Joshua Crossing Jordan
“The waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the … salt sea … were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho” (Joshua 3:16).
The crossing of Jordan by the Israelites under Joshua was a remarkable miracle, recorded in Joshua chapters 3, 4, 5. This experience came at the close of 40 years of wilderness wandering. Those 40 years represented the Gospel Age sojourn of the Church. The close of that experience brings us in symbol to the opening of the Kingdom blessings for the world of mankind.
Already, 2½ tribes of Israel had been settled on the east side of the Jordan — Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. In this case Reuben, the firstborn, represents the Bride class. As the firstborn class, they are the chief inheritors, who rule with Christ from heavenly glory. The name Gad means a “troop,” or a large number. This tribe represents the Great Company class, associates of the Church to assist their service for mankind in the Kingdom. The tribe of Manasseh ultimately has inheritance on both sides of the Jordan, suggesting the class that will serve as the connecting element between the heavenly classes (east of Jordan) and the world of mankind on earth (west of Jordan). Thus, in this picture, we are at the threshold of the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth.
In all of this Joshua, the leader of all these Israelites, represents our Lord Jesus as the leader of the Kingdom. Moses had completed his service, as recorded in the closing chapter of Deuteronomy, representing that the service of Christ as leader of the saints during the Gospel Age has drawn to a close — Joshua representing Christ as the leader of the succeeding age.
JOSHUA CHAPTER THREE
The crossing of Jordan itself is recorded in chapter three. The priests, bearing the ark of the covenant, were to advance first, and the Israelites were to follow 2000 cubits after them (verses 4, 13). The number 2 sometimes represents the holy Spirit, as for example in Zechariah 4, where two olive trees are the Old and New Testaments, from which comes the oil of the holy Spirit that burns in a seven branched lampstand. So the numbers 20, 200, and 2000 sometimes are used to picture the first age of the Spirit, the Gospel Age — as in the 20 years of Samson’s judgeship, the 200 cubits of John 21:8, or in this case, Joshua 3:4, 2000 cubits representing the span of the Gospel Age. That is, the age that intervenes from the redemption of the church, the priests, until the redemption of the world, the remainder of Israel in this picture.
When the priests advanced with the ark, and their toes reached the edge of the River Jordan, immediately it began to recede. This was all the more miraculous because Jordan was at flood stage, which is normal for spring time (Joshua 3:15). As the priests carrying the ark, representing the presence of God, moved forward, the Jordan further receded until the flow of water stopped entirely, allowing all the Israelites to pass over, while the priests stood firm in the center of the river bed.
The Jordan receded as the priests approached, Nisan 10.
The cause of the river flow stopping is mentioned in Joshua 3:16. “The water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan” (NIV). Evidently there was a landslide at “Adam” stopping the flow, allowing the Israelites to cross. The engaging name of the location cannot fail to remind us that the curse of death first imposed on mankind was because of the sin of Adam — and by God’s providence, just at the appropriate time, there was a stoppage of the Jordan, the curse of death, allowing the Israelites to pass into Canaan — allowing mankind to pass into the Kingdom.
In other words, this represents the time when the value of the Ransom is paid over to stop the curse, represented here as stopping the downward flow of the Jordan which emptied into the Dead Sea. The second location name mentioned is not a familiar one, Zarethan. However, a cross reference shows that this location is mentioned also in 1 Kings 7:47, 48. That passage describes a time during the reign of King Solomon — another picture of the Millennial Kingdom — and the location “Zarthan” (Zaretan of Joshua) is a place where implements of “bright brass … did the king cast … in the clay ground.” The chief element of brass is copper, which represents either perfect or justified humanity. This also is a fitting connection to the Kingdom, when humanity will be recast into the image of God, freed from the curse, and sin purged from them.
JOSHUA CHAPTER FOUR
Chapter four tells us that the Israelites were to assign 12 men, “out of every tribe a man,” to “take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night” (Joshua 4:2, 3). These stones were to serve as a reminder to the Israelites, from that time forward, of what God had done for them. They were taken from the midst of Jordan, where the priests stood with the ark, perhaps as a reminder that the presence of God with the Israelites, through the service of the priests, the Church class, is what brought deliverance to Israel. So mankind will remember their remarkable deliverance, forever, an everlasting memorial (Joshua 4:6, 7).
Gathering 12 stones from the Jordan, Nisan 10
Joshua 4:9, as the King James version expresses it, might suggest a second set of 12 stones placed in the midst of Jordan as a remembrance: “And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.”
This rendering is supported by others also, as for example the New Living Translation. “Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.” If this expresses the intent of the passage, then it seems there came to be an assembling of 12 stones visible on land, taken from the Jordan, and another assembling of 12 stones not visible, put into the Jordan — both as reminders of this event. In that case, perhaps the 12 stones on land could represent the 12 tribes of natural Israel who are God’s visible agency for assisting mankind — and the 12 stones in the Jordan, not visible, could represent the 12 tribes of spiritual Israel, the Church, who are God’s invisible agency for assisting mankind. This seems likely, and it is a nice picture.
There is some ambiguity, as not all versions render it this way. The NIV indicates that Joshua 4:9 is another reference to the removing 12 stones from the river. “Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.” This rendering is favored also by the Lamsa version. However, this rendering is very much outnumbered by other versions, that favor the King James approach. (In either case, presumably the mention of Joshua doing this means that Joshua supervised this activity, probably done by strong young men.)
