Compare the crossing of the Jordan in Joshua 3:13 with the Red Sea. The Two Miraculous Crossings: Overview • Joshua 3:13—“And when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, its waters will be cut off; the water flowing downstream will stand up in a heap.” • Exodus 14:21-22—“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.” Miraculous Parallels • Divine initiative—God commands, people obey, water parts (cf. Psalm 77:16-20). • Human impossibility—both crossings confront natural barriers no human effort could solve. • Walk on dry ground—explicit in both accounts (Joshua 3:17; Exodus 14:29). • National identity—each event seals Israel’s identity as God’s covenant people (Deuteronomy 4:32-35). • Fear turned to faith—terror of pursuing Egyptians (Exodus 14:10-13) and swelling Jordan at flood stage (Joshua 3:15) shifts to confident praise (Exodus 15:1; Joshua 4:24). Covenant Continuity • Moses hands leadership to Joshua (Deuteronomy 34:9; Joshua 1:1-2). • God affirms Joshua “just as I was with Moses” (Joshua 3:7). • The ark replaces Moses’ staff as the visible token of God’s presence, establishing worship-centered leadership rooted in the Law (Joshua 3:3-6). Distinctive Details • Timing—Red Sea parts at night after an all-night wind; Jordan stops instantly when priests’ feet touch water. • Agents—Moses stretches his staff; priests bear the ark, symbolizing priestly mediation under the Law. • Objective—Red Sea delivers from slavery and destroys enemies (Exodus 14:26-28); Jordan brings entrance into promise and conquest. • Setting—Red Sea escape is from Egypt; Jordan entry is into Canaan. One ends an old life, the other inaugurates a new one. • Memorials—twelve stones taken from Jordan (Joshua 4:8-9) emphasize generational teaching; no physical memorial mentioned at the Red Sea, though the song of Moses (Exodus 15) functions as verbal memorial. Theological Significance • Salvation pattern—deliverance (Red Sea) followed by inheritance (Jordan) mirrors justification and sanctification (Romans 5:1-2; 1 Peter 1:3-5). • God’s faithfulness—He finishes what He starts (Philippians 1:6); the generation born in wilderness sees the same power that freed their parents. • Holiness emphasized—ark pauses mid-river until all pass, underscoring that every promise stands on God’s presence, not human strength (Isaiah 43:2). Practical Faith Lessons • Step before the waters part—obedience precedes visible miracle (Hebrews 11:29). • Remember God’s works—stone memorials call every household to rehearse God’s acts (Joshua 4:21-22; Psalm 78:4-7). • Expect new victories—past deliverance guarantees future triumphs (Romans 8:31-39). Foreshadowing Christ • Both crossings anticipate the greater Passover-to-Resurrection journey: from death to life through the once-for-all Mediator (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-15). • In Christ, believers pass from condemnation into promise, “crossing over” in Him (John 5:24). God’s unchanging power parts every barrier—yesterday at the Red Sea, today at the Jordan, and eternally through Christ. |
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