Crossing the Jordan

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously. I'm the chosen people. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: Joshua, my appointed leader, Moses, my servant is dead. Now you and all the people who'll prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving you. Look up, Joshua, up, see the land before you across the river. 00:00:28 Speaker 3: I heard of the miracles of your gun, the parting of the Red Sea, the victories in Moab against impossible wants. 00:00:36 Speaker 4: Many here dismiss these. 00:00:37 Speaker 3: Stories as exaggerations. 00:00:39 Speaker 5: For you know the truth. 00:00:41 Speaker 6: I believe your. 00:00:42 Speaker 4: God is God of heaven above and earth below. 00:00:45 Speaker 7: I believe you. 00:00:46 Speaker 1: Will take this and claim the land. 00:00:49 Speaker 3: All of you, for all of Israel. 00:00:52 Speaker 8: Really honor the promise you've made before our God. 00:00:56 Speaker 2: You love him, the band remain. 00:00:59 Speaker 1: Faith, Go to him always. The crowd shouted in the affirmative. 00:01:04 Speaker 4: Then you're ready, for our God is with us. 00:01:08 Speaker 8: Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. 00:01:12 Speaker 1: I tell you again, the Lord come out is with us. 00:01:16 Speaker 3: Remember, be strong. 00:01:20 Speaker 1: I'm duracious. 00:01:26 Speaker 9: Faith begins when we step into the water, even before the path ahead is clear. Shell, oh, my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel, I'm l extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen people. The Jordan River. It stands as a barrier, a test, between the people of Israel and the land that they've been promised for generations. The waters, wild and uncrossable, are all that separate them from the place of rest, the place of destiny. And now God asked them to take a step, to walk into the waters before they part, to trust him, before they see the miracle. But isn't this always the call of faith, to move even when the way ahead is unclear, to trust even when the waters rage. What would you do if God asked you to step into the flood, not knowing how you'd make it to the other side. This is a moment before the miracle, where faith is tested and where God's power is revealed. 00:02:33 Speaker 1: The lamps were burning low, and long shadows danced on the walls of Joshua's general's tent. The sun had set hours ago, and Joshua's meager candles did little to chase away the darkness. The shuffling of feet in the quiet night caused Joshua to look up from where he was squinting over his maps strewn across a low table. His trusted but perplexed and sleep council filed in and begrudgingly took their seats. Hhamar and Eliezer, sons of Aaron Finnahas son of Eliezer, and Gersham, son of Moses. True to form, Ithamar was the first to question the lateness of this meeting. 00:03:17 Speaker 7: I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why you called us so late on the eve of our march General Joshua. 00:03:27 Speaker 1: Joshua caught Eliezon shaking his head at his brother's insolent tone. Before Joshua could answer, Caleb and Salmon entered the tent right as the lamps reached their maximum brightness, illuminating their sodden traveling clothes. They both looked as though they had just emerged from the river. 00:03:46 Speaker 7: Caleb, Salmon, where on earth have you two been? You're soaking wet, and at this hour. 00:03:52 Speaker 1: That's actually what I called you here to discuss. Eyebrows went up around the table and Kleb nodded to Joshua and the others before taking his seat. Salmon, the first timer at a meeting like this, sat uncertainly beside Caleb. Joshua continued, bringing the council up to speed. 00:04:10 Speaker 8: Forgive the secrecy, brothers, But I said Caleb and Salmon to scout out the city of Jericho. 00:04:16 Speaker 1: The room was surprised at that these two got to. 00:04:19 Speaker 7: Go on an adventure while the rest of us had to oversee the breaking down of camp. One of the dann eyed children soiled themselves in my arms while I helped their mother. 00:04:29 Speaker 4: Ah, it was an adventure, but it wasn't pleasant. Three days of hard travel and evading enemy soldiers, not to mention swimming across the swollen river twice. 00:04:41 Speaker 1: Caleb playfully shook his head like a dog, causing Ithama to shrink back at the water droplets flying from his hair. The men all laughed, and Joshua brought them all back to order. 