…, “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. Joshua 3:3
The promise from God grants you a window into the plan of God or points you through the scriptures to a future waiting for you. The promise is a settled plan with God. Every time God says I will, it is because he has- josh 1:2-3. His works are already finished …. Heb. 4:3. All that is needed from man for the realisation of the promise is not the effort of man but the faith of man in the finished work. The supply comes from the love/grace of God. The receipt is accomplished through or via the faith channel.
The Israelites were not going to cross Jordan because they have come to Jordan; they will because it was in the plan. They did not choose the route, God did. He knew what will be on the way before he commanded their entrance into the promise. Look at Matt. 8:18; 23-27. With God, there is no hurdle on the way. He only sees the route to the destination. We, however, see hurdles naturally just as the disciples saw the storm in Matt 8:24 and in Matt 14:22-33. We see the problems instead of the prospects, like Zerubbabel (Zech 4:7) until he saw from God’s perspective.
God wants us to see the solution: In Matt. 8:25, they looked to the Lord; In Matt. 14:27-30, he looked to the Lord; In Zech. 4:6, he looked to the word of the Lord and the spirit of the Lord. God has already settled it that Jordan shall be crossed.
The key to crossing the hurdle as planned was seeing the Ark of the covenant of the Lord and the priests bearing it, Josh 3:3.
The Ark of the covenant of the Lord – Ex 25:10-22, was the most important furniture in the tabernacle of witness. The tabernacle was constructed all because of the Ark and it was the first sacred object Moses was instructed to construct. It was a rectangular wooden case that was overlaid with pure gold. It has golden crown around its top. The lid on its top, separate, yet one with the ark, was known as Mercy Seat with the cherubim which cover the mercy seat. Inside it was the stone tablets of the ten commandments, the golden pot containing a measure of manna; and later, Aaron’s rod that budded – Num. 17:7-8.
It was part of Christ concealed in the Old Testament as types and shadows. The acacia wood speaks of the indestructible complete humanity of Christ. The gold overlay speaks of the divinity and glory of Christ. The golden crown around the lid signified Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The unbroken tables of the law speak of the perfect obedience of Christ. Aaron’s rod that budded was a pointer to Jesus’ confirmation to be the son of God and our eternal High Priest, through his resurrection. Rom 1:3-4; Heb. 4:14; The golden poles, represented the ever present and Living Saviour. The ark led their procession just as Christ leads his sheep. Jn 10:1-5. If the hurdles before us will be crossed, our eyes must be on Jesus.
The second part of the instruction is not about the priests but still about the ark. While every believer is a priest in the New Testament, the reference here is to the priests who bear the bear the Ark just like those who preach the word. No one is called to ultimately follow the preacher. The significance of the preacher is in the word he preaches. Ask every time what the minister is bearing. His words must publish Christ who is our redemption, the wisdom and the power of God.
Whether it is to cross your hurdle or to make progress into the future, look for the direction of the word. Your salvation lies where the word points to. When we behold carefully where the word points, we shall be wise unto salvation. The ultimate key to crossing your hurdle is Christ, the living word, who is in the midst of his church. He is our salvation; the wisdom and the power of God.
