The sermon titled 'By This You Shall Know' discusses the anticipation and preparations of the Israelites as they stand on the brink of entering the promised land after a 400-year wait. The speaker draws parallels between this event and historical moments like the pilgrims' first Thanksgiving. The focus is on the Ark of the Covenant, which represents God's presence and guidance as the Israelites prepare to cross the Jordan River. Key preparations include watching for the Ark, sanctifying themselves, and listening to God's instructions. The sermon highlights the importance of knowing God and the significance of His miracles, drawing a comparison between the crossing of the Jordan River and the Red Sea. The speaker emphasizes God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and the miraculous transformation that occurs through faith.

Now imagine, try to imagine, it's hard, try to imagine waiting over 400 years. Something was promised to you over 400 years ago and you're right there on the edge of seeing that happen. For context, if we were just looking at 400 years, you know what happened 400 years ago in 1621? The pilgrims' first Thanksgiving. So just context, That's 400 years ago.

This is a little bit over 400 years of wedding day. Forty years ago, they were so close, so close to getting this gift that God had given them, given the Israelites, but they rebelled. Most of those people died. Those under 20 remain and are now here again. New generation or two had risen, and now it's so close.

Again, Israel's just a few hundred feet from the promise coming true in their lifetimes. It's told to them, starting with Abraham back in Genesis 15, I think it is. Through Abraham, through Isaac, through Jacob, through the slavery in Egypt, being freed from Egypt, being so close to it 40 years ago, wandering, and here they are. Before getting to this great event, there's just a couple more things that we need to look at. One, there's final preparations we'll look at.

And there's the Ark of the Covenant that is so prevalent and center in here that we are going to spend time on on its point on its own. Chapters three and four are linked. Similar to last week, it's not chronological. You'll get mixed up if you look at three and four in a chronological fashion. There are things that you'll get some details here, and then a big parenthetical phrase, like from verse seven through 13 is almost like a whole parenthetical phrase and 6 and 6 and then 14 is really picking up from 6.

You have verse 12 where these men are picking up these stones. You have no idea really what that's about until you get to chapter four. So I'm not even going to cover it today. I'll be covered when we get to chapter four. So you can't look at it necessarily chronologically.

Your days may get mixed up a little bit. That doesn't mean the Word of God isn't laid out in an order fashion. No, not at all. It means we need to carefully divide the Word of God. Careful how it is.

It's the way God wanted it ordered. It's the way it is. And it is. It'll give us some detail. Like, oh, how did that happen?

OK. Give us a summary how that happened. All right, here it is. Now back to the story. Back to the history lesson.

Back to telling us what God has done. The theme of all these events is in the title of the message, By this you shall know. By this you shall know. We see that first in verse 7. And the Lord said to Joshua this day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so I will be with you.

And in Verse 10, and Joshua said, he's talking to the people, by this you shall know that the living God is among you. By this you shall know. God is the center, we said that, J said at the beginning in our intro message, God is the center of all of scripture, but even in something like this where we could easily get focused on the Israelites, the crossing, and the promised land and all that, we can get caught up in Joshua and the priest and the ark, which in the ark of central, we'll get to that, but it's God. And this is said, God tells us here, it is done that you would know, that Israel would know, that the Canaanites would know, that we would know, that all would know this is the living God of all the earth doing His will that no one can stop. Not only no one can stop, He doesn't even need you to do His will.

He doesn't need Israel. He doesn't need us to do His will. But that no one can stop, not the mighty Canaanite nations. God is displaying His holiness, His greatness, His powerfulness, His sovereignty, His mercy, His grace, His faithfulness, His covenant promises. By this you shall know.

You shall know the living God, the holy God, the only true God. Oh God, would we know you more, Would we know you better through looking at Joshua 3? Holy Spirit, please give us ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to believe. Give us more faith, give us more strength, more courage from reading your Word. Make you more precious Father to us, a more precious Savior, a more precious Comforter, a more holy God, and see your mercy even greater.

Would we know you. Thank you for making yourself known. Thank you for your mercy to give us salvation, redeem us through the work of Christ. Thank you. Please be merciful and gracious to us during this time.

Amen. So the first point is final preparations. There are some final preparations that need to happen. Look into verse 1 and the first part of 2. Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.