00:04:52 Speaker 8: I'm very relieved you both made it back safely, and I wanted all of us to hear your report firsthand. 00:04:58 Speaker 2: He would not change the instruction the Lord has given. 00:05:01 Speaker 8: Us, but I wanted us to be equipped with any intelligence you gleaned about what we're walking into. 00:05:06 Speaker 1: Caleb nodded and exchanged looks with the younger man beside him. Salmon grinned triumphantly and gave him an encouraging nod before Kayleb began his report. 00:05:17 Speaker 4: The people of Jericho are terrified of us. Our very presence on this side of the river has broken their morale. Every rumor in town confirmed it. But they are on high alert. The city is fortified and they are preparing. 00:05:34 Speaker 2: For a siege. 00:05:35 Speaker 4: They're wary of any tricks we might try, and there are eyes on every street corner. To be frank, we only made it out of the city because of a remarkable young woman. 00:05:47 Speaker 1: Caleb shot Salmon a sly look, and the younger man returned a sheepish grin. 00:05:52 Speaker 4: Her name is Rahab, and we told her to mark her house with a scarlet cord in the window. That is how we will know ass over the house when we take the city. We swore to her that if she kept her word of concealing our mission in the city, it would save her life. And I don't think that's the last of the oaths we might be swearing to her. If our friend Solomon has anything to say about it, I had always had half a mind to strike up a marriage pack between him and my daughter, but I think there is a slim chance of that now. 00:06:31 Speaker 1: Kleb winked at the now blushing salmon. 00:06:34 Speaker 2: And what of the walls. 00:06:35 Speaker 8: We've taken forty five cities before, But their walls were built into the basalt rock formations, were footholds for our climbers. 00:06:44 Speaker 4: Hey, our men will find no such luck with these walls. There are two of them. The lower wall is over ten feet tall. Then there's a sloping rampart where their archers will surely strike us down from the watchtowers. And beyond it's the upper wall, and that one is almost twenty feet tall and six feet thick. 00:07:07 Speaker 1: Her heavy silence fell over the group. Hitamar whistled in disbelief. 00:07:13 Speaker 7: And we have no siege towers, ramps or scaling ladders. 00:07:18 Speaker 1: What are we going to do? Caleb nodded solemnly, and then met Joshua's eyes. The unspoken question stretched between them, How are they going to take the city. Joshua knew the conquest of Canaan would not come easily, but he also knew that God would guide them. His most immediate command was to cross the river. Perhaps the answer to this seemingly unsolvable problem would come on the other side. 00:07:46 Speaker 3: Remember, brothers, remember the instruction I gave to Israel hours ago. We have consecrated ourselves. The Lord has made us a promise. Tomorrow we will see wonders. 00:08:00 Speaker 1: There were nods around the table at that. After a moment, Eliezer, perhaps the most cautious and thoughtful of them, finally spoke, how was it crossing the river Bah? 00:08:13 Speaker 4: Very very difficult? And the current is drong? It pulled the two of us down river far further than we intended. Let's put it this way, if are here wouldn't have been the right man for that job. 00:08:25 Speaker 7: Hey. 00:08:25 Speaker 1: The men around the table humed Caleb's joke at Isamar's expense with weak smiles and half hearted chuckles. They had all seen the river outside their camp, swollen and surging from the harvest season. It stretched over one hundred feet wide, lightly more than ten feet deep, and its current churned fast and relentlessly. 00:08:48 Speaker 7: Yes, yes, you're not entirely wrong, But how exactly were the rest of us who were not trained? 00:08:56 Speaker 4: So just get across? 00:08:58 Speaker 7: How will we get across the flooded Trece crossing without losing a third of our people to the current. The way is inaccessible this time of year. Do you mean to part the waters for us as Moses did when we first left Egypt, Or will we march upriver to find a crossing that is not flooded. 00:09:15 Speaker 1: Before Joshua could answer, Elieesa defended him. 00:09:18 Speaker 5: Brother, I'm surprised at your lack of faith. You, of all people, should remember the similarities between Joshua's instructions and Moses' instructions. The day the Lord spoke to us at Mount Sinai, we witnessed the parting of the rich sea. There are few of us left who could boast of such a memory. 