How does Joshua 3:16 connect to the parting of the Red Sea? Setting the Scene Joshua 3:16: “the waters flowing down from upstream stopped and rose up in a heap and were very far from the city of Adam, which is next to Zarethan, while the waters flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.” Echoes of the Red Sea 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 that 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.” • Both events feature waters “cut off” or “divided,” producing dry ground for the nation to pass through. • In each case God acts at the precise moment His people step forward in obedience. • Joshua 4:23 ties them together explicitly: “For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as He did to the Red Sea…” Same God, Same Power, New Generation • At the Red Sea God rescues a fleeing people from bondage (Exodus 14:30-31). • At the Jordan He ushers a waiting people into inheritance (Joshua 3:17; 4:1). • Psalm 66:6 and Psalm 114:3 celebrate both miracles, affirming one continuous storyline of deliverance. Key Parallels • Divine initiative: “the LORD drove back the sea” (Exodus 14:21) / “the LORD cut off” (Joshua 3:16). • Physical sign: staff of Moses vs. Ark of the Covenant carried by priests (Joshua 3:14-15). • Result: safe passage on dry ground, reinforcing God’s covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9). Moving from Redemption to Possession • Red Sea: pictures salvation from slavery. • Jordan: pictures sanctification and victorious living in promised territory (Hebrews 4:8-11). • Together they form a complete testimony: God not only saves but also equips His people to enter the fullness of His promises. Assurance for Today • The identical language of “heap” and “dry ground” underscores that miracles recorded in Scripture are literal, historical acts. • His past actions guarantee His present reliability (Isaiah 43:2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4). • Believers can trust that the God who parts waters still overcomes impossible barriers, leading from bondage to blessing. |
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