ground. Why dry? Did you
00:40:44.27\00:40:47.75
ever slog through a muddy river?
It gets you dirty. They came up
00:40:47.79\00:40:52.87
clean on the other side. You
know sometimes we go out riding
00:40:52.91\00:40:56.79
in the hills with these four
wheelers and if you go riding
00:40:56.82\00:41:00.63
after a rain or if you go riding
up a wet river bed you're just
00:41:00.67\00:41:04.36
covered with mud. But it's
so much nicer when the water has
00:41:04.39\00:41:08.01
been dried up but it's not dusty
yet. Now God did that for them.
00:41:08.05\00:41:12.21
You can come up clean on the
other side. The only way that
00:41:12.24\00:41:15.35
you and I can cross the Jordan,
what does the Jordan represent?
00:41:15.39\00:41:19.65
Death. Thank you for the six of
you who were listening. Jordan
00:41:19.68\00:41:23.91
represents death. How do we
get on the other side clean?
00:41:23.94\00:41:27.93
It's through a miracle of grace.
For Elisha it was the robe of
00:41:27.97\00:41:33.30
Elijah symbolizing the
robe of Christ's righteousness.
00:41:33.33\00:41:36.31
But notice what happens. As
they marched off into the Jordan
00:41:36.35\00:41:41.46
River the Ark stops. As long as
the Ark is there the waters are
00:41:41.50\00:41:47.74
a wall. And the people march
by with the Ark between them and
00:41:47.78\00:41:54.70
the waters. Everybody is passing
in review before the Ark of God.
00:41:54.74\00:42:00.23
and what is in the Ark? The Law
of God. Is there a day when we
00:42:00.26\00:42:06.56
will all pass by that wall? You
can read here in James chapter
00:42:06.60\00:42:14.12
2 verse 12: So speak and so do
as the people who will be judged
00:42:14.16\00:42:19.65
by the Law of liberty. And he
specifically mentions two of the
00:42:19.68\00:42:25.14
10 commandments when he says
that. Does the Bible tell us
00:42:25.17\00:42:29.31
that before our Joshua comes
back another river is going to
00:42:29.34\00:42:33.64
dry up? Have you read in
Revelation that one of the last
00:42:33.67\00:42:37.90
plagues is the Euphrates River
dries up to make the way for the
00:42:37.94\00:42:41.94
kings of the east? Christ our
King, our Joshua, is coming in
00:42:41.98\00:42:45.87
the glory of the Father,
the King of the universe, of the
00:42:45.91\00:42:49.73
cosmos and the Euphrates River
is going to dry up to make room
00:42:49.77\00:42:53.81
for our King to come. Revelation
is best read in the context of
00:42:53.84\00:42:57.85
some of these Old Testament
stories. So they go across the
00:42:57.88\00:43:01.07
river finally. I don't know
how long it took but it was a
00:43:01.11\00:43:04.15
multimillion man march and
all these people went across.
00:43:04.19\00:43:08.03
Probably first Joshua and the
army came and in the van guard
00:43:08.06\00:43:11.87
after that came the
people across the river.
00:43:11.90\00:43:14.96
And after everybody
has crossed the river.
00:43:14.99\00:43:16.84
the priests are
still standing there.
00:43:16.88\00:43:18.69
They've been out there all day
with the glory of God sustaining
00:43:18.72\00:43:21.60
them, right? The same way
that Elijah went 40 days and 40
00:43:21.63\00:43:24.27
nights in the power of God
and Moses stayed on the mountain
00:43:24.31\00:43:26.96
when he got the 10 commandments.
I think the Lord miraculously
00:43:26.99\00:43:30.06
sustained those priests. They
probably didn't stop and put it
00:43:30.10\00:43:33.03
down and take a coffee break.
They stood there sustained by
00:43:33.06\00:43:36.46
the glory of God all day long.
And after everybody crossed over
00:43:36.49\00:43:39.86
they still don't come out
because Joshua says now we're
00:43:39.89\00:43:44.48
going to do something.
We're going to make a memorial.
00:43:44.51\00:43:49.03
And they're told to get the 10
strongest men, build a memorial.