00:09:40 Speaker 1: Ithamar backed down and looked ashamed at his brother's scolding. He knew better, of course, he was just letting his fear get the best of him. Joshua empathized with the feeling. The oldest among the Israelites had watched an entire generation leave their homes in Egypt on a promise, only to perish in the desert on account of their own failures. The grief was a daily reminder of how fragile faith and obedience really were. Like the manner that came to feed them every day, their faith and obedience had to be rekindled every day. Eliezer continued, Joshua, the people have consecrated themselves. 00:10:22 Speaker 5: It is true we do not know what the Lord would do tomorrow, but nor do we need to know. Has he ever failed us before? 00:10:32 Speaker 1: No, our faith will not falter. 00:10:36 Speaker 5: We will obey our garden see wonders among us tomorrow, as you have said. 00:10:43 Speaker 1: The other men nodded and affirmed their high Priest's words. Joshua nodded to Eliezer gratefully. Joshua did not know exactly what the Lord had in mind for the morning, but he felt it would be a day worth remembering. The shock of the frigid water sent sharp waves up Joshua's body as his feet sloshed into the jordan and sank slightly into the mud. The expanse of the rushing water flowed before him at an alarming rate. The shore on the other side seemed miles away. Joshua didn't turn to see the millions of expectant eyes boring into his back, but he knew they were there. Behind him stood Eliezer, Ishamar and Finnahass carrying the ark of the Covenant between them on gilded poles covered by fine leather and a solid blue cloth to prevent the glory of the Lord's presence from overwhelming them all behind them. The Coethite clan covered the rest of the Holy Tabernacle objects. The gershan Eyite clan carried the curtains that made up the tabernacle, and the Merroorite clan carried its poles and bases carried between the three levited clans and Aaron's descendants, the entire Holy Tabernacle was behind Joshua on the edge of the river, and all of Israel was a thousand yards away from the priests and the presence of the Lord. As instructed, Joshua took a deep breath, knowing all eyes continued to watch him expectantly. This was it, and so it begins. This was the moment God would exalt him as the new Moses. Joshua had faithfully imparted the Lord's words before the people had dawned that morning, but now it was time to see what his faith was worth. Joshua had no staff of miracles. He had no pillar of fire to light the way forward. He had only the promise of the Lord, the echoes of the words spoken to him only hours earlier. 00:12:53 Speaker 2: When you reached the edge of the water stand in the Jordan, the hem. 00:12:58 Speaker 1: Of Joshua's cloak was tugging around his ankles, his feet planted in the mud as the river's current raced by the last time Joshua had seen the peoples of Israel wait at the edge of a great body of water, the seas had split before them with the mighty breath of God, and their enemies had been hot on their heels in pursuit. The beat of their drums, the pounding of their horses and chariots, and the whimpering and crying of his people was a horrific nightmare that still found its way into his dreams over forty years later. As strange and terrifying as it was to behold, they had no choice but to move forward. Nothing but death and bondage was behind them. But now now was different. Joshua was keenly aware of the stillness and the quiet of the people. The only sound was the river. There was no adrenaline pumping or dramatic displays of supernatural wonders, just a man standing in a river before a nation. Joshua knew that this step forward of faith was everything Again. He recalled the words of the. 00:14:11 Speaker 2: Lord, follow me, follow the ark, for you haven't traveled this way before. 00:14:19 Speaker 1: Yes, the ark that housed the presence of their God would lead them. Now, Pillars of fire or smoke would no longer lead them. The ark carried by the hands of faithful. 00:14:32 Speaker 10: Men would lead them. God would go before them. All their lives had led to this moment. With just one step forward, Israel would shed what she was and become something new. This was no wild escape or desperate flight of deliverance. 