Expect a Miracle
Josh 3:7-17

Pastor Jack Anderson

Introduction. Josh 3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
Can you think back and remember a day that you had waited for a long time with great anticipation and excitement? Most of us can. As a child, Christmas and birthdays were such days. Later it may have been your graduation day, or your wedding day.
For months, weeks, and days you waited, and then finally, the day arrived. Can you imagine the anticipation and excitement the children of Israel faced, as they stood before the River Jordan on the evening before they were to cross over into the land?
The earlier generation had failed to enter because of unbelief and the new generation had waited a long time. For some it was close to forty years. Joshua and Caleb, who were now about eighty years old, had waited even longer.
Joshua tells the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" The Lord is going to do wonders but His people must sanctify themselves. "Joshua, I am about to come down to lead the people through the Jordan and into the land of promise, tell my people to sanctify themselves".
They must be clean and Holy, set apart, reserved for me to serve me. God calls His people to holiness, to separation from sin that they might walk in the Spirit.
God wants consecrated, clean, empty vessels that He can pour Himself into, and use for His glory. But we hinder the power of God, when we are defiled and full of ourselves. God is holy and He wants us to be set apart for Himself. If we are going to see God at work in our lives then-- we need to remove the barriers to God's power.
Illustration-- A very faithful believer and businessman said to his Pastor. "Pastor the most important thing I ever learned in this Church, --- was, the day you emphasized, that God wanted us to consecrate our lives to Him in a once-for-all unreserved commitment to Him.
Then to begin each day by asking Him to take our lives and to live His life through us, to lead us, and guide us throughout the day. This revolutionized my Christian life and I have found that everyday is a new experience with Him. I have found that you really can--walk moment by moment with Christ when you take time to be holy. He has done wonders for me and mine.

Friends do not fear the problems with which you are confronted! Do not fear the Obstacle before you! Do not fear the height of you own personal Jordan.
Face it with confidence, for the God of wonders is capable of dealing with it. Let us keep our eyes on Him, the Ark of our Salvation, for He has the might to do what we cannot do. Jesus declared, "All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth". Mat 28:18

The Man of God is Magnified. V 7 ---

Note the promise to Joshua. This day I will begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel.
This would be a startling statement in any set of circumstances. It would have been less surprising, if God had said to Joshua, as he faced the Jordan

"I am going to humble you for that is what you need".

The last thing that most of us need is magnification. To magnify a person is to lift them up to a place of honour, to put the spotlight of attention upon them so that others begin to think-What a fine outstanding Christian they are. Magnification is like great wealth, it carries its own built in danger.

Worldly honours often have no relation to a person's character. Worldly honours are unsatisfying and tend to promote selfishness, but the honour that comes from God brings peace and goodwill.

Worldly honours often lead to pride, but when God bestows honour on a person, it leads to deep humility. Worldly honours are temporary and perishing. The honour that comes from God abides forever.

Time has done nothing to obscure the names of Abraham, Moses, Joshua or Paul. They are as great before men today as when they were first magnified by God. Joshua had discharged his duty.

He had set before the people a noble example of an active faith in God's word. He had honoured the Lord and now the Lord would honour him as he had done with Moses at the Red Sea. Beloved, devotedness to God never goes unrecognised by Him.

God magnified Joshua by the authority, which he conferred upon him as the appointed leader of Israel. But the fascinating thing was that when Joshua went to speak to the people, he says nothing about his new magnified position.

There is an important lesson in this for us. Namely that worldly honour may produce a worldly spirit. The applause of the crowd makes the head giddy. The Christian is to wear the honour that God bestows with great humility.

If we do not wear the garment of honour properly God may take it away from us. As His servants, we need to guard our attitudes, if God is going to bless us and to work out all that He wants to do in and through us.

God will not share His glory with another. Paul said, Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Jonathan Edwards, who wrote--Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved that whether others do or not, I will.

Joshua-" This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel". There is something that we must not overlook here.

For, what God did for Joshua at the Jordan is but a foreshadowing of what He did to His Son, the greater Joshua-Jesus at the same Jordan. God magnified His Son in the eyes of Israel when He was baptised.

