One Year Bible Reading and Commentary for Monday, April 11th "The Israelites Get Ready to Cross the Jordan River" "Jesus Teaches on Humility!"
Click Here To Listen to the Readings
Click Here to Read Joshua 3:1-4:24
The Israelites Cross the Jordan
As the Israelites prepare to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, Joshua has instructions for them from the Lord. First, they were to "purify" themselves. They were to separate themselves from common things to focus on the Lord. This would not only be a physical battle but also a spiritual battle.
Importantly, God would go before them into battle. His very presence would dwell in the Ark of the Covenant, which the Levitical priests would carry out front as they entered the land the Lord had promised them. Literally it was the Lord who would fight for them. They only need be strong and courageous. God's presence was so powerful, Joshua instructed them to stay a full half mile behind the priests and the ark. Now that's some power!
Right away the Israelites see the power of God when the priests reach the banks of the Jordan River. Since it is the spring season, the water is flowing over the banks. As the priests looked at the raging river, they had a choice. They could trust God's direction as given through Joshua, or not? As they stepped into the river, their faith became sight. The river above them backed up at a local down, and the water below them flowed down to the Dead Sea.
We usually want the river to be dry before we even make a step; but God was truly calling Israel to step out in faith. - Guzik
What was the key to this amazing miracle? Notice the centrality of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. The ark is referred to 14 times in these 17 verses. This was all about the trust of Joshua, the priests, and Israel had in the God they knew was present with them. - Guzik
Memorials to Istael's Crossing
There were two ways that God instructed Joshua to remember this historic moment in the life of Israel. First, he picked one man from each of the twelve tribes and asked them to pick up one stone from the riverbed and carry it to the place where the Lord would instruct. Second, they were to make a pile of twelve stones in the middle of the riverbed as another memorial to God's mighty actt that day.
Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea[f] when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. 24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”
When God acts powerfully in your life, do you have a way to create a memorial that will help you to remember what He did for you as the years go by? It can also be something you share with your children, grandchildren, or someone close to you to remind them of God's faithfulness.
Click Here to Read Luke 14:7-35
Jesus Teaches about Humility
One of the greatest attributes of a Christ follower should be humility. Why? Because Jesus commanded it, and he modeled it at every point of his life. He uses the example of a wedding reception to demonstrate what this quality looked like. Instead of assuming you deserve a place at the head of the table and later being embarrassed when the host asks you to move places, one should assume the lower place at the table and allow the host to promote you to a more important place.
Pride is very deeply rooted aspect of our sinful nature. It is often easy to disguise, but God always sees it. Pride is thinking more highly of yourself that you ought. It is thinking more about your own interests than the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)
Another verse says, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12)
Where do you lack humility? How can humbling yourself in this area develop a more Christ-like attitude and character in you?
Parable of the Great Feast
Next, Jesus tells a parable about a man who planned a great feast and sent out his servants to extend the invitation to attend. These were likely the most obvious people who would normally be invited to special occasion like this. But when the feast was ready, the man sent out his servant to tell the guests to come. But, they all had various excuses as to why they could not attend.
The host was furious and told the servant to go to the part of the town where all the less fortunate lived. The poor, the blind and the lame. Apparently many people didn't want to hang out with them or help them, so they stayed together to support each other.
This is an especially relevant question when one considers the sort of people who will also be at the feast: redeemed sinners and the maimed and the lame and blind. - Guzik
But there was still more room, so the man sent the servant out to the highways and byways adjacent to their town. I.e. Out into the country lanes. They were to compel them to come in. A lot of commentary has been done on this word. What does it mean to "compel" someone to come in?
Jesus said compel to indicate God’s great desire to fill His house, and because these wanderers and outcasts needed to be convinced that they were welcome, compelled by love. - Guzik
"So if we are to have many sinners saved, we must go out of our own quiet haunts, and go forth into frequented places. We must preach in the street, or at the market-place, or on the village green.” (Spurgeon)
This is a good passage for any church to reflect on. What would this mean for each of us in our context? We might say, "God wants our churches full!" How can we make a "compelling" case for people to come visit our church where they will meet the master of the house, Jesus!
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