Wednesday, October 03, 2018

2018.10.03 Hopewell @Home ▫ Joshua 3

Questions for Littles: What were the people to be following (v1-3)? At what distance (v4)? Why that distance? What does Joshua tell the people to do to themselves (v5)? Why? What does Joshua tell the priests to do (v6)? What does Yahweh tell Joshua that He is going to do (v7)? Why? What does He tell Joshua to command the priests to do (v8)? What does Joshua tell the Israelites to come do in v9? What does Joshua say that v10 is showing? What does he tell them to set apart in v12? What does he tell them is going to happen in v13? What did the Jordan river usually do at this time (v15)? But what happens in vv16-17? 
In the passage for this week’s Old Testament reading, we find not just a miracle but the reason for it.

The Lord tells Joshua that this miracle is about exalting Joshua in the eyes of Israel as He had done with Moses. The crossing of the Jordan, of course, reminds us of the crossing of the Red Sea.

But notice that the servant of the Lord—even after being told that this is about increasing others’ esteem of him—does not give in to pride or narcissism. The Lord being with the His servants is really about the praise and glory of the Lord, not the servant.

So Joshua announces that this miracle is a sign of God’s being with them and surely driving out from before them all of the peoples of the promised land.

He reminds them that the ark belongs to Yahweh, Lord of all the earth. Joshua points out that it’s not himself that they are following, but Yahweh. This was the point in v4, wasn’t it? The Lord goes ahead of them. They don’t know the way, but He does. He is leading them.

There are situations in life where we are led by the Lord’s servants, humanly speaking. And in those situations, we need to be both esteeming those servants highly, as the Lord intends for us to do, AND to be recognizing that ultimately it is the Lord who is leading us.

And there may be situations in life where we are the servants who are doing the leading. Whether others rightly honor us or not, let us remember always to be following after Him and pointing them to Him!
Whom has the Lord given you as a leader? Whom has He given you to lead?
Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH525 “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”

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