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Mat 3:17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

God magnified His Son at the Jordan.

He authenticated His great mission. John tells us in his gospel account that this took place at "Bethabara-(the name means the place of passage). This was the same place where he magnified Joshua before Israel. By what took place at the Jordan, Israel knew that Joshua was their divinely appointed leader.

Josh 4:14 on that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

Israel feared Joshua- they gave him the reverence that was his due, as the Lord's servant God's chosen leader.

When the Jesus, the incarnate Son, was identified at the Jordan and owned and magnified by the father as the one in whom he delighted -how did Israel respond?

Did they give Him reverence as the Son of the living God? Did they love Him, worship and adore Him? Did they fear Him and obey Him?
No! they alienated their hearts and they closed their ears against Him.
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Never man spake like Jesus. He went about doing good. He wrought miracles of Power and mercy, but they despised and rejected Him, and after a brief season they cried out "away with Him crucify Him we will not have this man to rule over us.
Israel rejected their Messiah and eventually cried out "Away with this man and release unto us Barabbas".

God magnified Jesus at the Jordan but men humiliated Him and rejected. What are you doing to Jesus? Are you seeking to Magnify Him in your life and by your worship? Or are you still a Christ rejecter?

John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Believer, are you seeking daily to magnify the One whom God has magnified before men? The one who loved us and gave himself for us that He might take away our sins.

Psa 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

We magnify and pay God honor and reverence, not for his sake (because he is of himself full of glory to which no creature can add anything), but for our own sake. God honours those who honour Him.

The Man of God is Magnified. V 7 ---

The Message of God is Magnified V 8,9 ---

Having heard from the Lord that God was going to magnify him in the eyes of the people, we now find him exercising his authority as he gives his orders to the priests. They were to stand still in the Jordan.

A. This was a Challenge to their Faith.

Since it was the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant, and since it was the ark that represented God's person and power, they alone were to take the Ark to the edge of the water and stand still in the water. What do we gather from this? It reminds us of our part in the plan of God.
We must learn to step out in faith and obedience to the principles and promises of Scripture. It reminds us of the need to rest in God and in His promises. They were not to run down into the waters. They were to stand still in the waters.

This is just like the words of Moses in Exodus 14 When Israel were hemmed in with the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh and his chariots behind them.

Exod 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Exod 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Do not fear, do not let your faith waver just stand still and you will see salvation, for the Lord will open up the way.
Isa 30:15 for thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:
What a word for the discouraged Christian.
We each have Jordan's that we face from time to time! When we look at the obstacles that stand between us, and spiritual victory in our own Canaan, we may feel that we will never be able to enter our Canaan of victory and enjoy the abundant life that Jesus promised His followers.
Well, it is true that I do not know what kind of obstacles you face in your life, but I do know a God Who specializes in overcoming the overwhelming, and He, leads His children to victory, when they learn to stand still and trust Him
This was a Challenge to their Faith.
Often, we are unable to get past the obstacles in our lives because we live a life that exhibits a deep lack of faith in God!
We worry over tomorrow, yet the Lord has said Mat 6:34 take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

We worry about-facing various things in life, yet the Lord has promised -
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

We worry over so many things, yet, the Lord tells us that all of our worry is sin and that our duty is to trust Him - The bottom line is this: Jesus is all-powerful. He is all knowing and He is all present. He knows what you are going through.

He knows everything there is to know about it. He even knows more about it than you do! Here is what He says to you: "The just shall life by faith", 1:17; Rom 14:23; "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin", Matt. 8:26."Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith",

What He says to us is that He is the Lord and that He is greater than any problem we have or will ever face in life. His desire is that we simply learn to take Him at His Word and trust Him.

Get your feet wet-- and Step into the water Step in a little bit deeper, and place your faith in the depths of His great love.

A. This was a Challenge to their Faith.

Henry van Dyke ---Happy and strong and brave shall we be --able to endure all things, and to do all things--if we believe that every day, every hour, every moment of our life is in God's hands.