00:43:49.07\00:43:54.98
Joshua is commanding them and
he says get 10 strong men and
00:43:55.02\00:43:59.67
we're going to end up with 24
stones. Listen carefully. Start
00:43:59.70\00:44:04.17
with 12 stones that you take
from the river. And you know the
00:44:04.21\00:44:07.67
Jordan's like many rivers. There
are these great big old water
00:44:07.70\00:44:11.32
washed stones in there. And
they picked out some of the most
00:44:11.35\00:44:14.37
attractive and the biggest
stones that could be carried.
00:44:14.40\00:44:17.64
People were still living
120 years back then. They were
00:44:17.68\00:44:21.00
probably a little stouter than
the average today. And these
00:44:21.03\00:44:24.77
strong men, I mean this is the
days of giants, these strongest
00:44:24.80\00:44:27.97
men, they'd pick up these stones
that you and I probably couldn't
00:44:28.00\00:44:31.14
even budge. I've seen a few
of these contests they've got on
00:44:31.17\00:44:35.47
TV where they've got these
strong men and just pick up...
00:44:35.50\00:44:38.95
Probably their backs are
wrecked by the time they're 25.
00:44:38.99\00:44:43.37
Big Irish guys; they pick
up these great big rocks and I
00:44:43.41\00:44:47.72
think man I couldn't move that
one inch if it was on the ground
00:44:47.76\00:44:51.56
They pick the thing up. This is
what I picture. These hefty men
00:44:51.59\00:44:55.36
hoisting these great big
boulders. They lift them up out
00:44:55.39\00:44:58.60
of the Jordan River and they
build a monument. They take 12
00:44:58.63\00:45:01.77
of them and they pile them up on
the banks as a memorial so that
00:45:01.81\00:45:06.04
they will remember what God has
done for them to deliver them.
00:45:06.08\00:45:10.80
Then Joshua said take another 12
stones and they are piled in the
00:45:10.84\00:45:15.53
river. Some people have read
this and said where were the
00:45:15.56\00:45:17.61
stones? Were the stones on the
bank or were the stones in the
00:45:17.64\00:45:20.78
river? They're confused. There
were two sets so that when the
00:45:20.82\00:45:23.93
waters went down, especially
when it was clear, these 12
00:45:23.96\00:45:27.27
massive stones they almost
formed an island. Jordan's not
00:45:27.30\00:45:30.59
that big. They could see this
monument there in the river.
00:45:30.63\00:45:34.33
The logging industry they call
this riff raff. They're rocks
00:45:34.36\00:45:37.99
that you use for creek crossings
that will not wash away when the
00:45:38.03\00:45:41.88
river floods. There's a certain
size stone that won't move even
00:45:41.92\00:45:46.06
in flooding waters. So they did
riff raff in there. They built
00:45:46.09\00:45:50.57
an island. And he did this as a
memorial. You know why? Because
00:45:50.60\00:45:55.05
we're inclined to forget.
God had just worked a wonderful
00:45:55.08\00:45:59.64
miracle of salvation for
them and he didn't want them to
00:45:59.67\00:46:03.57
forget. It's like that man
who went to his doctor. He said,
00:46:03.60\00:46:07.47
doctor you've got to do
something, you've got to help
00:46:07.50\00:46:09.23
me. I just can't remember
any thing from one minute to the
00:46:09.27\00:46:11.94
next. The doctor said, how
long have you had this problem?
00:46:11.97\00:46:15.42
He said, what problem? That's
how we are with our memory.
00:46:15.46\00:46:19.10
We forget how God has led
us and he performed miracles of
00:46:19.14\00:46:22.39
deliverance for us and he
supplies our needs and within a
00:46:22.42\00:46:25.16
few weeks we're already crying
to go back to Egypt, right?
00:46:25.20\00:46:29.03
We often forget. We need some
memorials in our lives. A lot of
00:46:29.07\00:46:32.87
Bible scripture talks about
remembering. You know I went
00:46:32.90\00:46:36.65
through Psalm 119 and I found
at least seven times just in
00:46:36.68\00:46:40.24
that one Psalm on the word
of God where it said, I will
00:46:40.28\00:46:43.77
delight myself in your statutes,
I will not forget your word.
00:46:43.81\00:46:48.01
That's verse 16. Verse 83: Yet
I do not forget your statutes.
