Word of Salvation – Vol. 21 No.01 – October 1974
Lest We Forget…!
Sermon by Rev. Adrian Leenman on Joshua 4:7b
Scripture Reading: Joshua 4:1 – 14
Psalter Hymnal: 192; 94:1,2 (Law); 37: 441:1,2,5; 43:6,7; 316:3
Beloved Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The purpose of celebrating your birthday is to remember the day you were born; and to express your thankfulness for it.
Apart from birthdays there are also other occasions we, as individuals wish to remember or celebrate.
We also recognise celebrations on a national scale, so we have Liberation Day or Independence Day, Anzac Day and the like.
And is it not true that we then seek to remember a particular happening of the past? Not only something that has taken place in the past, but something we still profit from right now.
Like on Anzac Day we remember that soldiers fought in two World Wars and the peace they achieved for us is still a fact ― we still profit from it to this day.
It is indeed a good thing that we are reminded of the great facts in world history at times and are reminded of important occasions in our own lives.
However, it is nowhere made compulsory to remember or celebrate such occasions. It was different in the case of the Israelites at the time of entering the land of Canaan.
At that time God commanded that this momentous event have all the attention, even in years to come.
We also read that God gave special instructions to Joshua as to HOW this event was to be remembered…!
God wishes to impress the Israelites not only with the greatness of the event of entering Canaan, but also, and above all with THE CENTRALITY OF GOD IN THE EVENT and in the lives of the people.
And what a moment it was ― the chosen Nation of Israel finally after all the disappointments and apparent delays is finally ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND. . . !!!
The entire Nation is to prepare for conquest and occupation. . . !!
As we have this story before us, we may draw some valuable comparisons:
― are not we, New Testament believers,
also God’s people and spiritual children of Abraham??
― are not we, in a sense, also on our way to Canaan ―
and yet constantly ‘conquering’ and yet truly possessing??
When using parallels like this, we must also bring in Egypt, what then are we to understand by Egypt??
To the Israelites the word had an unfavourable meaning; it reminded them of slave-labour,
of godless-ness,
‘not-God’s-people,
we would say: the world of unbelief and unbelievers,
the heathen-world…
And yet, we with all our convictions, and Christian principles, we so often love to borrow from Egypt, or use ideas and articles which have the tag: ‘Made in Egypt’ on them.
So often we are pretty good customers of what Egypt offers.
There is still a fourth parallel:
― what lies in between Egypt and Canaan??
― the wilderness, ― the desert, the bush,
and at times we are on that bush track…
― not in Egypt, not quite in Canaan either,
but on the wilderness track,
not fully absorbed in what Egypt presents,
nor being filled with what Canaan offers…
but half-way, not committed to Canaan,
not really belonging to Egypt either, HALF-WAY….!
WHERE ARE YOU IN LIFE. . . ????
Let us have a further look at this and perhaps come to some conclusions on this very important question.
But let us first refresh our memories of the times the people of Israel lived in.
They had arrived on the East side of Jordan, the river was at flood level at that time of the year. And did Joshua ask for volunteers to form a bridge building-gang? Nothing of the kind…!
Instead, the Lord spoke to Joshua and gave him some very pointed and very remarkable instructions.
One of these instructions pertained to the Priests:
― they were to take the Ark
and with THE ARK TAKE THE LEAD IN CROSSING THE RIVER
and the distinct promise given to them was,
that by the time the first priests would touch- the water,
the water would turn back
and there would be a dry pathway before them instead.
So the Priests were able to take the Ark of the Covenant.
It may be of help to be reminded of the construction and the significance of the Ark.
Of what then did the Ark consist?
It was a wooden chest overlaid with plated gold.
Inside it, the two tables of the Law were kept.
It was to be carried by the Priests
by way of long carrying poles
and it served as the symbol of God’s presence on earth
and God’s nearness to the Israelites.
At this all-important juncture in the history of God’s people, God’s NEARNESS, symbolised by way of the Ark, WOULD CHANGE THINGS. . . the water of the river would recede and a path appear which made it possible to cross.
