Introduction: How do you approach problems in your life? Have you ever thought about “consecrating” yourself as a solution to a problem? We will follow the Israelites as they are about to begin the conquest of the land promised to them. Their first hurdle is crossing a river at flood stage. The second hurdle is conquering a walled city. What would you do to overcome these serious obstacles? Let’s jump into our study of Joshua to see how they prepared to overcome these problems!

I. The Jordan Crossing

A. Read Joshua 3:1 and Joshua 3:15. How big an obstacle is the Jordan River? (It was at flood level because it was overflowing its banks.)

1. Recall that Joshua sent out spies to assess the conquest of Jericho. How do you think the people of Jericho felt about the Jordan flooding? (I think it gave them confidence that they were safe for now.)
2. The Israelites were by the Jordan for three days. They saw it was at flood level. How do you think they felt about crossing it?

B. Read Joshua 3:2–5. If you were entering into war, would you have members of your clergy go first in enemy territory?

1. What do you think the people felt about this plan? What did they feel about the ark going ahead of them?

C. Note again Joshua 3:5. Would it occur to you that you should consecrate (sanctify) yourself in facing these obstacles? Or would you be checking your weapons, sharpening your axe, doing target practice with your bows, and making your stuff watertight?

1. Step back a minute and think about this situation. Why consecrate? Why lead with clergy and the symbol of God’s presence? (This all makes sense if this is spiritual warfare!)
2. Are the practical problems in your life, in reality, spiritual warfare?

D. We are still not done with Joshua 3:5. Note the consecration is tied to the Lord doing “wonders among you.” If your problems require a miracle to resolve, does that convince you that they are spiritual?

E. Read Joshua 3:6-8. Did it take more faith to cross the Jordan than to cross the Red Sea?

1. What differences do you see in the two? (Crossing away from the enemy as opposed to toward the enemy.)
2. The Lord could have started earlier or later to avoid the flooding. Why didn’t He? (To demonstrate that this was a spiritual rather than a merely practical solution.)

F. Look again at Joshua 3:7. God says that He is beginning to “exalt” Joshua. If credit goes to God, why exalt a person?

1. This is something that I think Christian leaders wrestle with all the time. Should a leader enjoy the exaltation that comes from promoting God? Is it okay to promote God and you at the same time?

II. Proof of Concept

A. Read Joshua 3:9-13. God is making a point about their future when they cross the Jordan. What is it? (The people probably looked at the rushing flood waters and thought, “This is impossible.” So God says to them, I will fix this problem and fix the problems that you will face in defeating all of the strong peoples who presently live in the land promised to you.)

B. Read Joshua 3:14-17. Something I read suggested that when God’s people crossed the Red Sea there was an earthquake that caused the water to run into a gap in the ground. This, I was assured, was a miracle. What about this story shows that it was not a natural occurrence? (Verse 16 tells us the water rose up in a “heap” and verse 17 tell us they crossed over on dry ground! This is spiritual!)

C. Let’s look more closely at Joshua 3:17. Where, exactly, were the priests standing? (They were standing in the “midst” of the dry riverbed.)

1. Where, exactly, were the people? (They were walking around the priests to cross over the river.)

a. What is holding the water back? (As Joshua said in Joshua 3:5 God is doing “wonders.”)

III. Stone Memorial

A. Read Joshua 4:1-3. What odd task is Joshua giving to the twelve tribes?

1. Why does he ask for a man from each tribe? (This is symbolic. This gives responsibility and credit to each tribe.)
2. Why must the stones come from the area where the priests stopped with the ark in the middle of the riverbed? (This is also symbolic. God held back the water in a show of God’s power.)

B. Read Joshua 4:4-7. What is the purpose of these stones?

C. Read Joshua 4:8. Where are the stones going? (They are going to Gilgal, the place where Israel camped after crossing the Jordan.)

D. Read Joshua 4:9-11. Wait! What is this? Is Joshua setting up stones on his own in a different place? (This reveals that Joshua also created a stone memorial of the crossing in the middle of the riverbed where the priests and the ark waited while the Israelites passed by.)

1. Notice that verse 9 says that they are standing “to this day” in the riverbed. Is this proof that these stones were actually in the middle of the Jordan river? (That would make sense if you piled them in the middle of a raging river. I have the sense that Joshua built this memorial to last.)

E. Let’s skip down to Joshua 4:19-21. This answers the question I asked earlier, “What is the purpose of these stones?” The answer is “To make your children ask questions.” Is that the full answer? (Read Joshua 4:22-24. The full answer is that this causes a conversation about how God led them over the Jordan to the promised land. God is the One to fear. God is the One who brings victory.)

F. Read Joshua 5:1. How did this account affect the attitude and the fighting spirit of the local people? (They were fearful and lost their spirit to fight.)

G. Read 1 Samuel 7:10-12. How is Samuel using the “Ebenezer” stone? (In the same way as the stone memorials at the Jordan River, as a memorial to the victory of God over the Philistines.)

H. Let’s talk about this with regard to your children. What can you do to apply this lesson of the stones to your family?

1. What can you do to apply this lesson to you? (Today we have easy ways to record what God has done for us. Think about ways that will be most lasting. My wife and I have an Ebenezer Stone book that records the times when God clearly led us, when He clearly intervened, and when He clearly helped. Looking back through that book gives us confidence for the future.)
2. Will you suggest that your children create an Ebenezer Stone book when they are still young?

I. Friend, if you need a miracle to resolve a problem, you know you are involved in spiritual warfare. But even in the most simple matters, asking for God’s direction should be your first response. God will do wonders for you. And He wants us to remember that. Will you place your trust in God?

IV. Next week: The Conflict Behind All Conflicts.

Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

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