CROSSING THE JORDAN RIVER

The priests were to walk into the Jordan River carrying the ark that contained the law of God. The ark was a sign of God's presence. As the priests stepped into the Jordan River, the water stopped flowing toward them from the north. The priests continued walking, carrying the ark. The Israelites followed. When the priests were halfway across the river, they were commanded to stand still until all the Israelites had crossed.SRme 1.754

The new generation of Israelites could see that the waters of the Jordan obeyed God. The same Power had opened the Red Sea for the Israelites forty years before. Many of these Israelites had walked through the Red Sea when they were children. Now they crossed the Jordan River as soldiers, armed and dressed for battle.SRme 1.755

After all the people had crossed the river, the priests continued across carrying the ark. The priests stepped up on the riverbank. When they stood on dry ground, God removed His mighty hand that held back the waters. The water rushed down in a mighty stream and overflowed the banks of the river. This wonderful miracle greatly increased the faith of the Israelites.SRme 1.756

The Lord did not want this mighty miracle to be forgotten. He directed Joshua to choose one important man from each tribe to pick up stones from the bottom of the river where the priests stood. They carried the stones on their shoulders. The stones were used to make a memorial in a place called Gilgal. This memorial helped Israel remember that they had crossed the Jordan River on dry land.SRme 1.757

The kings of the Amorites and the kings of the Canaanites were afraid when they heard that the Lord had stopped the waters of Jordan for the Israelites. These kings heard the Israelites killed two of the kings of Moab, and this had terrified them. The miracle of the Israelites crossing the flooded and violent river increased their fear.SRme 1.758

Joshua circumcised all the men who were born in the desert. Then they kept the Passover in the plains [land] of Jericho. "The Lord said to Joshua, 'Today I have removed from you the disgrace of being slaves in Egypt'" (Joshua 5:9).SRme 1.759

The heathen nations had made jokes about the Lord and His people when the Israelites failed to take Canaan immediately after leaving Egypt. The heathen felt they were stronger than God's people because Israel had spent so many years wandering in the desert. The heathen nations proudly boasted against God. The nations said that Israel's God was not able to lead His people into the land of Canaan. But the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River on dry land. Now the Israelites' enemies could not laugh at them.SRme 1.760

The Israelites ate manna on their way to Canaan. The manna fell from heaven. But now that the Israelites were ready to live in Canaan, they would eat the fruit of the land. The Israelites did not need manna anymore. So the manna stopped falling.SRme 1.761