We live in N.T. times, we live in the post-Pentecost age and the Lord’s presence is no longer portrayed by way of an Ark, but God dwells with His Spirit, in the ear of each believer… and not even in a particular part of the O.T. temple, the Holy of Holies, but in the hearts of His people.
However, we must not imagine that, because of the Ark, things happened automatically and without effort. Oh, no, the priests, as well as the people, were still being tested, note well: the water was not going to ebb away while the people were still a kilometre or so away from the river, or when very close to the river, not even when going down the bank, but only when the first priests actually touched the edge of the water ― they were expected to believe that this would happen IN GOD’S TIME.
And we do see the water ebb away and so the crossing can take place.
At this stage we see also that a further instruction is carried out; the Priests, carrying the Ark, were to stop in the middle of the riverbed, while the people moved on, and this gave them an opportunity to actually SEE GOD BY WAY OF THE ARK and be reminded of His presence and Leadership and Guiding Hand WHILE CROSSING JORDAN.
Is this not a beautiful illustration, congregation, of the reality and the visibility of God for people who are in the process of dealing with an obstacle??
After all, the river Jordan was the natural boundary between Canaan and the wilderness,
BOUNDARY LINE AS WELL AS OBSTACLE
…AND GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE OBSTACLE ITSELF. . . !!
IS THERE A JORDAN PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE. . . ???
Such a problem could be: a strong desire or a passion
or the tyranny of a habit
or the clinging to a sin
or the need to be taught by the Spirit of God
or a power in your life which needs to be dealt with
or a hidden sin which has never been confessed. . . .
or an unloving spirit
or the harbouring of harsh judgment
or the holding on to an untruth
or your stubbornly standing on your rights…!
Remember, anything of this nature unconfessed or not remedied does mar your blessings,
― it is an enemy to your joy
― it paralyses your testimony
— it renders your Christian life ineffective.
Things like these roll over you like a Jordan at flood-level sweeping away and drowning those who have not the God of Israel as their God.
. . . then such a Jordan is situated between you and blessing
between you and effectiveness
between you and the Lord Jesus.
Are you struggling with the impossibility of Jordan,
threatening you,
defeating you,
stopping you from fulfilling God’s intentions for your life
…in some way??
DO STEP FORWARD IN FAITH
― right up to the impossibility,
the Lord is your God,
even right in the middle of the riverbed
you may look sideways AND SEE HIM THERE…!
The Israelites saw God ― represented by the Priests,
visible by way of the Ark,
assisting them with the assurance that He is in control,
guiding His people every step of the way.
You may see your God with the eyes of Faith,
represented by and through the record of the work of the Lord Jesus,
believing that this Jesus has overcome the greatest of all obstacles,
the greatest of all barriers, namely the obstructed road for man to God;
to re-open that way
the Lord Jesus went through the floodwaters of Jordan
FOR YOU AND ME. . . !
HE WAS NEVER RESCUED IN THE PROCESS OF CROSSING..!!
…He voluntarily died in the process,
more pointed even:
HE WAS DIVINELY DESTINED TO DIE IN THAT PROCESS. . .
AT CALVARY. . . !!
HE WAS DIVINELY DESTINED TO RISE AGAIN. . .
EASTER MORNING. .!!
All this in order to let you pass through Jordan safely
so that you and I may arrive in Canaan. . . !!
There is yet another instruction Joshua received, we shall have a look at that as well.
God wishes to have His presence through the Ark impressed on His people in such a permanent way that God commanded Joshua that one man of each tribe was to collect a big stone from around the Ark and carry it to the other side.
In this way a simple memorial consisting of 12 stones was erected on the Canaan side of the river, it was meant to be a permanent reminder of what God had done.
And just as truly as these stones had been taken from the river bed, and carried up to form a memorial, so truly had God’s people been taken from Egypt, in order to form the Nation of Israel, from whom the Messiah was to be born.
This instruction also brings out the corporate action of God, by using 12 men to build a memorial.
The purpose of this memorial was that coming generations would be reminded of the deeds of the God of Israel.
Parents would then tell their children that God in a miraculous way had brought the Nation from Egypt across the Jordan and into Canaan…
— do you have a story to tell of your crossing Jordan
and being on the Canaan side of the river??
— or do you sometimes dawdle in the wilderness,
perhaps on your way to Egypt, at times??
