I have always admired preachers who can turn one verse in the Bible into an hour long sermon. But sometimes, the verse is just that meaningful.
Such is the case of an obscure verse in Joshua 3:5, “Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.’”
Moses recently died. The timing of his death is the subject for another post. Joshua is appointed in his stead, and Joshua 1 picks up immediately where Deuteronomy 34 leaves off. The transition between books appears to be seamless.
Joshua’s first task as the new prophet over Israel is to lead them across the Jordan River and make plans to take the first city, which is Jericho. Joshua, in this regard, does not miss a beat and leads Israel as if he has always been their prophet.
As they are preparing to cross the Jordan River, Joshua issues this command to “consecrate yourselves.” The verse is obscure in that it is very easy to miss the significance of the command and continue reading the narrative of crossing the Jordan River.
Joshua says that God will perform wonders in their midst. What does this mean? Continuing on, the book of Joshua recounts how the water stopped flowing and piled up in the Jordan River, allowing Israel to cross on dry land. The miracle is not quite as spectacular as the Red Sea, however, it is still spectacular. The account tells us that it is harvest season when the river floods its banks. The account also lists the cities and regions down-river where the river stopped flowing.
This in itself is significant because, if you read the account of the spies and their encounter with Rahab in Jericho, you know that the inhabitants have already heard of the wonders God performed for Israel. The inhabitants fear this God and are afraid of the power Israel wields. For those down-river, the lack of water in the river bed must have struck fear in their hearts! It was another sign that God is roaming the earth.
The importance of the verse is that God is performing a major miracle in the presence of Israel. Not only is it in their presence, the miracle is ratified with each step taken in the dry river bed. All of Israel directly benefitted from the miracle.
What does it take for us to receive a miracle from God? When would God perform a miracle in our presence or directly for our benefit?
Joshua gives this command, “Consecrate yourselves,” to call the people to holiness. He is calling them to prepare to be in the presence of God. A miracle from God is the presence of God actively at work in our midst. Thus, enjoying the miracle means we are in the presence of God.
We should recall to mind what this means. God told Moses to take off his sandals for he was standing on holy ground. God told the priests to make sacrifices for sin and atone for sin before entering the holy of holies in the temple where His presence rested. God told Moses no one could see His glory and live. Elsewhere, the encounters with powerful angels and the presence of God recorded about Isaiah, Elijah, Mary, Paul and others teach us that coming into the presence of God (i) reveals our unrighteousness and (ii) requires a humility which leads to holiness.
Joshua was telling the people of Israel to be consecrated, or to atone for sin and be holy, because they were about to be in the presence of God. The command reiterates the jealousy of God for holiness in His presence and that we cannot expect to enter into God’s presence in any way we please.
How many times do we want God’s presence and to receive miracles and providence from God’s hand? In how many of those times are we consecrated? If we get nothing else out of Leviticus, we should at least come away with a healthy respect for the holiness God requires if we are to be in His presence.
Sadly, we have lost the significance of verses like Joshua 3:5 today. Going to church for many people is no longer a time of repentance, confession and preparation for worship. Basic daily living is devoid of holiness. There is nothing special or humbling about entering into God’s presence. We read of the encounters Moses, Isaiah and Paul had with God, but still, we are unmoved. Thus, in our lives, we experience seasons of spiritual drought and even lack of prosperity. When we look for answers, our lack of holiness never crosses our radar.
If we expect God’s presence to be in our midst performing miracles, Joshua 3:5 reminds us that we must be consecrated, we must be a holy people, and we must come into the presence of God on His terms. Until we get this straight, our lives will continue to be empty.
Like this post? Subscribe to stay up to date on new posts.