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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Old Testament: Jordan River Divided


Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Old Testament: Jordan River Divided.

Occasion: Dry Passage For Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, And The Israelites.

Location: River Jordan.

Bible Texts:

Joshua 3:1-17 NLT (Miraculously, The Israelites Cross the flooded Jordan.)
1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.
2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp,
3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying The Ark Of The Covenant Of The Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them.
4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and The Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”
5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
6 In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up The Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.
7 The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.
8 Give this command to the priests who carry The Ark Of The Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”
9 So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the Lord your God says.
10 Today you will know that The Living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.
11 Look, The Ark Of The Covenant, which belongs to The Lord Of The Whole Earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!
12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.(Explanation chapter 4)
13 The priests will carry The Ark Of The Lord, The Lord Of All The Earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
14 So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.
15 It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying The Ark touched the water at the river’s edge,
16 the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying The Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

II Kings 2:1-14 NLT
1 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.
3 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?” “Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.” But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.
5 Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?” “Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”
But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.
7 Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River.
8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!
9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River.
14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.

In Joshua's story, the presence of the Lord went before them (in the form of The Ark Of The Covenant.), and thus the river became dry.
In Elijah, and Elisha's story the presence of the Lord was with them both in a mighty way.

The Lord's presence, among His people:

Jeremiah 23:23,24 KJV
23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

Hebrews 13:5 KJV
"...for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Friends, because our God “is” with us , as we are obedient to His commands, He will drive out the enemy before us!

Joshua 3:10 NLT
Today you will know that The Living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.

Genesis 28:15 KJV
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest..."

Exodus 33:14 KJV
And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Deuteronomy 20:1 NLT
When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God...is with you!

Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV
The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Psalm 106:10 KJV
And He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

Isaiah 41:10 KJV
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

Isaiah 43:1-3 KJV (God's promises to His people.)
1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee,...and He that formed thee,...Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior..."

Isaiah 59:19 KJV
So shall they fear the name of The Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, The Spirit Of The Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

Ezra 8:31 KJV
"...the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

Matthew 18:20 KJV
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 28:20 KJV
"... lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

If we the people of God, do not see the waters divided today, it is because...
  1. We are “not,” obedient to His commands.
          Matthew 7:21 KJV
          Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but    
          he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
  1. We do not have “faith,” in the God that goes before us.

    Hebrews 11:6 KJV
    But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.