1 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.
Reports of God’s supernaturally opening a crossing struck fear into the Canaanites. The miracle was all the more incredible and shocking since God performed it when the Jordan was swollen to flood height (3:15). To the people in the Land, this miracle was a powerful demonstration proving that God is mighty (4:24). This came on top of reports about the Red Sea miracle Rahab had said that this was an amazing thing to those in the area (understandably!). God’s drying up the waters of the Jordan caused the inhabitants of Canaan to fear Israel greatly. Such reactions of fear or opposition were common as Israel entered the land (see 9:1–4; 10:1–2; 11:1–5).
...and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. (Joshua 2:9)
For the Canaanites, the events of the preceding days were a horror story. They had been terrified enough by seeing the Israelite hordes—some two million strong—spread out along the eastern bank of the Jordan. It was obvious that the Jews intended to invade the western lands. But the water was at flood stage. The people could not cross. There seemed to be time to get ready. Suddenly the waters ceased flowing, the people crossed over, and a battle was imminent. The suddenness of the crossing terrified everyone.
The people of Canaan had counted on the Jordan’s acting as a barrier against invasion of their land by the Israelites. Although this would seem to be the best time for Israel to strike, important spiritual matters (circumcision and the Passover) had to come first. This verse forms a transition between the Jordan crossing in chs. 3; 4 and the adversaries to be encountered later in chs. 6–12.
Word of this crossing of the Jordan spread like wildfire among the Canaanite nations, causing their hearts to ‘melt’ within them. We might say that Israel’s conquest of Canaan began before a single arrow was shot or a single spear thrown. The Lord of Israel prepared the way for conquest and assured its success by causing Canaanite hearts to be smitten with this debilitating fear. What can we learn from this?
1. The importance of knowing God
This passage is here to tell us about God. In our best moments, we have never come anywhere near an adequate understanding of the greatness of the God we serve. We are quick to forget that knowledge when we do remember it! He is great in power, overriding the laws of nature. He is great in grace, doing for his people that which they could not do for themselves. He is worthy of our worship and our obedience. To say that it is imperative for us to remember and KEEP ON remembering it is an understatement is silly. Rather we ought to say it in the other direction! It is imperative that we both know Him and that keep that knowledge in the front of our minds!
2. The importance of honoring God’s appointed leaders
The Lord magnified Joshua in the eyes of the people. He wanted the people to honor Joshua and to follow him. People these days feel very free to complain about their leaders and to criticize them, not realizing that we honour God as we honour the leaders he has appointed and we attack God when we attack them. Likewise, they feel free to shop around for whatever leader they like, putting they, and their own preferences and hence their own authority and perception of God ahead of God and His voice speaking through His leader. Now, it is certainly true that there comes time for godly people to leave churches from time to time. But those times are virtually ALWAYS over matters of doctrine and NOT over matters of preference. In all other matters we are to honor our leaders and submit to them.
3. The importance of letting children know
Throughout the Bible, the Lord puts great emphasis on godly parents instructing their children in his ways. The Israelites were to teach their children as they walked along, when they lay down and when they arose (Deut. 6:6–7). The prophet Malachi tells us that the Lord desires ‘godly offspring’ from his people (Mal. 2:15). This does not happen by accident. It requires diligent effort on the part of Christian parents, grandparents, and others. We are always but one generation away from paganism!
If OT Israel teaches one thing (of course they teach us many things) they teach us how very, very quickly any people (any family) can slide downward into ungodly and hence into the judgement of God. Obedience is not a national affair, it is individual. It is not something a nation, a church or a family can do for each other. It something that each person MUST do for themselves. This passage says that the fear of God came upon ALL the countryside. It wasn't the national leaders fearing while the people wandered around happily in ignorance. God calls all men to submit and to obey - or He will judge and call each man to account before Him.
4. The importance of Remembering
If it seems that we do not have much in common with the Israelites crossing the Jordan, we need to think again. The same God who did mighty and wonderful things for those people has done even more for us. All of God’s people have been saved with a glorious and mighty salvation. The Lord has taken all of us out of the dominion of Satan and has placed us in his own family. He has forgiven us of our sins, and he will finally bring us all home to eternal glory. He has done all of this in and through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember that this is the God who set up the memorial in the midst of the Jordan. The God who has done these things for us has also given us a way in which to remember them. He knows how we are constantly inclined to forget! The Lord’s Supper is the memorial that God has appointed. As we come to his table, we are reminded of our sinful condition and how helpless we were to do anything about it (more helpless than the Israelites were before the swollen Jordan!).
We are also reminded that the Lord Jesus did for us everything that was needed. He lived the life we have not lived, obeying God in every respect. He died the death that we deserve to die, receiving on the cross the full measure of the wrath of God. As we come to his table, we remember how much we owe, and as we realize how much we owe, we are more resolved to live for the glory of our God.
We should note also that at the end of the first main section of the Book of Joshua, the Israelites stand well-prepared for their first major encounter with the Canaanites whose land they were to inherit. They were well prepared because
- God was very much with them,
- Because he had given them a leader who was already in process of becoming a worthy successor to Moses,
- Because the entire nation was taking care to obey God’s commands to the letter (from Joshua and the priests on down to the people), and
- Because they were careful to sanctify themselves properly before engaging the Canaanites.
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