So it was after three days that the officers went through the camp. So Israel, we saw this back in Chapter 1, Israel is at Acacia Grove. They've been in Acacia Grove for a while. You can read about that in Deuteronomy. They've been there for a little while and They've been commanded to move.

So they've moved from Acacia Grove to near the Jordan, so that's about 12 miles, is what they're moving over this time. Now they're next to the Jordan. And just some geography, if you look to the north, to their west is the Mediterranean Sea, but to the north is the Sea of Galilee, to the south of them is the Dead Sea, and connecting the Sea of Galilee, we know that well, because that's where Jesus centered his ministry, and we have a lot in there from the New Testament of activities happening around Sea of Galilee. Between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea is the Jordan River connecting those two. In this valley with mountains around them, this fertile valley, this wonderful valley that's there.

And so Joshua instructs the officers, and the officers tell the people that they need to prepare, prepare to cross the Jordan in three ways. There's three key ways I wanna bring out, being prepared. Number one, number one way that they're preparing is look for the ark. Look for the ark to move before you move. Read verses 3 and 4.

And they, that's the officers getting this from Joshua, and they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before." So to look for the ark, they've been waiting by the Jordan, the land's on the other side, they know they're going to need the cross, but they don't know how they're going to get across yet. God hasn't revealed to them how this is going to happen. They know they need to get across.

They're told to look for the ark. I'm going to spend more time on the arc in my next major point, but they're to wait for it and go after it. And when they see it moving, they're to look at it, watch for it, know that here comes our time. It's coming close. Something's going to happen.

But there's stay about 2, 000 cubics behind it, around it. That's about a half a mile, a little bit over a half a mile away from it. So why the distance? People will say all kinds of things, and this is where we just stay with the text, not make guesses, is the archa-holy thing? Absolutely it is and there should be reverence and you can talk about that, oh it's reverence this but The scripture is very clear on why God wants them to stand 2, 000 cubits away.

That you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before. There's two million people. There's about two million people. How are they going to know where they're supposed to cross, how they're supposed to cross, where they're supposed to go? The Jordan River's pretty long.

Where are we going? It's overflowing its banks. Where are we supposed to go? It says look for the arc and then stay back about a little more than a half a mile in our terms, so then people can see. There's two million people.

You need a great distance so everybody's like, hey, everybody's moving, where are we going? You've got a lot of people out there that can see an arc about a half a mile away from them. Alright, there it goes. Now we can move. Now we can move, but they're looking for this.

Okay, look for this. So now the anticipation, see anticipation building more. I could hear the whispering. Has the ark moved? Anybody seen the ark move?

Where's the ark? Where is it? What's going on? Has it moved yet? Where are the priests?

This anticipation, building, where to go? Where is God going to lead us? Where is he going to do this work as God did with Moses? So the first thing they had to do for preparation is look for the ark. Look for the ark and go after it.

Whenever you see it, go after it about a half mile back. But when you see it, you know it's going to be time to move and go after it. The number two thing they need to do to prepare is sanctify themselves. In verse 5, And Joshua said to the people, sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. Sanctify.

It means to consecrate, to set yourself apart. And you see this all over, especially the Old Testament, what he's having them do. I want to look at in Exodus 19, which is just before the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. It gives us some context of what it means, what they are going to be doing to sanctify themselves. In Exodus 19 verse 10, it says, Then the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.

And then in 14 and 15, So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, be ready for the third day, do not come near your wives. Come near your wives even. So we have a couple things and this happens when throughout scripture especially the Old Testament this is commanded especially when they're preparing to meet God, to hear from God, be directed from God, see a mighty work of God. That's coming and it's almost like a holy day that they're getting prepared for and to sanctify themselves, to wash themselves, wash their clothes, be washed, be cleaned as an outward sign of inward cleansing that God has given them.

But they're also going before the holy God. God's going to speak to them. It's ramping up God's holiness. And then it's abstaining from marital intimacy even. Let me think about this.