Joshua 4:12 mentions that of the 2½ tribes already having received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, “About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before Jehovah unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.” the Church class, the Great Company class, and the Ancient Worthies, though they have entered into a reward already for their devotion to God, will assist mankind in the Kingdom to overcome their enemies — sin and its propensities — in the Kingdom. Ultimately, as Zechariah 14:21 says of the outcome of the Millennial Kingdom, “there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of Jehovah of hosts.” Forty often symbolizes testing, and perhaps the number here, 40 thousand, means that these represent ones who have previously proved faithful.
Joshua 4:14, “On that day Jehovah magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.” Forty years earlier Moses led Israel across the Red Sea, here Joshua led Israel across the Jordan — two miracles that remind us one of the other. In this comparison, they would represent deliverance through Christ opening the Gospel Age, and deliverance through Christ opening the Kingdom, respectively.
Joshua 4:19 says that the Israelites camped at Gilgal, and here “those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.” The drying of the Jordan was a testimony, “that all the people of the earth might know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty: that ye might fear Jehovah your God for ever” (Joshua 4:24).
JOSHUA CHAPTER FIVE
Verses 2 and forward tell us that at this time the males among the Israelites were circumcised, for this had been neglected during their time in the wilderness. So Israel — and subsequently mankind — will become circumcised of heart, something they have not attended to during the previous Gospel Age (Jeremiah 9:26, Romans 2:29).
Joshua 5:9 says, “Jehovah said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.” The margin gives the meaning of “Gilgal” to be “rolling.” The word is given in Strong’s Concordance as H1537, “the same as 1536,” which is rendered “wheel.” Thus the place is reminiscent of God’s rolling back the curse of previous times, “the reproach of Egypt” — and in the larger picture, the curse afflicting mankind for 6000 years. Perhaps also the 12 stones, a reminder of this deliverance, were assembled in a circular heap, round as a wheel.
Israel kept passover at Gilgal on 14 Nisan
Joshua 5:10 tell us that then “the children of Israel … kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month.” Evidently this pictures the time when Israel, delivered through Armageddon by God, come to appreciate what Jesus, their Messiah, has done for them. This is the time of Zechariah 12:10,11 “I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem.”
This is the time of Israel’s introspective appreciation, national repentance, and contrition. However, it is not necessarily the time of the first information respecting Jesus that comes to their national attention. Joshua 4:19 earlier noted that the crossing of Jordan was on the 10th of the month (Abib, later called Nisan).
Under the Jewish Law, Nisan 10 was the day Israel was to select their passover lamb, to be offered on the 14th day. The crossing of Jordan marks the time when God lifts the curse. This comes during the time of Israel’s national extremity. When Israel prays to God for deliverance, then God intervenes on their behalf, and raises the Ancient Worthies to point Israel to their redeemer, the source of their deliverance. The raising of the Ancient Worthies comes after the curse is lifted.
What will be Israel’s response when the Ancient Worthies point Israel toward their redeemer? As most things in human nature, their response may be apprehensive at first. We all are anticipating the return of the Ancient Worthies, and their message to Israel, but Israel is not. Some hesitation, some doubt, may be anticipated.
This is suggested in Acts 28:1-6. Here, as discussed among brethren in recent years, seems to be a picture of the opening of the Kingdom. Here Paul is symbolic of the Ancient Worthies, who represent God at the outset of the Kingdom. In Acts 28, shipwrecked refugees alight upon the shore of Melita, representing the island state of Israel, where the final judgments against the nations assembled at Israel will unfold.
The inhabitants of the island “shewed us no little kindness” (verse 2), kindling a fire and assisting as they were able. Paul then “gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire — the Ancient Worthies gathering the “sticks” of the Law for disposal, advising Israel instead to look upon the “tree” of the ransom given by Jesus Christ. When Paul did this, “there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.” Here is represented Satan’s last attack on Israel.
When the islanders observed this, they thought Paul must be not a noble person after all, but someone unworthy. “Though he hath escaped from the sea, yet vengeance suffereth [him] not to live” (Acts 28:4). But Paul simply shook the viper off into the fire, and was unharmed. So the Ancient Worthies will shake off the last attack of Satan, the attack of Gog and his forces, successfully, by God’s providence. Whereupon the islanders “changed their minds, and said that he was a god” (Acts 28:6).
Antitypically — Israel’s doubts are removed by the great victory following the appearance of the Ancient Worthies. Then Israel will recognize them as having godly authority, representatives of God Himself. Following this Paul healed the leadership of the island, then all the afflicted of the island, as the Ancient Worthies will spiritually bring healing to Israel. After the passing of winter, Paul then continued on to Rome, just as the Ancient Worthies, after bringing Israel into God’s Kingdom, will extend their influence outward to the remainder of the world.
Perhaps, therefore, the crossing of Israel on the 10th of Nisan represents their initial experience — when the Ancient Worthies first point them to their true Redeemer, when Jesus is “selected” for their attention — and the 14th of Nisan, the time when Israel accepts their Messiah of promise with full repentance, contrition, weeping — and yet everlasting joy.
— Class Studies in San Diego