00:46:48.05\00:46:52.65
Verse 93: I will never forget
your precepts for by them you've
00:46:52.68\00:46:57.24
given me life. Verse 109: Yet
I do not forget your law. Verse
00:46:57.27\00:47:01.80
I do not forget your
precepts. Verse 153: I do not
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forget your Law. Verse 176: I
do not forget your commandments.
00:47:05.34\00:47:09.60
You know why it says that so
often in Psalm 119? Because most
00:47:09.64\00:47:13.95
people do forget. Now what is it
that they make this altar out of
00:47:13.98\00:47:18.14
this monument with no chisel
lifted on it, the natural stones
00:47:18.17\00:47:22.30
Make it out of rock. What
did Jesus compare his word to?
00:47:22.33\00:47:25.71
Like a wise man who builds on
the rock. What is Christ? Isn't
00:47:25.75\00:47:29.91
he the rock of ages? And so
this was a memorial to help them
00:47:29.95\00:47:34.81
remember God and his deliverance
in their behalf. Now after they
00:47:34.84\00:47:38.79
did this and they followed the
instructions and they built the
00:47:38.82\00:47:43.30
monument on the side the priests
are standing there the whole
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time. Finally the priests
are brought up out of the river.
00:47:46.38\00:47:49.43
And what happens as soon
as their feet leave the river.
00:47:49.47\00:47:54.40
The waters return. Can you
imagine the wave. I mean it must
00:47:54.43\00:47:58.01
have been like a dam breaking.
You've got a river at flood
00:47:58.04\00:48:01.55
stage and it's blocked all day
long, it's formed a virtual lake
00:48:01.59\00:48:04.94
Can you imagine being in
Jericho? They can see this from
00:48:04.97\00:48:08.37
there. It's not that far.
They can look from the walls and
00:48:08.40\00:48:12.33
clearly see what's going on.
Talk about sweating! I mean it
00:48:12.37\00:48:15.67
was so obvious God was with them
They had the waters backing up
00:48:15.71\00:48:18.98
probably waterfront property
there by the city of Jericho.
00:48:19.01\00:48:22.31
And when they finally all
crossed over and the Ark leaves
00:48:22.34\00:48:26.62
the water, whoosh, the flood
comes. By the way, does the
00:48:26.65\00:48:30.22
Bible tell another story of
another ark that survived the
00:48:30.25\00:48:36.08
flood? Those in the ark survived
We will all pass by that Ark
00:48:36.11\00:48:41.96
someday. We need to be in the
word of God, Amen? Now when that
00:48:42.00\00:48:46.69
river returned did they have
a way of escape. Suppose they
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changed their mind about taking
the Promised Land. Was God
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going to perform another miracle
for them to retreat? You know
00:48:54.47\00:48:57.72
when that water rushed back
there must have been a sense of
00:48:57.75\00:49:00.91
trembling and commitment and
resolution that swept over the
00:49:00.94\00:49:04.36
camp. They said, we're
here now, there's no going back.
00:49:04.40\00:49:07.75
It reminds me of that story from
history where Cortez when he was
00:49:07.79\00:49:12.66
trying to conquer the new world.
Now I'm not trying to condone
00:49:12.70\00:49:16.93
the brutality of some of these
conquistadors but still it was a
00:49:16.96\00:49:21.16
brilliant act. After they
unloaded the ships he commanded
00:49:21.19\00:49:24.34
some of the servants to set the
fleet on fire so they would not
00:49:24.38\00:49:28.19
even think about turning back.
For God's people, there should
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be no turning back, Amen? Luke
9:61: No man having put his hand
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to the plow and looking back
is worthy of the kingdom. And in
00:49:37.43\00:49:41.63
Jesus' talking about the second
coming something for us to
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remember here at the end of time
before our Joshua comes. He says
00:49:45.14\00:49:50.08
the one thing, shortest verse in
Luke 17 verse 32 but it's in the
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discourse on the second coming
Jesus says, Remember Lot's wife.
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What got Lot's wife into
trouble? She looked back.
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Don't look back. When you decide
to follow Jesus he is going to
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help you go forth and conquer.
You know you've got two choices.