00:14:52 Speaker 1: It was the birth of a nation, intentional, decisive, divine. Joshua unstruck his sand within the muddy bank and stepped forward. He then unstuck the other and moved again. He kept water until he was wading, the water lapping against his knees, then his hips, and then his chest. His clothes became heavy and cumbersome. His arms beat against the water and defied the powerful current. He braced himself as the bitter cold sapped his strength, yet he held firm, demonstrating his faith before all of Israel. He kept his eyes locked on the shores before him. The promised land was right there, so close, yet so far over the river's roar. Joshua heard the faint splash of feet as Eliezer and the first of the priests enter the river. Joshua's arms churned at the water ferociously as he tried to take another step forward. He tried lifting his foot, but now that he was deeper and the banks below him were starting to slope forward, the current was able to forcefully push him downstream. Joshua was forced to yield several feet to the undertow. Desperately, Joshua pressed his toes into the silky bottom of the river to regain his footing. The Lord's chosen hero fought against the current. As he did, he fought against the inner doubts that plagued him. Was he enough? Could he ever be like Moses? Would the Chosen people ever truly be free? Joshua embraced the fight as Jacob had so many years ago. Joshua embraced the struggle of following God. Panting lungs, seizing against the cold, He stubbornly refused to look down. He kept his gaze on what was ahead and clung to the faith of what he knew would come next. Joshua again lifted his foot to go forward and was surprised that it landed before him. His toes hit and his full foot landed firmly on the bottom. He lifted the other and he kept moving forward. Joshua then realized the barrage of the water flow seemed to lessen with each stride. He then felt his arms at his side swing out of the water. That could only mean one thing. The water was starting to go down. Sure enough, within moments, the water dwindled to his knees, and then his toes felt the morning breeze against the sticky mud that had seeped into his saddles. It was only then that Joshua looked down to confirm it. Yes, dry ground was beneath him. The mighty river had been stopped somewhere far upstream and out of sight. Joshua grinned from ear to ear and looked over his shoulder at the priest still at the edge of the river. Joshua wood triumphantly back at Israel and Eliezer, with a face splitting smile, himself called. 00:18:05 Speaker 6: Back, behold the wonders of God. 00:18:09 Speaker 1: A wide eyed Finnahaus shook his head in amazement. Ithamar looked just as amazed, though he had seen the Red sea parted as a boy. He stood across from Eliezer, supporting the Ark of the Covenant at the head of their priestly column. Eliezer gave his brother a satisfied smirk and then beamed at Joshua. He then shouted over his shoulder so all of Israel could hear his words. 00:18:35 Speaker 6: Behold, our leader, Joshua, the Lord has exalted him while he is with him, as he was with Moses. 00:18:46 Speaker 1: The crowd behind the priests let up a great cheer at Eliezer's words. Joshua shouted to the. 00:18:53 Speaker 3: People, our Living God has halted the great waters of the Jordan, just as. 00:18:58 Speaker 4: He said he would. 00:18:59 Speaker 3: Today, you will walk on the dry ground of the riverbed. Today, we will enter the land of Canaan. 00:19:06 Speaker 4: Today. 00:19:07 Speaker 2: It's only the beginning. 00:19:09 Speaker 1: The cheers of the people echoed the roar of the river that was present just moments before. Joshua turned back to the distant shore. As the priests in the Ark caught up with him, they would trek to the middle of the dry riverbed, where the priesthood would stand firmly with the presence of the Lord, as the entire nation of Israel would cross the Jordan. 00:19:37 Speaker 9: What an unforgettable moment can you imagine Joshua and the Israelite standing at the edge of the Jordans, staring at the waters, knowing the promises right there, but feeling so far away. The priests holding the ark of the Covenant, they don't wait for the waters to recede. They step in feet first into the rushing river for trusting that God will move after they act, and slowly the waters pull back, making a path through the flood. This is faith in its purest form. It's not the absence of fear. Rather, it's the decision to move forward in the face of it. When my Abba, Rabbi Riel Extein, passed away unexpectedly six years ago, I felt very lost. Not only had I lost my beloved father, I had lost my mentor, and