(Read Joshua 3:1-11)

When Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land it was a day of new beginnings. God promised that He would do amazing things among them if they would set themselves apart to cooperate with him fully. And the Lord said that he would give them what He had promised and magnify the name of Joshua before all of Israel.

The applications are many. Prophetically we see a greater Joshua (Yeshua, Jesus) being magnified among the people. How would this happen? His name would be exalted as his people were delivered from their old rebellious Adamic lifestyle of wilderness wandering to a daily walk the resurrection ground of a new life in Christ.

As we enter a new year, we are entering new territory. The children of Israel were to take two special precautions to ensure that God's power would be working among them:

First, it was important to give the Lord the freedom to lead the way. Before they crossed the Jordan River they were reminded to keep the ark of the covenant, carried on the shoulders of the Kohathite priests, centered in the scope of their vision. They were not to assume that they knew the way to go. They must rely on God's fresh leading and intervention.

"Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it." Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:4-5 NIV).

The ark prophetically pictures God's testimony in Christ. Constructed of the incorruptible shittim wood (representing Christ's humanity) and covered with gold (representing His deity), the ark pictures the God-man Jesus Christ (1Timothy 2:5), the Word made flesh and tabernacling among us (John 1:14). He bears the testimony of the law inscribed on the tables of stone (He fulfilled the law - Matthew 5:17), the pot of manna (He is the bread of life John 6:32-35) and the rod that budded (He is the resurrection - John 11:25). The priests represent those called out to partner with God as His reconciling agents in the world. They bear His indwelling, manifest presence and testimony by the means of two poles of wood on their shoulders , which speaks of their "taking up the cross" (Matthew 16:24-26). As we reckon by faith on our co-crucifixion, co-burial and co-resurrection in Christ, saying no to old patterns of behavior and selfist agendas, we give God room to move.

Our vision of Christ and His purposes must be kept fresh, central and clear because our lives often get crowded with our many concerns and activities. We ourselves are not to crowd in on the ark, obscuring the view of others. We need to follow the Lord together.

Secondly, God's people were also told to sanctify themselves. They were to be in full alignment with Him. The call to sanctification is a call to separate ourselves from everything we know He disapproves of and to dedicate ourselves to Him completely, heart, mind and will. As we do this we will experience His promised fruitfulness, progressive victory and be the people of God that bear His manifest presence in the world.

We have not passed this way before; enjoy the newness,

David MacAdam, Pastor/Teacher
New Life Community Church