LODGING AT JORDAN
Joshua 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
The attaining of this new world across the Jordan was set in motion, as we stated in our last article, by Joshua rising early in the morning. All of Israel’s entire lives from that point on were forever changed by one man’s rising up out of sleep! And we saw that this is how the entire world of redemption was begun, even by Jesus (same word, “Joshua” in the Hebrew – see Hebrews 4:8), rising up early out of the grave, and ending the sabbath of the law. (See Matthew 28:1-6).
The next thing we need to consider, as the Holy Writ directs our attention, is to where Joshua and Israel came from, in order to Lodge At Jordan. We are instructed that they removed from Shittim. This word is defined by Strong’s Concordance as “scourging thorns of the acacia.” And the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia tells us that the acacia is “a hard, close-grained timber, not readily attacked by insects.” This opens to us that our Lord and ourselves can never be entitled to, nor can we enjoy the blessings across Jordan into the new world except by way of the cross! Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
I must needs go home by way of the cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the cross I miss.
James Pounds 1861-1921
For it is the cross of Christ which provides the mortification of the fleshly man, which cannot enter into the new kingdom! 1Corin. 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. And it is that very same implement that the Spirit applies to every one of God’s elect to raise up vessels to God’s glory! For, as we stated, that tree not only provides the “scourging thorns,” but also the “hard, close-grained timber” from which much of the structure of the tabernacle and it’s contents were fashioned!
The ark itself, a glorious picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, containing the manna, {Heb. 9:4},(revealing Christ as our Bread of life), the rod that budded, (revealing Christ as the living Shepherd, who guides and guards within the spiritual life), and the tables of the law, (revealing that in Christ alone can the law be kept – Romans 8:3), was made of this wood! Ex. 25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: The staves which bore the ark were also made of it! Ex. 25:13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Also, the table (Ex. 25:23), the tabernacle boards (Ex. 26:15), the altar of incense (Ex. 30:1), and the altar of burnt offering (Ex. 38:1), were all constructed according to God’s design out of this same wood. Of all the wood upon the earth, this alone is the wood of God’s choice in order to reveal His Son, the tabernacle of God! He did not choose the cedar, the fir, nor the oak, but only this wood to show forth both the affliction and the benefit of the cross! And in this we see that it is the cross alone which fits humanity for the conveyance of the revelation of God! Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
And the Lord Jesus Christ is God, dwelling, or tabernacling among us! For the word “dwelt” in John 1:14 is the word, “tabernacle!” And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one. John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And God with His Body (the humanity of the Lord Jesus), cannot return to heaven and the presence of glory, without the effect of the agency of the cross! 1Cor. 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. But that Incarnate Humanity, having been without sin (Heb. 4:15), and not entering into corruption (Psa. 16:10), and with the sanctifying agency of his cross (Heb. 5:8,9), was then able to become the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18), and bodily ascend into the presence of the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13)! But none of us shall be allowed to get our bodies into heaven, the grave being the last enemy, until He comes back to effect the general resurrection in his eternal glory, and we see him as he is.
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
The Twelve Stones
Joshua 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. 8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day. 24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
Here we have eight verses of how the Lord commanded Joshua to have one man per tribe take one stone each from the midst of Jordan, where the priests feet stood, and place them on the other bank in the land of promise. But there is that one single verse (v.9), that speaks of the Lord’s having him take twelve stones from the bank on the side before they crossed, and place them in the midst of Jordan, for the waters to cover them out of sight, after their crossing! What in the world does this have to do with our spiritual profiting?
First, let us know who these stones represent. 1 Pet. 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is said to be the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (Acts 4:11). The religious gang judged Chist as unfit for them to build their faith upon. But the Father made him to be the chief corner stone (1Pet 2:6), upon whom rests the entire structure of the holy habitation of God! (Eph. 2:22). And, of course, the elect believers are clearly stated to be lively, or living stones.
These ‘rocks’ were first just lying on the ground, on the wilderness side of Jordan! There was nothing out of the ordinary about them! The man, Jesus had no beauty that we should desire him! (Isa. 53:2). To the religious crowd he stated, But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. John 6:36.
And the unregenerate elect had no difference in them, at the time of their being in trespasses and sins, from the reprobate. (Ephes. 2:1-3). These were placed into the Jordan, never to be see again when once the waters were returned to their place. They represent the former life of Christ, before his ascension, and the believer’s old man which is to be put off (Col 3:9), which passes away as the new man matures. For after the Lord Jesus was immersed into the wrath of God, he stated, the world seeth me no more. (John 14:19)
Then those stones which were in the Jordan, near the priest’s feet, which had never before been seen by human eye, were gathered and placed on the side of the promised land to be a memorial to the mighty power of God forever! (See verse 24 listed above.) Both had been “baptized” together into death, and now come to walk together in newness of life! Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The Lord had killed the older generation, above 20 years old, for their failure to glorify him by faith! (See Joshua 5:6.) But with these little ones, he would be glorified by making all things new! 2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And he plainly informed the religious crowd in his day that if they refused to glorify God in him, he could raise up children unto Abraham out of the stones to do so! Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
And he now identifies these stones of witness by presenting them with a white stone! Rev. 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
And this New Testament kingdom is of far more glory than was the old, identified by the stone tablets of the law! 2Cor. 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Those old ‘rocks’ were removed from their former place, never to be seen again by human eye! – The old man passes away and all things become new in Christ Jesus! Then the stones immersed in the eternal, never before seen, ‘waters’ of God’s pre-foundation love (Eph. 1:4), are brought forth into the glorious light of life; birthed by water and the Spirit (John 3:5) into the kingdom of God!
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
Daniel Whittle
These now are, by the cross, polished and seen on the breast plate of the Great High Priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ. And they are then seen to be the garnish of glory in the gates and walls of the heavenly Jerusalem – the true church! Rev. 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
They are now to be the witness of God’s amazing grace to any who are “children,” interested in the matters of faith! … and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (Joshua 4:7). For they like the moon, and like the jewels on the breast plate as the Hight Priest works amidst the light of the lamp stand, are said to be the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Phil. 2:15).
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Pastor Gene Breed
November 19, 2011