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Overcome, or be overcome. Isn't
that right? What you do not
00:50:12.21\00:50:16.27
overcome will overcome you. We
have made a decision to follow
00:50:16.30\00:50:20.19
Christ. By his grace we must
be overcomers. And the Lord can
00:50:20.22\00:50:24.08
help you to do that. Amen
friends? You've just got to
00:50:24.11\00:50:28.05
remember how he's led you in the
past. He's worked miracles for
00:50:28.09\00:50:32.27
you. He's parted oceans, he's
stopped the flooding rivers and
00:50:32.30\00:50:37.13
he will do that for us. This is
really a relevant message for us
00:50:37.17\00:50:40.59
because we are on the borders
of the Promised Land right now.
00:50:40.63\00:50:44.44
Some of us, you may not know it,
the Jordan's not far away either
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We don't know how much time
we've got in this life and we
00:50:48.28\00:50:52.39
want to be ready to cross
the Jordan, to follow our Joshua
00:50:52.43\00:50:56.47
with the word of God before us
as our guide. That's what was in
00:50:56.51\00:51:00.52
the Ark. And God will work
miracles for us. He will help us
00:51:00.55\00:51:04.58
to do the impossible if we trust
him. Satan knows that his days
00:51:04.62\00:51:08.22
are numbered just like the king
of Jericho. Christ is with us.
00:51:08.25\00:51:11.78
Do we have that red token, do
we have that scarlet rope in our
00:51:11.81\00:51:15.02
window? Have you accepted the
blood of Christ to cover your
00:51:15.06\00:51:18.73
sins? If you haven't, you can
make that decision right now.
00:51:18.77\00:51:22.53
And decide to be in the house
when Joshua comes and you can
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can have total deliverance and
victory and salvation. I'd like
00:51:26.23\00:51:30.20
to encourage you to turn in your
hymnals to number 620. I thought
00:51:30.24\00:51:34.18
this would be a good hymn
for us to close with. It's an
00:51:34.21\00:51:37.89
encouraging song. I want you to
sing this with vigor. Now we're
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soldiers that are marching
to the Promised Land and we're
00:51:40.98\00:51:43.17
right there on the banks, the
flooding banks, of the Jordan.
00:51:43.20\00:51:46.33
Let's stand together as we sing
620, On Jordan's Stormy Banks.
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¤ ¤
00:51:49.50\00:51:58.62
On Jordan's stormy banks I
stand And cast a wishful eye
00:51:58.66\00:52:08.59
To Canaan's fair and happy
land, Where my possessions lie.
00:52:08.62\00:52:18.48
I'm bound for the Promised Land,
I'm bound for the Promised Land,
00:52:18.52\00:52:27.81
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:52:27.84\00:52:37.10
Keep doing that. That sounds
good. I like that. I plan on
00:52:37.13\00:52:42.61
being there. Don't you friend?
By his grace I'm going to be
00:52:42.65\00:52:47.06
there. What are the alternatives
You want to perish in the
00:52:47.10\00:52:51.03
wilderness or do you want to
make it all the way? And I like
00:52:51.06\00:52:54.67
what it says here in the chorus.
O who will come and go with me?
00:52:54.71\00:52:58.27
I want you to picture Rahab
going up and down in the streets
00:52:58.31\00:53:01.84
of Jericho talking to
her friends and family saying
00:53:01.87\00:53:04.61
you want to survive in Canaan
land? You've got to be in the
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.68
house with the scarlet cord.
You've got to be in that place
00:53:07.71\00:53:10.96
where the covenant is made
with Joshua and you'll survive.
00:53:10.99\00:53:14.17
That's my desire friends. Make
your covenant with him right now
00:53:14.21\00:53:18.65
Let's sing verse 2 together.
00:53:18.68\00:53:25.57
O'er all those wide extended
plains, Shines one eternal day;
00:53:25.61\00:53:35.46
There Christ, the Sun, forever
reigns, And scatters night away.
00:53:35.49\00:53:45.42
I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:53:45.46\00:53:55.36
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:53:55.39\00:54:05.26
When shall I reach that happy
place, And be forever blest?
00:54:05.29\00:54:15.51
When shall I see my Father's
face, and in His kingdom rest?
