On April 11th I woke up to the thought of what it must have been like for the Israelites to cross the Jordan into the promised land. Random thought to wake up to, I know, but that’s how God sometimes gets my attention to speak to me. Random thoughts that lead to hours of chasing down revelation.
Funny enough, the 10th of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar just happened to be on April 11th and it also just happened to be the day that the Israelites actually crossed the Jordan into Canaan! Turns out it wasn’t a random thought at all, it was a God thought.
The day is known as Ha Aliyah the national Jewish holiday commemorating of the crossing of the Jordan into the promised land. It has always been celebrated, but is now an official Hebrew holiday as of 2012.
When the Lord started to speak to me about crossing into the Promised land, it felt more like He was speaking about something He’s about to do, by reminding me of what He’s already done.
It felt very prophetic and it definitely set the scene for what He spoke next…
I believe this is a water parting, promise realized season we as the people of God are stepping into. He wants us to know, no matter how flooded the ground looks, He is still the God that parts waters!
When God’s people had fled Egypt they were running from an angry Pharaoh and an enormous army and a life of captivity. They were not only enslaved but restricted from worshiping the Lord freely. God used Moses, the plagues, and finally He parted the Red Sea to get His people set free… hence the Exodus story.
The grand departure took place as the Lord parted the Red Sea so that they could cross on dry land. A miracle with an exclamation point at the end of a divine statement that declared for all to know, He was the One true God. Because my goodness, they were going to need to know that fact repeatedly in the days ahead, especially in the wilderness that lay in front of them.
The Lord destroyed the pursuing enemy army by closing up the Sea on the army, its chariots and horses and positioned His people on dry ground in awe of their God.
Now 40 years later, after 4 decades of wandering in the wilderness, supernatural provision, learning hard lessons in trust and obedience, they could finally see the Promised land. Standing at a now flood-staged Jordan River, the only thing that lay between them and the promise was this last bit of real estate and some pretty scary white water.
When the people had fled Egypt they were crossing over from slavery to freedom, hurt to healing, worry to worship. It was the long route to get there because God knew some lessons would take longer than others. They were about to cross as seasoned wanderers into a land flowing with milk and honey to become an established nation. God parted waters, made a way and led with His presence to get them to the promise.
I feel He wanted to remind me of that and maybe you too. That He’s still the God that parts waters, makes a way, and keeps His promises.
I don’t think I ever realized that the Jordan at this time wasn’t just a 10 foot wide 3 to 7 foot deep river easy to cross like I had always thought when reading this story. It may be that way most of the year but not at flood-stage! At flood-stage it can be just as daunting as an enemy army.
The Jordan was flowing down from the North, so there was gravity involved which causes force, currents and rapids. I’ve been white water rafting and believe me when I tell you, you can’t just swim across to the other side!
Maybe you have a Jordan in front of you too, one that seems like it has gravity, force and some rapids involved.
Like me, maybe you’ve experienced Red Sea moments in your history with God. Where He moved in His power and did for you what you couldn’t have done yourself. When impossibilities became possible with God. I think He wants to remind us that He hasn’t changed, He’s still that same God, the one that impossibility bows to.
The Israelites were at an impossibility again, but this time they weren’t running from something like at the Red Sea, they were standing at the shore of a realized promise.
If I’m honest I find myself in a similar situation. Having to trust that the same God that made a way out, will be the same God that makes a way in.
Maybe you can hear Him saying that same thing to your heart.
“I’m still the God that parts waters”
I started thinking about how the people must have felt being able to finally see with their human eyes the place their hearts had longed for for 40 years.
I started wondering if they just wanted to run across the dry ground into the promise. I’m pretty sure I would want to run, and just get there, you know? I bet they wanted to hurry so that the struggle in the wilderness was a distant memory and not a present reality any longer. Possibly even run ahead of God’s presence to get there, because it wasn’t a far off destination any longer, it was right there, close enough to touch.
When God told the people to cross the Jordan, the waters were still raging. He told the Priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to go first. As soon as the soles of their feet hit the water God held back the water “in a heap” and they went out in front of the people, God’s presence leading the way. What a beautiful picture of what He still does for us today.
This time God made it clear He wanted partnership and obedience as they stepped foot into the promise. and that His presence was going to lead the way. He was requiring not only for trust but participation, I believe He is asking the same of you and I, to step out towards the promise, and get our feet wet.
I believe He wants that same trust and participation from us on this side of the cross. We have our freedom through Jesus, we don’t have an Ark to carry we have His Holy Spirit indwelling. His constant presence, power and promise, when we face impossibilities and we partner our faith with His promises, we see waters part, dry ground where there were floodwaters and opposition to His good plans for us held back in a heap!
As I was thinking about all of this, the Holy Spirit whispered to me “ In the promise realized, Don’t lose the wonder of My nearness in the wilderness”
I don’t know how to explain with words the nearness I’ve felt with Lord in my own “wilderness” seasons. There was relationship cultivated in that place with the Holy Spirit that I wouldn’t trade for all the promise lands and mountain tops. An intimacy with Jesus, a trust in the Father that my heart knows deeply now, that couldn’t have come any other way.
That’s really the promise isn’t it?
Him and Him alone.
Sure, He’s given me promises and is faithful to carry them out. He has plans that are good for His people and a future filled with hope. But even in all the wilderness seasons and in the promises fulfilled, He remains the greatest Promise.
As soon as the people were on the other side of the Jordan standing on the promised land, the Lord instructed the people to stop and set up 12 memorial stones. So when they passed by in the future they would tell their children and their children’s children about the faithfulness of God and of all He’d done…
The provision, protection and presence of His goodness for the 40 year journey. All struggle, hardship and sorrow met by God Himself with compassion, goodness and mercy. He was there with them in every detail and with every step.
Maybe you don’t have a literal promised land, (or maybe you do!) but you are seeing promises closer than ever before. I know for sure there are promises He’s given me that I can honestly say I see close up and in color. Things that are deep in the heart of the Father for me and my family. Promises that have been a long time coming, and that are now close enough touch.
I believe the Lord wants to remind us all that as we step into promises, to delight in the greatest promise of all.
So, I’m stopping my desire to run to the other side, and I’m savoring every step with Him. I might even whisper to the heap as I pass it by, “He’ll follow through on what He’s spoken, He’s still the God that parts waters.”
