The Israelites had one sea and one river to cross - the Red Sea and
the Jordan River.
In both
crossings over dry ground, they witnessed the miracles of God.
Their first
"crossing over" was when they witnessed the salvation of the LORD as
they crossed the Red Sea. On the first Passover, God delivered the
children of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. He redeemed them and
set them free by the blood of the Passover Lamb. As they camped
besides the Sea, the Egyptians pursued them. They became afraid, and
murmured against Moses. Moses said to them in Exodus 14:13, "Do not
be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He
will accomplish for you today."
God wanted them
to place their trust in Him in the midst of adverse circumstances.
By simply obeying God and His prophet, Moses, the children had to
believe that the LORD was able to deliver them. That day, they saw
the salvation of the LORD as He became their Saviour in parting the
sea for them. They crossed over on dry ground. It was not their
physical act of crossing that brought them salvation, but their
trust in God and their act of obedience that did it. They crossed
over from the slavery in Egypt into the freedom in God.
The second
"crossing over" happened much later when the Israelites were about
to enter their Promised Land. After crossing the Red Sea, they kept
wandering in circles in the wilderness for 40 years as they kept
disobeying God.
'Surely none of the men who
came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the
land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they
have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the
Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed
the LORD.' So the LORD'S anger was aroused against Israel, and He
made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the
generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was gone. Num
32:11-13
Their disobedience granted them no entry
into the promise of God. Until they were fully agreeable with God's
terms and conditions of living in the Promised Land - His Torah,
they remained disobedient. Only the obedient ones entered in and
received their inheritance. The obedient ones will wholeheartedly
acknowledge God as their LORD and His Lordship over them.
Salvation means
crossing over from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. But
to fully enjoy the benefits and inheritance of the promises of God,
we have to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land where
we take God at His Word and act upon it - being doers of the Word,
and not hearers only (James 1:22).
There are two
Hebrew words that are crucial in understanding the second crossing.
They are "Jordan" and "Joshua."
"Jordan"
(yarden) means "descending, flowing river." The last part of Hebrew
word of "Jordan" (dan) means "judgement." It is possible that River
Jordan means "a river that flows down from judgement."
Geographically, the Jordan River also flows down from the tribe of
Dan who was originally allocated the north of Israel. From Dan, it
flows southwards into the Sea of Galilee, and continues its journey
and ends in the Salt Sea, currently known as the Dead Sea.
"Joshua"
(Yeshua) means "salvation." Yeshua represents salvation to the
people. They are to follow Yeshua wherever they go in their
inheritance. In Yeshua, they conquered, and in Yeshua, they find
their rest!
Putting
these two words together, we see a beautiful Torah picture
unfolding. Since "Jordan" means "down from judgment," then the flow
of the river would mean the people are still under the judgements of
God. These judgements were still there even though they have already
been saved and redeemed from Egypt.
The Jordan River posed a barrier from entering the Promised Land.
How can they stop the judgements of God? The only way is to stop the
flow of Jordan River. Only God can do that!
God did stopped
the flow of Jordan River, at a place called Adam, 30 kilometres (18
miles) upstream north of Jericho (the crossing point of the
Israelites). By no coincidence, God chooses this amazing spot to be
the place where the Jordan River stopped flowing. If Jordan poses
the flow of God's judgement, then Jordan stops flowing from the
place Adam would mean that the judgement of God would stop flowing
from our very first forefather, Adam. The curse of sin since Adam is
being stopped!
To fully enjoy
the promise and inheritance of God, we need to see the judgement of
God ceases flowing. The judgement, in fact, ceases flowing in the
second Adam (Yeshua or Jesus).
But before that
could take place, the Ark of the Covenant had to be brought forward
and put in place in the Jordan River. As this was being done, the
Jordan River stopped its flow at Adam. Following the Torah (as what
the Ark of the Covenant represents), we can now enjoy the blessings
of obedience and the fruits that it bears - the blessed rest in the
Promised Land. We are not talking about salvation here, but about
sanctification as we enter into God's rest. These blessings can only
come about through obedience in the Word of God - His Torah!
Following Joshua
into the Promised Land means following Yeshua (Jesus) everywhere
into the promise of God. Only then, our souls will find rest in God
as we put His Torah in our minds, and write it on our hearts; and He
will be our God, and we shall be His people.
Further
insights about Jordan:
1. Besides Joshua, there are two other persons who parted the
Jordan. They are Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:7-8, 14).
2. Elijah means "The LORD is my God."
3. He was an influential prophet who lived during the ninth century
BC.
4. Elijah's prophetic activities emphasized the unconditional
loyalty to God and His Word required of the nation of Israel.
5. Elijah was not like the other prophets of his day, when
nationwide idolatry was prevalent.
6. He challenged Baal worshippers at Mount Carmel.
7. He prayed for a drought that lasted 31/2 years.
8. Elijah's views were in conflict with those of King Ahab. Ahab had
attempted to cultivate economic ties with Israel's neighbors,
especially Tyre.
9. Upon his flight from Jezebel, he came to the desert south of
Beersheba, eventually arriving at Mount Horeb-- the mountain where
Moses received the Ten Commandments - the Torah. It is significant
that this loyal follower of the Law came at last to the place where
the commandments were first given.
10. Like Moses and Jesus, Elijah was sustained for 40 days and
nights in the wilderness.
11. While Elijah was at Mount Horeb, the LORD revealed Himself in a
low, murmuring sound. The prophet received a revelation of the
coming doom on Ahab and Israel (1 Kin. 19:14). Then Elijah was given
a threefold charge: he was instructed to anoint Hazael as king of
Syria, Jehu as the future king of Israel, and Elisha as the prophet
who would take his place (1 Kin. 19:16).
12. Elijah did not die. He was carried bodily to heaven in a
whirlwind (2 Kin. 2:1-11). This was an honor previously bestowed
only upon Enoch (Gen. 5:24).
13. Elijah understood that the nation of Israel had a mission to
preserve its religious system-- the worship of the one true God-- in
a pure form without any mixture with idol worship.
14. Elijah's impact on the prophetic movement among the Hebrew
people was extensive. Like the prophets who followed him, Elijah
emphasized Israel's responsibility for total commitment to their God
and the covenant responsibilities which God and His people had sworn
to each other.
15. The Old Testament spoke of the reappearance of Elijah. The
prophet Malachi prophesied that the LORD would send Elijah before
the day of the Lord arrived.
16. According to the New Testament, this prophecy was fulfilled in
the coming of John The Baptist (Matt. 11:4; 17:10-13; Luke 1:17).
17. During Jesus' earthly ministry, some identified him with Elijah
(Matt. 16:14; Luke 9:8).
18. The New Testament also mentions the reappearance of Elijah in
person. Along with Moses, he appeared with Jesus on the Mount of
Transfiguration (Matt. 17:3).
19. Because of his true obedience to God and His Torah, Elijah was
able to have the authority and anointing to part the Jordan.
20. This was passed down to his disciple, Elisha who was able to do
the same.