Making the Crossover (Joshua 3-4)

We see in this passage of Joshua that the Israelites after 400 years of toil under Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert wilderness are preparing to cross over the Jordan River.  It has been a long wait and God wants Israel to realize how sacred and symbolic this moment is.  In Joshua 3:5 as Joshua prepares the people to move out, he tells them "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."  In other words, God wants the people to be alert, aware, in the right frame of heart, mind and soul because tomorrow is going to be a sacred, holy, unforgettable day.

Then God, through the leadership of Joshua, gives instructions for the people to follow the Ark.  He tells them that the water will stand in a heap so they can cross but to keep a distance of about 1000 yards (or 2000 cubits, length of arm from elbow to end of longest finger) from the Ark.  All of this to show reverence for God and his covenant with them.  We must understand that the Jordan was not anywhere near the size of the body of water that the Red Sea was but still for all those people to cross the Jordan river with efficiency was a necessity, especially in the face of a threatened kingdom of Jericho so close by.  That's why we see the men of tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh crossing over in the lead, armed and prepared for war. (Joshua 4:12) The passage also tells us the Jordan was at flood level so this would have caused even more exposure for them if God had not provided safe passage on dry land. 

Imagine being one of these people in the nation of Israel.  Perhaps you are a younger man or woman with a family. You were not born when God parted the Red Sea but you've heard the stories.  Now you will see God hold back the waters as you cross the Jordan River.  Imagine millions of people crossing the Jordan on dry land.  The Israelites had no doubt become a nomadic people so their traveling efficiency would have been a sight to see.  Team work would have been a must.  I wonder if people in Jericho could see them.  If so, they would have been impressed while at the same time frightened.  They would have witnessed the water being held back, the efficiency of the way the people moved.  They would've been able to see the beautiful Ark and the dutiful priests who carried it and stood there as the water heaped upstream.  Perhaps Rahab watched from her window and knew the time had come to make haste and warn her family if she had not already done so.   

Imagine the people as they talked among one another as they set up camp on the other side.  "Joshua was right, the Lord did do amazing things among us.  This is a day I will never forget."  And God made sure they wouldn't forget either as they built a twelve stone memorial, representing their 12 tribes, using stones from the Jordan River.  This memorial, Joshua told them, was to help them remember and be able to tell their children how the water from the Jordan stopped in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant and they were able to cross over into the Promised Land because they served a mighty God.

This passage in Johshua brings me back to my college days. I was a Music Ed major in college and my major instrument was voice.  Some of the first songs I studied with my voice teacher were African American Spirituals.  My favorite spirtual was one called "Deep River."  Here are the lyrics:

Deep River.
My home is over Jordan.
Deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground
Oh, don't you want to go,
To the Gospel feast;
That Promised Land,
Where all is peace?
Oh, deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.

This spiritual reflects the same theme that John a. Huffman Jr. speaks of when he says that "This sovereign God...is a God who called Israel then, and us today, to be a 'crossover people.'"  The experiences of the people of Israel's were highlighted by major points of crossing over, not just from one side of a body of water to another, but from one way of life to another.  The Israelites crossed over from being slaves of Egypt to being a sovereign nomadic people in the wilderness for 40 years.  Then in this passage they are preparing to put aside their nomadic ways and claim this promised land that God has destined them to possess. 

As I step back and look at this passage, I am struck by God's vision and the symbolism that He gives for all of us to identify with in the story of the Israelites.  I am struck by how God has made us all so different, yet so much the same.  I'm struck by how diverse people are, yet so relatable and connectable.  I say all this because it is apparent to me that the story of the Israelites is my story.  It's your story.  We are people with a promise of hope but we become enslaved, be it by Egyptians, circumstances of life, or sin.  We seek out direction, guidance, a sign from God in hopes of freedom from what has enslaved us.  God reveals to us our redemption (for us Jesus Christ, for the people of Israel a plan of release from captivity a promise of a land of their own under the leadership of Moses and Joshua).  We choose to follow and believe in God's redemption plan but along the way we may question His plan.  We may even harken back to when we were still slaves and think we were better off then, but God always reveals the next step in his time and shows us how to move forward.  He may have to trust Him to part some waters and we may have to take some steps of faith, but there is always a next step.  We may even find ourselves in the wilderness while God is preparing us, working on different things we need to resolve, trust issues we may have, but always in front of us is the vision of the Promised Land.  Many times we are called to cross over that body of water to whatever is next.  Maybe it's a new chapter in life, a new school, a new job, adjustments with someone new in our life, adjustments without someone we've relied on for many years. Maybe it's a lifestyle adjustment like retirement.  Of course, we all will face the big crossover some day from this life to the next.  Just as the Israelites, we are called to be a crossover people.  The African American slaves who sang those spirituals knew they were called to be a crossover people when they sang of their home "over Jordan."  They knew someday they would receive freedom from their slavery, be it in life or death.  That was the hope they sang of.  God invites you to keep crossing over to what's next.  "Oh don't you want to go to that Gospel feast, that Promised Land where all is peace?"  What is God preparing you for next in your life, in the life of your family, your children?  May we trust him to show us the next step and to keep in mind that God will keep his promises to us.

Speaking of "gospel feasts," may we be a people who as we celebrate around tables this upcoming holiday be a people who embrace God's story and vision for our lives as part of His great Kingdom!

Happy Thanksgiving!