“…for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest…” Joshua 3:15
Waters swirling, current rushing, uncrossable was the Jordan River. No bridge, no stepping stones, no place to wade across; just the awful reality of flood waters with its dangerous and punishing strength. Water that could seize and pull you under in a moment’s notice. A current that was relentless in its strength and ruthlessness.
After years of wilderness wandering, it was to this that the Israelites came. On their march toward Caanan, battles had been fought and victories were won, cities were conquered and land had been claimed. It was now onward and forward toward Caanan—toward the land of promise. These people who had daily pit their strength against the harsh desert, were toughened in physical endurance. Now a new and different dilemma faced them. A flood of monstrous proportions confronted them with impossible odds. It was here that the Israelites lodged.
Life with problems
Have you been there? Have you lived for God? Conquered and claimed land and had God’s promises within your grasp? Then the swirling problems of life come sweeping upon you with the force of a river at flood stage. There is no bridge, no stepping stones, no place to even wade across. All there is, is the awful reality of the ruthlessness of your situation. The place in which you have lodged has problems that have overflowed your heart and life, just as Jordan overflowed ALL of its banks.
Yet it was to the Almighty that they turned. The One who had fed them with manna from heaven, led them with a pillar of cloud by day and lit up the darkness of their night with the pillar of fire. Those days of waiting must have been interminably long. In the darkness, the raging river could be heard, certain death if caught in its current. In the daylight, the impossiblity of the feat slapped them in the face again and again. Then throughout the camp, came direction for the people to once again consecrate themselves to God. They needed to submit with consecration to the God who had caused them to camp alongside the flooded riverbanks.
As the darkness faded, and daylight filled the earth, the priests were directed to take up the ark of the covenant (a symbol of the Presence of God) and go to the brink of those surging waters. With confidence they were to step into the current. We know that as they obeyed, God caused the water of Jordan to be cut off and to stand up in a heap.
Life with Consecration
In those dark nights when the rivers rage about us, and the problems multiply do we turn to the One who can send manna from heaven? When we have waited long, and the impossibility of it all slaps us again and again, will we crumble or turn to the only One who can turn our problems into the pathway of victory? When doubts plague us do we battle onward and upward toward a faith that will not shrink?
It is in these times, that we must follow that cry to consecrate ourselves anew to God Almighty. After the renewed consecration, the rivers still rage, the current continues to grow in strength, yet it is in the consecration that we find the Presence of God with us.
The priests press forward, into the midst of the Jordan. At the center, their trek forward halts. The priests, the ones who carry the Presence of God, stand firm, as each individual crosses the uncrossable Jordan River. In Joshua 3:17 it states “And the priests…stood firm…in the midst…until all the people were passed clean [completely] over Jordan.”
Life with Victory
When we face those insurmountable odds, those raging rivers of life, we can press forward because our High Priest, Jesus, is standing firm, interceding for each of us. “But this man {Jesus}, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;” (Hebrews 7:24 & 25; 8:1b) He will be there for us until we have completely passed over on to Heaven’s shore. The situations of life may be overflowing the banks of our human understanding, yet we can continue onward because Jesus will not leave the midst until we have reached our Heavenly home.
Life with Intercession
We, too, have been given the responsibility of intercession for one another. In Revelation 1:8 it states “And hath made us kings and priest unto God…” Then in I Peter 2:9 we read, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
In the Old Testament, the priests were the one who sought mercy and help for the people. We, as believers–that chosen, royal priesthood, have the privilege of personal and direct access to God; we also have a responsibility of intercession for one another. Is there someone that you can, with Jesus, our High Priest, stand in the midst for? Are you willing to hold on till “the waters stand up in a heap” so that another soul can completely pass over? Will they be able to know and feel the Presence of God in their lives because of our intercession?
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