After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
— Joshua 1:1-2
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
— Matthew 6:33
To begin the fight for the good land, Israel had to cross the Jordan. The order in which they crossed reveals God’s desire to lead them in all that would follow. Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan” (Josh. 3:11). The first to enter the river was the ark carried by the priests. This caused the water to stop and rise up in a heap, giving adequate room for all the children of Israel to pass over easily (Josh. 3:14–16).
The battle to gain the land was both for the Lord and for the Israelites. As long as God achieved what He intended, Israel would also. This is equally true of us (Matt. 6:33). The first thing we need in fighting the enemy is to allow God to lead. If God leads and we are with Him, then surely the battle is won.
Adapted from Joshua: A Life of Service, page 45.
Tomorrow: “Two Memorials (1)”