— and on your return face the impossible Jordan again??
MOVE UP IN FAITH TO THE APPARENT IMPOSSIBILITY
— and set up a memorial for yourself
so that you have a story to tell to those around you.
We notice that the memorial is marked by its simplicity…
— you could not think of any type of monument simpler than this,
the rocks were never neatly shaped or covered over.
No decoration on it.
No banner on it.
No flag flying above it.
No trumpeter standing guard.
It represents the simplicity of true worship and remembrance.
The Temple, which was to be built in later years, however, was very costly and ornamented and designed with the greatest care and under Divine guidance, why then is this stone memorial so simple?
— do you know why?
— the memorial was temporary,
it only marked off the beginning of conquest.
THERE WAS MARCHING AND CONQUERING TO BE DONE.
The memorial was not only indicative of a glorious event,
BUT ALSO OF A CRITICAL TIME…
THE CONQUEST WAS WAITING…
Even today we cannot afford lengthy and drawn-out affairs,
or a host of somewhat useless appointments
or the spending of time on trivial things. . .
THERE IS MARCHING TO BE DONE…
hundreds of people are drowning daily in the Jordan of life,
people caught by the consequences of the undeniable conflict
caught between Egypt and Canaan.
— For such people there is no God of Israel to look at in Faith,
no Ark either,
to represent the God of Israel
and no memorial to remind them of great things
there is no fleeing to the Christ of the Scriptures either,
and so these lives are empty and aimless…!
What does Joshua 4 mean to you??
— do you have a sideways look
beholding the God of Israel in Faith
as you cross Jordan aiming for Canaan…?
— or do you only have your address in Canaan
but travel often on some trail in the wilderness?
Maybe that you are the person who lives a life on the minimum of spiritual food,
a life lived without the extras of the Christian Faith…
a life that is supported by one Sunday Church Service per week
— if it suits —
and live on little else
and then still expect joy and happiness and abundance.
It is possible that your address reads: c/o The Reformed Church of ….
but in reality are BOARDING IN THE WILDERNESS.
In contrast to all this God says: I am with you. I go with you.
— trust Me
— move right up to the very edge of the impossibility
and it will become a dry path but you must:
KEEP LOOKING AT ME
KEEP TRUSTING
KEEP YOUR DIRECTION
CROSS OVER
BUILD YOUR MEMORIAL
TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT
AND KEEP MOVING.
I know your name,
I have your address,
but now really live at your address in Canaan until I call you.
Where will you be when God calls you???
Will you be serving Him in Canaan or will you be pottering about in the backwaters of the Christian Life?
Or be on the wilderness track??
Or perhaps busy securing investments in Egypt??
The greatest memorial of all times was erected on Mount Calvary
— and this was by no means a simple memorial,
—.it was the most expensive and the most involved
and the most momentous event you can think of
namely the Lord Jesus giving Himself
for those WHO ARE MEANT FOR CANAAN. . .!!
May the Lord grant that we appreciate and thankfully receive the results of the work of the Lord Jesus, namely the fact that He has opened up the Way to God.
This greatest of all events we MUST REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE again and again.
Let us rejoice and live and remember and believe on the Name of this Lord Jesus.
Public remembrance Days have the purpose of looking back on events of national significance.
Birthdays are there to remember the day you were born, but in the future other people will remember the day you died. . .
—.would you like to remember NOW that you are born-never-to-die?
That is possible.
In Acts 16:31 we read:
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved…
and that means: NEVER TO DIE…!!
Is that not a great thought??
A great event to celebrate??
Here at this moment in Church?
Today at home…
tomorrow at work,
yes, throughout your life you may remember
and remind yourself of the fact that the believer one day
WILL NEVER STOP CELEBRATING
the glorious results of Jesus’ death and resurrection. . . !!
As a matter of fact these very occasions opened up heaven to the believer..!!
Mount Calvary and the empty tomb are memorials to all who belong to the Lord.
Are you looking for something to celebrate??
Remember the 12 stones, it is a memorial for ever. . . !
Remember the work of the Lord Jesus on Calvary,
it is a memorial which took place
in order to bring people like you and me back-to-God.
Amen.