I was expected then to step into his shoes and sit at his desk leading the fellowship. I think about that time in my life when I read about the life of Joshua. Can you imagine how Joshua felt filling the shoes of Moses. Can you imagine how he must have felt, not only losing his beloved mentor, but then being expected to carry on God's work like Moses. But Joshua did carry on the holy work that we read about, and Joshua's story often echoes the story of Moses, doesn't it. Joshua sentspised and to the Promised Land, just like Moses did. We'll find that, just like Moses, Joshua will run national campaigns of circumcision and reinstate the Passover celebration traditions to the Jewish people still follow now today, thousands of years later, at the end of Joshua's life, we'll find the Bible honoring him in the same way Moses was honored. He'll be called a servant of God. And today we see another echo of Moses. Just as Moses was instructed during the Exodus, Joshua is told to take off his shoes to encounter God's holy presence. In Hebrew, it says tin al h'aglaim. And then, just as Moses stood before the Red Sea awaiting God's miracle, we find Joshua doing the very same thing. And here the Bible tells us quote Joshua said to the Israelites, come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the Living God is among you. End quote. What did Joshua mean by this? What was the this that would let the Chosen People know that the Living God was among them? The Jewish sages have several opinions on this. Some say that it was the miracle that was about to occur, the splitting of the Jordan River so that the Chosen People could cross into the Promised Land. Other sages suggest that it was the Ark of the Covenant that would precede them in crossing the river, the Holy arc that contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments, which were written by God. But I really like a third possibility that the sages suggest. They suggest that Joshua was telling the people that as soon as they entered the Holy Land, they would feel a spiritual surge of closeness to God, because God's presence is felt here in the Holy Land, where I'm talking to you from, as it is felt nowhere else on earth. My friends, I am so oh thankful that I feel that spiritu will surge every day here in Israel, and it helps me so much to do the work that I do helping others who need our help. And I try as hard as I can to communicate that spiritual surge to you wherever you're listening from so that you'll feel it from here in the Holy Land through these episodes as we study the Bible together, do you feel that spiritual surge from the Holy Land through my words? Before we leave today, I want to talk about Moses one more time, about Moses and Joshua. In the opening chapters of the Book of Joshua, God promised Joshua that he would receive the same promises that Moses had received. God would be with him and grant him success if he obeyed God in all things. But God knew that the people needed assurance to so God promised Joshua one more thing. He said, quote, today, I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all of Israel, so they may know that I'm with you as I was with Moses. End as the people stood on the banks of the overflowing Jordan, God told Joshua to instruct the priest carrying the Ark of the Covenant to step into the fast moving waters. Once they did, Joshua told them the waters would stop and they could cross into dry land, just as they crossed the Red Sea. Now the people had a choice. They could have chosen to obey Joshua's instructions and trust that God was with Joshua and them, or they could have chosen to trust in their own ability and knowledge and to wait until the water is receded. Well, we all know what happened. The Chosen People stepped out in faith, The water stopped and they crossed into the Promised Land. And this testimony of God's power gave the Israelites the hope and the confidence that God was with Joshua and that they would be given victory over them their enemies. My friends, what rivers are you facing today? Where is your confidence in your own ability or in Gods? God may not send us a sign as spectacular a stopping raging river, but just like the Israelites did, we have his word and his promises. We can trust in Him, and as the Chosen People, we must. 00:25:27 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with yle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvado, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.