Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Oficers' Message to the People (Josh. 3:1-4)



8/11/2009 9:32 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                    Focus:  The officers’ message to the people 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Joshua 3:1-4

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶ Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. 2  At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3  and they commanded the people, saying, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 ‘However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.’”
            Israel was on the move again and they now are poised to cross the Jordan River, but before they cross they waited for three days in order to give the children of Israel some time to rest and also some time to receive their marching orders for as the officers told them, “For you have not passed this way before.” 
            In his book “Be Strong” Dr. Warren Wiersbe points out that the “Ark of the Covenant” is mentioned sixteen times in chapters three and four of Joshua, and as I have learned before the Ark of the Covenant was a very important to the nation of Israel, for it was there that the Lord’s presence was and it was there that the blood would be sprinkled on the day of Atonement.  It was there that the Book of the Law was found, and the rod of Aaron that budded.
            The message to the people was when they saw the Ark moving, being carried by the Levites that they were suppose to follow them, but to stay back about a half mile from it.  This is the first sub-section in the first section of this chapter entitled “The Word of Faith” that Warren Wiersbe has in this the forth chapter of his commentary on Joshua.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I want to focus in on the portion of verse four that reads, “For you have not this way before.”  The Christian life is a series of new beginnings as noted in many of Warren Wiersbe’s books and this small section of verse four of chapter three of Joshua reinforces this saying.  Each day seems to be a new beginning for me as I walk with the Lord, I know that some things are the same, but there is an opportunity to do something different for the cause of Christ each and every day of my walk with the Lord on this earth and for this I am thankful.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

  1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
  2. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
  3. Continue to learn contentment.
  4. Trust the Lord to have His Spirit to search my heart for unconfessed sin so that I may confess it to Him.
  5. Put on the Spiritual Armor:  The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit.

8/11/2009 10:23 AM   

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