Other than your relationship, God, your relationship with God, which is your highest for a Christian, your highest relationship, your most loved relationship, whale below that, but next in line for marriage is your relationship with your husband or wife. And God says, your relationship with me is so great, you're going to come before me, you're going to see a mighty work, I'm going to say something to you that I want you even set apart for that. Your marital intimacy for a little bit. To prepare for what I have for you. Romans 12, verse 12.1.

I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. This is a very reasonable service. God, the Maker of us, the Maker of our marriages, the Maker of all, the Lord of all the earth, to lay aside our desires, our wishes, sanctify ourselves, consecrate ourselves, to hear from God, to see His mighty works. He has told us in our context here, He's told them I'm with you, I'm going to do mighty work around you, this is very reasonable service. And he says holy, and in 12.1, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable.

Now you can't, the washing of clothes, the separating from your husband and wife for that time being, doesn't make you holy, Christ makes you holy, but it's there as a demonstration of you belong to God. He has made you holy. He is mine. He is my highest love. The one I worship.

The one I want to be around more than anybody else, even my spouse, and I'm willing to do that for a time period. Time period there. You think about it, take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee. We sing that hymn. When you sing it, next time we sing this hymn, whenever it might be, just think through that.

Or take my life, let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. It is consecrated, set apart for God, is made holy for God by the blood of Christ, not by anything I've done, not by anything you've done. He's the one that concentrates it ultimately. He's the one that makes it holy. He's the one that sanctifies our life.

This is not them earning the promised blessing of the land. By them sanctifying themselves, going through this process with their husbands and wives, this is not them earning the blessing, this is them preparing to receive the blessing. This is them preparing to get this gift from God, who is going to do wonders as we see here. He tells them, do this because God's going to do wonders. That you would know that God is with you, is with me, Joshua, is with Moses, and he's going to do wonders among you.

You're going to see that tomorrow. This is them preparing to be blessed. It's not them earning a thing. They're preparing for this blessed gift that has been promised to them for over 400 years. And They were so close to getting it 40 years earlier.

Why are they to consecrate themselves? For tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And when He does these wonders among you, you are going to know. You are going to know the living God of all the earth is with you as He is with Moses. He is with Joshua.

As He led you through Moses, He will lead you as He led Joshua. He wants to do these mighty wonders that they will know the living God, the only God, is with them and will never forsake them as we saw in Joshua 1. It's more than words. God owes us nothing, but God's going to prove this out to them. These wonders, as he calls them, also be translated miracles or amazing things.

These wonders, miracles and amazing things that show the power of God of Israel. It's still with them. So that's number two thing they need to be prepared. They need to look for the ark, sanctify themselves, and then hear. They need to hear.

Verse 9. So Joshua said to the children of Israel, come here and hear the words of the Lord your God. People need to know these are God's words, not Joshua's, not the officer's. These are God's words. They are to hear and know God.

Hear these words, know it's your God, know more about God, know about the living God, what he's going to do, be taught by God. When we think of hearing from God, and we went through John, all right, takes us back to John 10. Jesus is the good shepherd. In John 10, John 10-4, and when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice." Verse 27 and 28, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

My sheep hear my voice, my people hear my voice and they follow me. Come hear and hear your God. Come hear and hear Joshua says to them. Come hear and hear the words of the Lord your God. By this you shall know that the living God is among you.

I'm going to instruct them. I don't want you to miss this. You can't miss this. God is going to bring these wonders, these amazing things, that you will know He is a living God. You will know He was with you.

And what amazing mercy to tell Him what you're going to see. He's going to tell them what's going to happen here in a little bit, but they still don't know how they're going to get across. But the anticipation is, but okay, come in here, come in here. What are we going to hear? Are we going to hear about how we're going to cross?

So 40 years ago, When they were told to cross and they would be going to the land and sent to spies, and then they refused to do, they rebelled, they heard and they disobeyed. Then they did try to fix that, and said, okay, we'll go in now. God really wants us to go in, and God had them beaten in that battle. Said no, no, you didn't obey. Right, so they heard and they disobeyed.

Now the people are hearing and obeying. You Think of this. Two million people hearing and obeying. Joshua, the priests, the officers, the people, if you love me keep my commandments. These people are obeying.