00:54:15.55\00:54:25.70
I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:54:25.74\00:54:36.52
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:54:36.56\00:54:44.24
We have one verse left and I'm
going to make an appeal. Have
00:54:44.28\00:54:50.88
you made your covenant with
Joshua? You know that you're in
00:54:50.92\00:54:56.48
that house. Are you determined
to bring others with you. There
00:54:56.52\00:55:00.83
may be some here today, maybe
you've wandered, maybe you've
00:55:00.87\00:55:04.88
lost faith. Sometimes the giants
look too big and you wonder.
00:55:04.92\00:55:08.75
Maybe you've been thinking of
going back sometimes or you get
00:55:08.79\00:55:12.35
discouraged and you want to say
by his grace I want to be ready.
00:55:12.39\00:55:15.65
There may be some here who have
just some special burdens on
00:55:15.68\00:55:18.50
their heart that you'd like to
bring to the Lord and you need
00:55:18.53\00:55:21.38
special prayer. As we sing this
last verse, I'd like you to come
00:55:21.41\00:55:24.29
to the front. We'll have prayer
together. And for the rest of
00:55:24.33\00:55:27.10
you, it's hard to sing you're
bound for the Promised Land
00:55:27.13\00:55:30.47
while you're frowning. Have
you tried singing while you're
00:55:30.51\00:55:33.78
smiling? I want to see you, I'll
be watching, I want to see you
00:55:33.82\00:55:36.98
sing while you're smiling. You
can watch me, okay? Verse four
00:55:37.02\00:55:40.15
together. Come if
you need special prayer.
00:55:40.18\00:55:41.76
Filled with delight, my raptured
soul Would here no longer stay;
00:55:41.80\00:55:54.57
Though Jordan's waves around me
roll, Fearless I'd launch away.
00:55:54.61\00:56:05.82
I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:56:05.86\00:56:17.45
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the Promised Land
00:56:17.49\00:56:29.05
All right. Who's going
with me? Let's pray together.
00:56:29.08\00:56:33.75
Loving Father in heaven and
Lord, we come to you in the name
00:56:33.79\00:56:38.40
of our Joshua, Jesus, our savior
our general, our commander.
00:56:38.44\00:56:42.31
We want to thank you Lord
and praise you for the miracles
00:56:42.34\00:56:46.34
you've performed in the past.
Forgive us for forgetting. Help
00:56:46.38\00:56:50.44
us to establish memorials in our
lives that we might remember the
00:56:50.47\00:56:54.50
great things that you have done
believing that you will also
00:56:54.53\00:56:58.27
lead in the future. Lord, we
know that you will finish the
00:56:58.31\00:57:01.98
work that you've started in our
lives. Help us to capitalize on
00:57:02.02\00:57:06.48
the offer you have made, that
covenant of salvation. I pray
00:57:06.52\00:57:11.08
that each person here will make
sure that we have that scarlet
00:57:11.12\00:57:15.18
rope bound about our hearts
that we are covered by the blood
00:57:15.22\00:57:18.92
of the lamb and live a life
where we know that we can pass
00:57:18.95\00:57:22.60
in review before the Ark that
contains your 10 commandments
00:57:22.64\00:57:26.54
because by your grace we are
new creatures. Lord I pray we'll
00:57:26.57\00:57:29.68
also have the faith that's
required to put our feet in the
00:57:29.72\00:57:32.75
Jordan while it's still at flood
stage and be willing to move
00:57:32.79\00:57:36.34
forward trusting in you to work
miracles. Bless each of these
00:57:36.37\00:57:39.66
people. Be with those who have
come. If there are some who are
00:57:39.69\00:57:42.54
accepting Christ and want to
be part of this church for the
00:57:42.57\00:57:45.67
first time. Bless them Lord,
with your Spirit and help them
00:57:45.70\00:57:49.45
to begin the journey and
finish it faithfully. Also Lord
00:57:49.48\00:57:53.16
whatever the needs might be for
healing and for families work
00:57:53.20\00:57:57.20
miracles there as well. Bless
this church. We thank you and we
00:57:57.24\00:58:00.66
pray that we will all be found
in the house when Jesus comes.
00:58:00.70\00:58:04.09
In his name we ask, Amen.
00:58:04.12\00:58:07.47