B. This was a Challenge to Consider the Word.

V 9 "Come hither and hear the words of the Lord your God". Joshua turned the people to the word of God. There is no greater invitation in the entire world than the invitation to come and hear the words of the Lord.

Joshua is saying to the people "Come, don't ignore the Word of the Lord. Come and listen to it, come and see what God has for you".
The words of the Lord are the only words, which can address man,s most difficult situations. The words of the Lord can meet our deepest necessities. The words of the Lord are the only words of hope and we are blessed in obeying them.

Friends our God is not only the God of Redemption, He is the God of Revelation. How important it is that you come often to hear what God has for your life. The Israelites were to

1. Watch God - Notice that the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned some 7 times in chapter 3 They were to keep their eyes firmly fixed on the Ark. When God moved, they were to move. When God stopped they were to do the same.

2. Follow God - When they saw the Ark of the Covenant move, they were to "leave their place, and go after it" v 3---

Not only were they to watch God, they were to move when He did. Again, the lesson for the believer is that it isn't enough to know what God is doing; there comes a time when you must "leave your place and go after Him." This may require us to leave our comfort zone!

Israel was about to follow the Ark through a river that was over 1 mile wide! That couldn't have been easy, but it was still necessary. Following God may not be the easiest thing you will ever do, but it will be the best thing you ever do.

Joshua told the Israelites that the living God was among them. The term the living God is used in contrast to the worthlessness and the uselessness of the false God of the heathen world.

Note carefully the statement in verse 10 (read)

"He will without fail drive out before you the Canaanites" ---and so forth.

We might have expected Joshua to say "The Lord will open a way for you" Instead he gives the assurance of the conquest of the seven nations in the land of Canaan.

The Man of God is Magnified. V 7 ---

The Message of God is Magnified V 8,9 ---

The Might of God is Magnified. V10

At the Jordan, the Lord magnified His own power and His glory and also man's insufficiency. The living God is with you.

Josh 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

The Living God is with you and He goes before you. It is God's presence, as the one and only living God, that sustains believers regardless of what life might bring. The key is staying focused on His presence and to be resting in Him.

Illustration. During the American Civil War, the town of Mores field, West Virginia was on the dividing line, and seesawed back and forth between Federal and Confederate troops. In one old house, which still stands today, an elderly woman lived alone.
One morning some Yankee troops stomped up on her porch. Though at their mercy, she remained calm and invited them to be seated at her table.

When breakfast was set before them, she said, "It is a custom of long standing in this house to have prayers before meals. I hope you won't mind." With that, she picked up the Bible, opened it at random and began to read from Psalm 27

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. …

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

When she finished, she murmured quietly, "Let us pray." As she prayed, she heard the sounds of shuffling shoes. When she ended with "Amen," she opened her eyes. The soldiers were gone! Her lack of fear had made them fearful of lingering any longer
This woman's faith, in the power and the presence of the living God, enabled her to cross her personal Jordan causing the enemy to leave.

The Might of God is Magnified-
Verses 15-17

The people passed over on dry ground. Jordan always rolls between the land and us, but it is God's purpose for us to cross over. This requires the Faithfulness of God and Faith on the part of you and His people.
Verse 16 states-that the waters rose up in a heap. They stood up like a solid wall.
Verse 17- it says " the priests stood firm in the midst of the Jordan.

What a test of their faith and obedience. There was faltering or wavering, there was no uncertainty as to the word of God or the Power of God.
They stood firm. Had they drawn back then the waters would have returned.

Whatever Jordan you may be facing, take your eyes of the waters of difficulty and look unto Jesus. Let Him provide a way for you to cross that difficulty.

John 10:4 and when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

As Israel followed the Ark, just you follow the Lord. He has almighty power. He is infinite wisdom. Nothing is too hard for Him. He controls the storms. He opens the seas. He can make the waters to stand like a wall, enabling you to pass over on dry ground.

Come to your Jordan in faith, trust God and cross over.

Expect a Miracle.

For God is Able! Able to Subdue. Able to Secure! Able to Save! Able to Supply! Because He is able to Supersede all things.

Eph 3:20 -21

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.