Two million people. For at least this time period, the way this reads, they are obeying. They're sanctifying themselves, they're hearing, they're listening, they're watching, they're waiting. They're prepared to look for the ark, to follow it, to stay a half mile behind, and to go into this land and receive this gift from God. That's pretty amazing.

That's an amazing work. That alone right there is an amazing work of God. To change their hearts, soften their hearts. They've seen so many family members and friends die because of their rebellion over the last 40 years. Parents, they've seen this.

Their hearts have been softened. Their hearts have been changed. Here they are obeying. We're going to listen. We're going to hear.

We're ready. We're ready by God's will. The expected results from this obeying, verse 7, Israel will know God is with Joshua as he was with Moses. And Verse 10, Israel will know the living God is among them and believe he will drive out the inhabitants. God will go before them and do this.

You must know this God. You must know God of the Bible. You must. Without Him, you, me, none of us have any hope. There is no hope without knowing Him.

He is knowable. He's made Himself knowable through His Word of God. The Holy Spirit softening hearts. Christians know God more. Let's know God more.

It's such wonderful blessings come through that. We get to see more. We'll see more of His wonders. We'll see more about what He's doing as we know Him more, as we anticipate his works, as we anticipate what he does, we'll know him more. We'll be more thankful.

We'll praise, we'll magnify him more. We will know him more. These people are expecting wonders, they're expecting miracles, amazing things, but they still don't know what the wonder is. Still don't know what it is, or they've heard a little, right? Oh, you're going to drive them out.

We know that, we've heard that before, you're going to drive them out. That's wonderful. We are knowing that, you are assuring of that, you're giving us more confidence of that. But we've got to get over there for that to happen. Still don't know how that's going to happen.

Now that the people have heard that I will be with you, Joshua, as I was with Moses, As they're hearing that, and they're hearing these wonders, these miracles are going to happen, you've got to start thinking that there are people at least that were there at the Red Sea, those that were 20 and under the last 40 years ago, crossed through the Red Sea. So there might be some of those, some of those that have heard their family, the priest, other people tell of the crossing of the Red Sea, you've got to start imagining there are people starting to maybe think that maybe, maybe this is what's going to happen. Maybe we get to see this again. Don't know. You can imagine people starting to put some pieces together, starting to guess.

Two million people, there are people who are wondering, how are we getting across? And they start putting these pieces together. Before we get to that though, There's a primary object, point number two, there's a primary object, the Ark of the Covenant, we need to talk about. God is central. God is central to this, absolutely central, and the Ark is the central object.

In chapter three, the Ark of the Covenant, chapter 4 is called the Ark of the Testimony, other places are the Ark of the Testimony, but here the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned ten times, chapter 4 seven times. That's a lot of times in any chapter, a couple of chapters, we need to take notice. And it's essential. It is essential. When you see a move, go after it.

It's a central object. It's a central object that represents God. The Ark of the Covenant represents God. So your question, where are they going after? They're going after the Ark.

What did they follow and is not mentioned anymore in the wilderness? What was leading them? What did God have leaving them? A pillar of fire, a pillar of cloud. The last time we saw those was in Acacia Grove in Deuteronomy 31.

We don't know how far, how long past it is, but they are nowhere mentioned anymore. The Ark takes central stage, the Ark had central stage with the tabernacle anyway in the holy place and then eventually in the temple in the holy of holies, but those aren't mentioned anymore. Now it's the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of the covenant that they are following. We see the Ark of the Covenant made, God gives direction on how to make it, in Exodus 25. So for those that don't remember what the Ark looked like, the Ark was made of acacia wood, and it was about 3.5 feet long, about 2 feet wide, 2 feet tall of acacia wood lined with gold inside and out.

And on top of this, on top of the ark is a lid of pure gold. Not a lid of acacia wood covered with gold, but a lid of pure gold. And on the four corners of this ark, You might think of it as a box, but this ark, as God calls it, are four golden rings, of which two poles made of acacia wood, covered with gold, were put through them, and four priests on each side, on each corner, used to carry it. On top of this lid are two angels, cherubim angels. How Moses knew what cherubim looked like, God had to reveal it to him.

