Joshua and the Jordan - the removal of sin Part 2

In the Previous post we saw that it was at the baptism of Jesus that mankind's sin was placed in Jesus... that He became sin.... our sin (Noun: people, place or thing). It was at the cross that that sin was fully paid for through that once for all sacrifice!!
Now, since Jesus became our sin, we must then, even in our often religiously conditioned thinking, release our "humble" claim that we are merely "sinners... saved by grace". This is "non-sense"!! Believer, you are a Saint, not a sinner any more!


The flood of the curse and sins power over mankind was uprooted at its source - Adams unbelief, at Jesus' baptism, and punished in full at His crucifixion:

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy redeemer." (Isa 54:7-8)
This was fulfilled on the Cross:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mat 27:46)


Jesus was condemned representing man so that there would NO LONGER be Condemnation for man In Christ:
"He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds. We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the LORD has laid all our sins on him." (Isa 53:4-6)
"The LORD says, "It was my will that he should suffer; his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness. And so he will see his descendants; he will live a long life, and through him my purpose will succeed. After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them. And so I will give him a place of honor, a place among the great and powerful. He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men. He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven."
(Isa 53:10-12)
That's the Gospel right there friends! Dont be deceived by "doctrines of demons" that would have you still feel the weight of your sin! It is for freedoms sake, that you have been set free. Jesus was delighted at the result of stopping that Adamic flow through the human race.


Joshua chapter 3 shares with us the account of Gods people entering into the Promised Land. This was a Promise given to Abraham hundreds of years before. It is (as all of the Old Testament) a type and shadow of the New Covenant realities that are available NOW for all who would simply believe it as a child.

Here is the account:

Joshua got up early the next morning. He and all the Israelites left Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. Three days later the officers went through the camp. They told the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the promise of the LORD your God and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them. However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don't come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before." Joshua told the people, "Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow the LORD will do miracles among you." Joshua also told the priests, "Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people." They did as they were told. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, 'When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.'" So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here, and listen to the words of the LORD your God." Joshua continued, "This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way. Watch the ark of the promise of the Lord of the whole earth as it goes ahead of you into the Jordan River. Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam." So they broke camp to cross the Jordan River. The priests who carried the ark of the promise went ahead of the people.(The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the LORD'S promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. (Joshua 3:1-17)


This account is full of outrageously glorious pictures!!
here are some:

Joshua was now the new head/leader of Israel now that Moses had died. His name is the Hebrew version of the Greek name, "Jesus". Under the leadership of Moses (Law), the Israelites wondered around in the dessert for 40 years and "their corpses were scattered across the desert and they did not enter the Promise because of their unbelief" (Heb 3) That's because the Law is NOT of faith... it can't produce faith! Only hearing the gospel can (Rom 10:7) . Under the headship of Joshua (Jesus/Grace) it took the nation only a few days to set foot on the Promised Land!!

The river they crossed was the river Jordan.
Jordan means "Descender/ symbolising death"!! The Jordan ended its course by flowing into the Dead Sea. Did you get that?...The Jordan river (A picture of death by literal definition...The consequence of Adams sin/unbelief), empties into the Dead sea.

Now, we know that the Bible says that the wages of sin - Adams sin - is death: For by Adams trespass, death reigned through that one man, and Adams trespass led to condemnation for all men, and through that one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, (Rom 5)
Scripture says that death reigned from the time of Adam... Because of his unbelief, we were all made sinners - by nature (noun) - and sin and death had its way in all of mankind as a result of Adams disobedience.

The only conclusion of that inherited Adamic Nature, if left to run its course, is to end in Death. Eternal separation from an infinitely Good God. This account (before the Ark enters) is a picture of the one track flow of humanity in our fallen state we are in, in Adam.


But the Good News, revealed in this "Shadow" is that Abba intervened and stopped the Natural consequence of sin by sending His Son Jesus.
The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant as a unit, represent Jesus.... being 100% man and 100% God at the same time. When they enter the water, sin and death is reversed... all the way back to Adam! Death (Jordan river) is reversed all the way back to its origin - Adam!!! The text says that they walked through on "dry ground". That means that there was not even a trace of the curse left for us to contend with!
WHO WILL BELIEVE THIS? They are the ones who will live it!


The place where John came baptizing for the remission/forgiveness (divorce)/removal of sin, is in the same area where the Israelites walked over on dry land, unhindered by the flooding Jordan river. The Ark and priests here, are a prophetic picture of what Jesus would do hundreds of years later. When He entered the River to be baptised, sin was removed, so that righteousness could be fulfilled by the finished work of the cross!


How spectacular is this Gospel of Jesus. Every little detail all points towards the highlight of humanity.... Gods Unceasing flow of love towards YOU!!



Jesus loves you all so much, no matter what anybody tells you!!

Love
Andrew