Crossing the Jordan on Dry Land

Crossing the Jordan on Dry Land.

Parting of the Red Sea:

We have all heard the story of the parting of the Red Sea when God used Moses to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But the crossing of the Jordan River is not quite as well known, though just as miraculous.

Israelites Did Not Trust God:

Even though the Israelites experienced the parting of the Red Sea, they still didn’t completely trust God. They complained and worshiped other Gods. So God made them wander in the wilderness for one generation (about 40 years).

New Generation of Israelites Ready to Cross Jordan:

After Moses died, there was a new generation of Israelites who were more trusting in God and ready to venture into the promised land. Joshua was their new leader.

They had a lot of obstacles to fight through, but they knew God would get them through it all. One of the first obstacles was crossing the Jordan River which was huge and flooded. The priests were carrying the Ark of the Covenant and leading the way.

Water Stopped Flowing:

They had to have complete faith in God to make that first step. When their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing (Scriptures 1 – Joshua 3:14-17). It piled up in a heap a great distance away.

Crossing the Jordan:

The water was completely cut off and all the people crossed over the Jordan River on dry land. The priests carrying the Ark stopped in the middle of the river until all the millions of people had passed through.

The Rock Monument:

Joshua appointed twelve men (one from each tribe) to pick up a rock and carry it on their shoulder (Scriptures 2 – Joshua 4:4-7). They made a monument to serve as a memorial of how God allowed them to cross the Jordan on dry land. It was to serve as a sign. So when their children ask, what is that stack of rocks? They can tell them the story of how God stopped the Jordan River so they were able to walk through it on dry land.

PDF: Crossing the Jordan on Dry Land

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