Cherubim angels were on top of the ark, on both ends, facing one another with their wings outstretched. The top of the lid is called the mercy seat. And this lid, that area above the lid, the mercy seat, is where God says He will come and dwell and be with you and the high priest once a year can go in and be there. Be there. This, The ark of all the pieces in the tabernacle, whenever they moved and had to go from place to place, you have the holy things.

The ark is the most holy of things, but the holy things, they were not to touch any of the holy things. When you read of how they transported the tabernacle, the holy things were wrapped up in cloths or animal skins, they were not to touch it, like using gloves. They were not to touch it. And the ark was the most holy of the holy things. And if they were to touch this, they would die.

And we have a story of at least one person that we know of, Uzzah, who touched it and died. Not because he got angry, not out of rebellion, because he actually thought he was doing a good thing, keeping it from potentially falling. God said, do not touch this. Do not touch it. And he died.

This represents God, His holiness, but also His mercy. Inside the Ark are three things. They are the tablets of the law. Tablets of the law. If you remember when Moses first got the Ten Commandments and When he came down from the mountain, the people rebelling, they were worshipping the golden calf, and Moses throws them, breaks them, and he goes back up, and God creates a new set.

Those are in there, a jar of manna, and Aaron's rod are also in there. Do you have this mercy seat? Do you have this mercy seat? The Ark of the Covenant sits in the holy place of the Tabernacle, except for when they're walking around and then it was carried visibly. In the temple, when that was built, it was kept in the Holy of Holies and never seen.

Never seen. They wouldn't have to move anymore. Never seen. The only time it was seen by anybody is once a year on the Day of Atonement by the High Priest. I'm going to talk more about the Day of Atonement during the Lord's Supper today from Leviticus 16.

But on the Day of Atonement, just briefly, there is such a holy day. There are other days with all the sacrifice that people bring individually, but the Day of Atonement is about sacrifices for the nation's sin. And the high priest would first sacrifice a bull for himself, sanctify himself, wash himself, clean all his garments, and then sacrifice a bull for him and his sin, before he can then sacrifice a goat for the people's sin, for the nation's sin. It was so holy, so holy of a place, the high priest couldn't just sacrifice for the nation that he's part of, he first had to sacrifice for himself, sprinkle blood of the bull on the mercy seat, and then he was able to sacrifice on behalf of the people. On behalf of the people.

And in that most holy place, incense was burned to make a cloud to shield the priest from God. That's this holy place. That's the Ark of the Covenant. Such a holy, holy thing that symbolizes God's holiness, His justice, His mercy through Christ's blood shed to redeem a people. And when this moves, when this moves, God says, go after it.

Go after it. You have not gone this way before. You have new enemies, you're going to have new trials, new concerns, new temptations, but know that your God is going before you. And the symbol of this most holy God, the most holy symbol that we can have, that God has given them to direct them to guide them is right there in front of him. Watch for it and go after it.

God is going to lead you into this blessed gift that he's been promising you for over 400 years. Go after it. Be led by the Holy God of justice and mercy there to go after Christ. The Ark of the Covenant is a type of Christ. You heard what I just said about the mercy seed and the blood and the sacrifices.

The ark symbolizes God. It symbolizes the mercy of God too. This land they're going into, they didn't earn it, they didn't deserve it. Abraham didn't just wander around and figure out how do I get God's eyes on me and see how good I am and so he'll call me out. God chose them because he chose them.

He's having mercy on them. He's leading them. He's guiding them. He's got these symbols of mercy, which for us are as a type of symbol of Christ, mercy. He leadeth me, O blessed thought.

He leadeth me. He leadeth you. He leadeth us. Be strong and of good courage, not in our own strength. They can be strong and of good courage because they see the Lord is the one giving them the strength and the courage.

God's given the assurance that He is going to drive them out, that He is going to do wonders among them. We've got this through God, not because of how good we are. Look at our history. We know we were here 40 years ago. Let's listen and obey.

And Let's take courage as we see this. Verse 11, behold the ark of the covenant. Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth. Behold. This Lord is not capital L-O-R-D.

It's capital L, lowercase o-r-d. It's saying, behold the Ark of the Covenant of the Ruler of the Master of all the earth. The Lord your God is the Lord of all the earth. He is the master, the ruler of all the earth. Psalm 95, for all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

The Lord made the heavens. He is the Lord of all the earth. Wherever they went, He is Master, He is the highest authority, and all that dwells in it, He can do with it as He wills. He can do anything he wants with this earth, with his creation, the people that dwell in it. He doesn't need Israel's help to destroy the nations.

