Joshua 3:17, commentary and pictures

The priests carrying the ark advanced to the middle of the channel and stood firm on the dry riverbed until the whole crossing was finished, then came up to the western shore to safety. When their feet touched the edge of the water the flow from above was cut off and held back while the current below ran on, leaving the broad bed exposed as a dry path opened by God's favor. The entire host of Israel crossed clean over on that dry ground into the promised land until every person had passed safely, and as soon as the priests stepped up onto dry land the restrained waters were loosed to rush down again in a resistless flood. The ark standing in the midst signified God's own presence leading His people, and the miracle done by the same power that opened the Red Sea increased Israel's faith and courage while terrifying the Canaanite kings and silencing the reproach that the Lord could not bring them in. Victory came not from the mere physical presence of the ark but from obedience to the law contained within it, and Jesus Himself with heavenly angels attended the ark and the priests in the riverbed until all had passed over.

Crossing on Dry Ground

At the divine command the priests bearing the ark of the covenant on poles went before the people to halfway across, to the middle of the channel, and stood firm there on the dry riverbed until the whole crossing was finished, then came up out of the river to the western shore to a place of security. They remained in the riverbed until the whole people had passed over, and the ark remained in the midst until all had passed clean over. The crossing path was opened by God's favor, and the river's waters remained cut off before the ark throughout the crossing.

When the priests' feet were dipped in the brim of the river, the waters from above were cut off and swept back and held back before the ark, while the current below flowed on, so the broad bed lay exposed as dry ground. The river was opened so its broad bed lay exposed as dry ground with the water held back to the side, and the tide above was swept back while the current below flowed on, laying the bed of the river bare. The entire host, the whole long line of all Israel, went down and crossed clean over on dry ground to the farther western side into the promised land, until every person had passed safely over. God opened a dry passage through the Jordan for Israel, with the priests carrying the ark standing firm in the riverbed until everyone had crossed.

As soon as the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto dry land, God's restraining hand was removed and the imprisoned waters were set free and rushed down their channel like a mighty cataract in a resistless flood, and the Jordan rolled on as before and overflowed all his banks. When they came up onto dry land, God's restraining power was removed and the river resumed its course in the natural channel of the stream. The ark that stood in the midst of the Jordan had cherubim on either end, heavenly angels looking with reverence upon the mercy seat which is its cover, and it contained the law of God.

Jesus the Son of God himself, followed by heavenly angels, went before the ark to the Jordan and the waters were cut off before his presence, and Christ and angels stood by the ark and the priests in the bed of the river until all had passed over. Four heavenly angels always accompanied the ark in all its journeyings to guard it from danger and to fulfil any mission required in connection with it. Stones taken from the bed of the river where the priests' feet stood were carried on shoulders and erected as a monument in Gilgal to keep in remembrance that Israel passed over Jordan on dry land.

Divine Presence and Power

The ark going ahead of Israel across the Jordan into the promised land was the symbol of God's presence dwelling among His people and the representative of God Himself. It held the law of God within it, and the priests bearing it went before the people while the whole host followed.

God willed that the passage should be miraculous, opening the river so its broad bed lay exposed as dry ground with the waters held back. The parting displayed the same divine power that had opened the Red Sea to their fathers forty years before, and their waiting in the midst made that identity of power clear. This convinced that generation, many of whom had passed through the Red Sea as children and now passed over Jordan as men of war fully equipped for battle. The miracle greatly increased Israel's faith and the remembrance of the deliverance gave fresh hope and courage.

It was one of the most mighty manifestations of God's power, wrought by the same Mighty One who descended on Sinai amid fire and smoke and thunder, who parted the Red Sea, and who struck the Philistines with a destroying storm. The crossing on dry ground through the swollen river demonstrated that the Lord could lead Israel into Canaan. It silenced the reproach of their enemies that He could not bring them into the land, terrified the Canaanite kings, and filled those enemies with fear.

Victory did not come from the physical presence of the ark or from merely bringing and carrying it as though possession of it guaranteed triumph over enemies. Israel's strength depended on obedience to the law contained in the ark, which the ark represented. The ark's presence alone could not secure God's blessing when the people disobeyed His law.

Remembered in Later Days

The passage prepared through the Jordan came immediately before the recognition of God's covenant by the circumcision of the people, the observance of the Passover, the appearance of the Angel of the covenant as Captain of the Lord's host, the command to keep from the accursed thing, and the overthrow of Jericho. With those most direct and solemn warnings it stood as what Achan's sin defied. The watchmen and people of Jericho remembered that just-prepared passage together with the parting of the Red Sea forty years before. The memory filled them with wonder, alarm and terror and left them afraid to mock.

The people of Jericho knew of this recent wonder in which God had just opened a passage for Israel through the river Jordan, matching the parting of the Red Sea forty years before. They remembered that the Jordan had opened a way for Israel, as the Red Sea had earlier, and remembering it struck terror and awe into princes and people as they watched Israel march around their city with the sacred ark and the priests. The memory struck terror to the hearts of priest and people and made them fear what further wonders God might work for Israel. Even so, many ridiculed the march, trusted their strong defenses, kept their gates carefully closed, and guarded them with mighty warriors, while others were left awed.

God stopped the Jordan so Israel could cross on dry ground near Bethabara, where John was baptizing, indeed just below where John later baptized. That place, with Jericho only a few miles away where the walls fell, miraculously opened a dry path as Israel entered the land and took Jericho. This mighty act stood near John's place of baptism as a reminder of God's past works and wonderful works for them in the past. Its memory led people to wonder whether God would again show His power to deliver Israel, and stirred the whole nation to expect still greater works if the Messiah had actually come.

The crossing is evidence of the great blessings and opportunities God gave Israel. God had already made a passage for His people into Canaan, recalling the Red Sea crossing and preparing a way for Israel through the Jordan. That crossing into the promised land becomes an image of standing on Jordan's bank and looking toward Canaan. It is a longing to enter a happy land of lasting possession.