What parallels exist between Joshua 4:23 and the crossing of the Red Sea? Setting the Scene Joshua 3–4 describes Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land. As soon as the priests carrying the ark stepped into the Jordan, “the waters flowing downstream stood still” (Joshua 3:16). After every tribe crossed, Joshua commanded twelve stones be set up as a memorial. Verse 23 looks back to an earlier miracle God performed for their parents. The Text of Joshua 4:23 “For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.” Miraculous Water Crossings: Shared Elements • Water supernaturally halted (Exodus 14:21; Joshua 3:13) • Passage provided on “dry ground” (Exodus 14:22; Joshua 3:17) • Whole nation crosses safely—men, women, children, and livestock • Event timed precisely to God’s command, not human ingenuity • Waters return only after the people are secure (Exodus 14:26–28; Joshua 4:18) Divine Purposes Behind Both Miracles • Deliverance from danger: Egypt’s chariots (Exodus 14:9) / swollen Jordan at flood stage (Joshua 3:15) • Public display of God’s supremacy over nature (Exodus 14:31; Joshua 4:24) • Strengthening faith of the people (Psalm 106:9–12; Joshua 4:14) • Judgment on God’s enemies—Egypt destroyed, Canaanites “their hearts melted” (Joshua 5:1) Continuity of Covenant Leadership • Moses lifts his rod (Exodus 14:16); Joshua commands the priests (Joshua 3:6) • God tells Joshua He will exalt him “as I was with Moses” (Joshua 3:7) • The parallel crossings legitimize Joshua as Moses’ successor (Deuteronomy 34:9; Joshua 4:14) A Memorial for Future Generations • Red Sea: Moses sings, and Miriam leads Israel in praise (Exodus 15) • Jordan: Twelve stones at Gilgal “so that all the peoples of the earth may know” (Joshua 4:24) • Both miracles turned into teaching tools for children (Exodus 13:14; Joshua 4:6–7) Echoes in the Psalms and Prophets • Psalm 114:3—“The sea looked and fled; the Jordan turned back.” • Isaiah 51:10 recalls the divided sea as proof God will redeem again. • Each recounting links past salvation to future hope. Resonance in the New Testament • 1 Corinthians 10:1–2 sees the Red Sea as a type of baptism; Jordan crossing likewise pictures entering promised rest (Hebrews 4:8–11). • Both events foreshadow Christ leading His people through death’s waters into resurrection life. Living Implications • God repeats His power across generations; He can be trusted today. • Leaders change, but God’s presence remains constant. • Memorials—sermons, testimonies, simple stories—keep His mighty acts alive in our homes. • Just as Israel moved forward on dry ground, believers can step out in obedience, confident the Lord goes before them. |
    |