He doesn't need them, but it is their honor. It is their honor to be his people and of service to accomplish his will. Matthew Henry, the Ark of the Covenant. If God be ours, we need not fear any evil. He was nigh to them, present with them, went before them.

What could come amiss to those that were thus guided, thus guarded. The Ark is a type of Christ. So how should we think of the Ark? Well, let me take Matthew Henry's quote, and let's substitute our thinking for the Ark of the Covenant for Christ. Christ.

If Christ be ours, we not fear any evil. Christ is present with us. Christ has come before us. What could come amiss to us that were thus guided by Christ and guarded by Christ. We have all we need.

Christ is ours. We don't need to fear any evil. We don't need to fear not knowing how we're getting across the Jordan or what's on the other side or any of that. We don't have this symbol anymore, but we have Christ. Much better than the types, much better than the shadows.

We have Christ himself to follow, never leave us nor forsake us. So they've had their final preparation. They have the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is moving. Try to think about that.

Now they see the Ark move. After over 400 years, Even just the 40 years of wandering through, the arc is moving. The time is near and the crossing of the Jordan, the third point. The Jordan is normally anywhere from a few feet wide to 100 feet wide, 3 to 10 feet deep. In normal times, you can find an easy place to cross.

You can find a relatively easy place to cross, even though It may be only a few feet to a hundred feet. They can find a three-foot shallower section. Yes, it would be muddy and it would be not as fun to cross, but they could cross it. They could cross it. It'll take a lot more time.

You've got two million people finding that place depending on how wide it is, how much that'd take. But now it's springtime. It tells us here that it's flooding. It's time of harvest and it's flooding. I told you it's in a valley, there's mountains around it, so you have the snow melt coming down, you have the rainy season, And now the Jordan River is much wider, much deeper, flowing much faster, not anything close safe to cross on their own.

Not anything close. Now maybe the men can figure out how to swim across, but There might be, you know, if I'm one of those nations, I've got some spies. We know there's people that would try to follow the spies. I got people on the other side trying to see what's going on over here. But they're probably not, oh, this isn't a good time for them to cross.

This is a horrible time for these people to try to cross. Though maybe they'll wait. But If they try to send over a few people, we can pick them off, however that might be. But we read what's going to happen, verses 13 through 16. And it shall come to pass, As soon as the souls of the feet of the priest who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan." Remember, Joshua was telling the people, now they're getting this information of what's going to happen, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.

So it was when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priest bearing the ark of the covenant before the people. And as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priest who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water, for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest, that the waters which came down from upstream stood still and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zeratan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of Arrabah, the salt sea failed and were cut off. The wonders, the miracle, The amazing thing has been revealed and yes, it is like the Red Sea crossing. What people have heard, what people have experienced, some get to experience again, some get to see this kind of miracle for the first time, but it is a miracle.

It is an amazing thing. They've been told what to do, we're watching for the ark, And we're going to see the priest just dip. We're going to stand back. I don't know if that means to give a half mile. Did all the people have to move back a half mile from the bank now, most likely people had to move back, make room for the ark.

We're going to obey God. We're not going to say, well, this is okay here because we're already here. They'd probably have to back up, let the ark, wait for the priest to dip their feet in the edge. And When that happens, water is going to get cut off at the city of Adam 18 miles upstream. 18 miles upstream.

Dry land is going to appear from there to all the way down to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Salt. And They're going to follow the ark into their gift of the promised land. Why that far upstream? Yeah, yeah, I think one, there's two million people to get across this. And then take 18 miles to get two million people across.

But one is They need more than just this aisle way. There are horrible movies about crossing the Red Sea. Don't watch them. Watch them as a kid. And then as you watch them later, you realize, oh, there's nothing right about this thing.

It's not a narrow path. You have two million people to get across in dry land. So they need at least space to get across, but God is making Himself known. This isn't just a local thing. People at Adam, you think they know what's going on?

Yes. People at Zeratan, you think they know what's going on? Yes. The other cities around you think they know what's going on? The lifeblood, all the water has been dried up.

