Joshua 3, 4 & 5
This episode covers Joshua 3, 4, and 5. Joshua is going to lead the nation of Israel through a Jordan River crossing and into the Promised Land.
HAYLEY’S BIBLE BENDER:
My Bible Bender for this episode was the symbolism of water that Susan dove into. As she mentions, “The Jordan River is a symbol of transition or the start of something new, a new life. For the Israelites, it was a transition to the Promised Land. For Jesus, it was his transition into ministry. In Jesus case, instead of the river parting the heavens parted which makes sense because the river parting lead the Israelites to their promise of land. The heavens parting leads us to our promise of eternal life in heaven.
The Jordan River is also symbolic because just as the presence of God passed through the Jordan in the Ark of the Old Covenant, the presence of God passed through the Jordan in Jesus Christ the New Covenant! The Jordan River crossing is symbolic of the New Testament Christian being filled with the Holy Spirit. Rivers were sources of life, great civilizations were built around rivers. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as a river, in John 7:
37 Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c]39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
When the Israelites “came up” out of the river, they received a new life in the Promised Land. When Jesus “came up” out of the river, he began his ministry to bring us a new life and the gift of living water – the Holy Spirit. And when we are baptized and “come up” out of the water it is a symbol, a public memorial stone if you will, that we are beginning that new life and have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
I can’t explain it better than that. What was your Bible bender from Joshua 3? Did you learn anything new?
VERSES MENTIONED:
The author of this article is Hayley Mowatt, producer of Bible Book Club Podcast.
