Gilgal—what a picturesque name for the turning point in the history of the nation of Israel! Joshua 5 begins: “when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the […]
This is for you! “I will never leave [let up My care for] you nor forsake [loosen My hold on] you.” Listen to these words: “So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua” (Jos 4:10). We looked at the […]
Watch as two stone piles are raised, one in the river and one out of the river. What do they mean? The people had crossed over but the priests hadn’t moved. There they stood with the ark in the dry riverbed. Why? God had something more to do. He wanted not one but two memorials […]
The Jordan River not only flows through the land of Israel; it also flows through biblical history. Let’s pause to think carefully about this historic event. The holy ark, where God resided on earth, took its place in the river. What river? The Jordan, or Yarden, as the Hebrew has it, from yarad, meaning “to […]
As was said of the Thames, the Jordan River—for far longer and far greater—is liquid history. The spies returned across the Jordan. Rahab, not taking any chances, immediately “bound the scarlet cord in the window” (Jos 2:21). How appropriate to be in suspense about the fate of this woman. You know what suspense means—to be […]
So that’s why the spies selected Rahab’s house! It was built on the wall of Jericho! Over and out! Rahab has found a way to spare the lives of the two spies. Now how will the spies spare Rahab? After all, she was a cursed Canaanite. And to complicate things further, “her house was on […]
Jericho must fall. Israel can’t move inland while the possibility of an attack from the rear exists. The Israeli Mossad evidently has a long history! “Joshua…sent out two men…to spy secretly, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho’” (Jos 2:1). If only there had been just two spies to search out the land 40 years […]
Read More… from March 22, 2023 — A Cursed Woman In A Cursed Profession In A Cursed City
The Christian life is a fight. Courage is crucial because everything worth having must be fought for. “Be strong and of good courage.” This we read not once but four times in Joshua 1 (vv 6, 7, 9, 18). Although the words strong and courageous are related, there is a difference. I’ve seen strong men […]
Let’s hope we’re actually standing on the promises, and not just sitting in the premises. There are certain walls in a house that are designated as load-bearing because they are essential to the support of the whole structure. Similarly, we may call God’s promises load-bearing. On the foundation of these promises rests the entire plan […]
Read More… from March 20, 2023 — Promises That Hold Up God’s Universe