You think people are people that are from other cities in Canaan, from Jericho, that have come to get their water for the day, if they don't have wells, they're coming over here to feed their animals, think they don't notice? Yes. And the word's going to spread. He's making himself known. God stops the water, says He heaped it up.

I don't know whether it was an invisible dam and how high a heap, but God heaped it up up there. Don't know how he did it, but he heaped it up. Nature bows to the will of God all the earth. Nature bows. He created it.

He owns it. He can dispense of what we call laws of nature. I'm happy about the constants of physics and nature and times and sunrises and all this. I'm thankful that God can overcome that. Not just that he can, he owns it to do with what he pleases.

And here it is, the wonders before them and it's time to cross. You have the dry land, the priest touched, the water dried up. I don't know how long it took for the water to pass. If it was instant, if they had to wait for the water to flow, I don't know. It doesn't matter.

It happened. And the ark's going. And the ark's going. And they're to follow it. And the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

And the priest who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan. And all Israel crossed over on dry ground until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan. Hard to imagine that all these hundreds of years of waiting are done. And here we go. Here we go.

The ark is in the middle. They've waited hundreds of years and days and hours and now the great anticipation is over. Here we go. You have the ark in the middle, in the middle of the Jordan. So if I'm thinking logistically of how they're going to obey God, there's this half-mile radius around the ark, which means it's a mile diameter.

There's this ark and there's these people going all around it. Here it is. Go. We know we're going to the other side now I said you don't need to arc to actually be on the other side you know where to go it's telling you which way to go you're getting to the other side you know you need to get there and go and the arc's the center of this they're going just think of what this means they've been dwelling in tents All those homes and all those cities are about to be theirs. They're going from living on manna, which was nice, provided for them, fantastic, to land flowing with milk and honey, vineyards they didn't plant, trees, fruits, vegetables.

They're going to having to find water, and God, miraculous, bring water out of rocks a couple times, to using wells they did not dig. They're going from wanderers to citizens of a nation. That's what all this means. That's what's coming to them. And the words the writer uses to get across this miraculous fin is fantastic.

Overflow, stood, rose in a heap, waters failed and cut off. The dramatic that the author, that God has the author right so we understand this wonderful miracle, this amazing thing that God has done to give him this gift. So amazing when we think about it. And what's the effect of this? Well, we know what the effect of from just defeating Og and Sihon and crossing of the Red Sea.

We heard that from Joshua 2 when Rahab said, for we have heard how the Lord dried up the water. And he goes on to say, as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more courage than anyone because of you for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above on earth beneath." That's from them hearing what God had done 40 years ago and just not too long ago with these two kings of the Amorites. But then looking forward, how does this event affect Canaan? In chapter 5 verse 1, so it was when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over." It's an interesting we there. Seems like the author is somebody that was there.

We had crossed over. That their heart melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children. If there was anything left in them, it was gone. The Lord had made himself known. You think, well, if you know that they have the living God and that He's made himself known to you to the point where your heart melts because you fear what's going to happen to you, Why not repent?

Repent! The Lord is making himself known to you. Those here that have not repented and believed, God, repent! Don't say that their God can't be my God. Don't sit there and just fear, well I guess hell's just coming for me.

I have no hope. I'm too bad. The nation of the Canaanites, I'm just too bad. They're going to run over me. Don't think that.

Remember Rahab. Rahab repented. We don't know about the other people in there, but Rahab repented. This God, you can know this God, you can repent. Hell, destruction does not have to be your end.

Chapter 6 verse 1, Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel. None went out and none came in. That is some fear. That is some fear. They're not going out.

They need food, they need water, they're not going anywhere. But they won't repent. We know God is willing to be merciful. Know God is willing to save. Look what he said about Sodom and Gomorrah.

He saved Rahab. You're not too far from God's mercy. Repent and believe. Repent and believe. God could have had them wait a few more months for the river to subside.

They've been waiting this long already. He could have had them build boats. He could have had them dam up the river. All viable. All still would have been only done in the strength of the Lord.

But God wanted Israel to know he's the living God that will drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Jebusites. He is the living God that is among them. And as he led Moses, he will lead Joshua, he will lead you, and he will drive out these nations, and you will have this gift. The living God has made them strong and courageous, is with them wherever they go. So all the people Israel, Canaan, and us should know the Lord of all the earth is with them.

He says, Ulyk, Moses is with us. A couple applications here. This is our, our never changing faithful God to. He doesn't change. What he does with people changes, how he moves each of us changes, but he doesn't.

He doesn't. God's path for our lives goes all over the place, right? Sometimes there's lots of planning for a wedding, for a coming child, for moving, for different events that's going on. There's lots of planning and excitement. Sometimes there are events.

Sometimes there are events that just with a phone call turn your life upside down. You don't know what's coming. It could be death, employer issues, layoffs, rebellious children, governments, effects of our own sin. God shows himself faithful. We know we have a faithful God.

Every second of the day is sort of a new path. Every second of my life, I'm a new rookie. I've never been that old before. But God leads. God provides.

We can know this God. We know our God. We know our Savior. Know His mercy. Know His grace.

Know His power. We read something like this? Bring joy! This is my God! Look what He did!

For over 400 years He was faithful and continued to be faithful. When they weren't. I rebelled at Mount Sinai. No more promised land for you. No.

They didn't go in. No more promised land for you. No. I will, chasing you, I will change your heart. I'll sanctify you.

I'll move you to where I want to move you for my purposes. And you'll glorify God. And they do. These wonders are made for them. All the types, all the imagery.

We need led by God, and we hear God, and listen to God. Now, I didn't read up here. I want to read this. I want to go back to Proverbs here, this hearing. I skipped a part, but I want to go back to Proverbs here, this hearing.

I skipped a part, but I want to go back to it. And this hearing, how we hear God. From Proverbs 2, My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear, that's listening, not just leaning in, making your ear available, this is listening, hearing, So that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. Yes, if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure. Children, if I told you there was a quarter just sitting in here in these bushes, you know how many of you would be out there trying to hunt that thing down?

She's saying, but this is more precious than silver, gold. Search for it as if it's a hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Knowing God is the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright.

Hear. Hear God. Let's hear God, church. Hear Him. And hear His wisdom.

And apply it to understanding. Cry out for the discernment of the knowledge of God. And understanding and seek it. Because he gives it right out of his mouth. He gives it to us.

Right here, he gives it to us. The second, last application. You read these. You read the crossing of the Jordan, you read Jericho, you read these other historical events. Like wow, that's so amazing.

One you might say, Mr. Lundquist James, yeah, if I was there, of course I'd believe. I wouldn't be like the Canaanites. I'd repent. Don't be so prideful.

Don't be so prideful. I mentioned this some of this last Sunday night on the wonders of God. Jesus did all these mighty signs. And I go, just one more, one more and then we'll believe. But they didn't.

Let me tell you, there are mighty wonders, mighty miracles, amazing things being done around you all the time. And I'm not talking about stopping of rivers. I'm not talking about the wonderful rain that we might get when farmers need it. I'm not talking about some of the amazing stories you hear of things that happen. I'm talking about the most wonderful miracle, the transforming power of the Gospel.

And you see that around you every day. Where God has taken dead people and made them alive. Where God has taken objects of wrath and made them objects of His mercy. Where He's taken people and given them new hearts, new spirits within them that love God, love serving God. Not to get any gold star, but out of a love for His mercy and grace to make me alive and just it's completely my honor to serve Him in whatever way.

It's my reasonable service. You have that all around you. By this you shall know the living God of all the earth is with you. Wherever you go will never leave you nor forsake you. Repent and believe This is your God.

Let's pray. Our God, thank You again that You've made yourself known to us. Again, You owe us nothing. But You have. You have been the Promise Keeper.

You who wrote our names in the Land's Book of Life well before you promised anything to Abraham. You have been faithful. We have many here. Thank you God. There are many here that are trophies of your grace, trophies of you being faithful, of keeping your promises, bringing us to Christ, drawing us to Christ, giving us Christ, and we know you.

God, we may, would we may love hearing you more, knowing you more, gaining your knowledge, your wisdom, your understanding straight from you. You've given us your words right out of your mouth. Thank you for them. Thank you