The Tupelo journal., 1913-11-28
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
fBy 4. O.. SELLERS, Director Of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER sc
CROSSING THE JORDAN.

vi W. sIVu06 W
CROSSING THE JORDAN.
LESSON TEXT-Joshua S:7-f7.
GOLDEN T~ExT-"Fear thou not for J
am with thee."-Isa. 41:1O.
The spies sent out by Joshua (ch.
~ were animated by quite a different
motive than that which COVE ed
those who first visited CanaanI and
they brought back a much different
report (Num. CHI. 49,. The story OF
their experience in Jericho with Ra-
hab. their escape from her house, and
the incident of the scarlet thread"
will prove an interesting introduction
for today's lesson. There are two
suggestions in the preparation for the
crossing Of the Jordan mentioned IN
the first seven verses OF this chapter:
~ It was to be an orderly advance
". A.: no disorderly crowding about
those who led. This was also to be q
sure path, though they had not passed
that way before, for God was leading.
(2) It was to be a prayerful advance
". 81. Literally, they were to "un-
dertake great things for God and to
expect great things from God"
Jesus Must Lead.
|. The Leader, w. 2, 8. The cir
substances surrounding this episode
are far different from those at the
crossing of the Red sea. Moses en-
counter with Pharaoh had stamped
him as the one who should save the
nation. True, in the battles and in
his association with Moses Joshua
had occupied a position of leadership.
but now he is to deliver Israel from
the death of the wilderness into the
life and possessions OF Canaan, hence
the words, Il will magnify thee in
the sight of all Israel" 1t Is notice
able, however, that Joshua did not
lead this forward march, but rather
the priests. The ark which they bore
is a type of Christ and he must al
ways lead. Jehovah magni1ed Joshua
because Joshua had magni1ed Jeho-
yah, see /. Sam. 2:30, John 17:4, 5.
II. Those Led, w. e-13. Joshua at
once communicates Jehovah's order
for a forward march to the people Il.
Thess. 2:13). But God graciously &C
companies his word by q visible mani
f~estation of his presence ". 10, I'D
CT. /. John IL, Col. 20. 1t was the
word and presence of the living
God" (v. 10) that was to work this
miracle, and to accomplish the Kklo-
rious possession of the land in &c
cordance with his W sure promise.
This lesson is a great lesson or
types. God, through the leading OF
his priests bearing the ark Ga type of
Christi, leads mai from the failures
of his wilderness experience, through
death (the Jordan, into newness or
life (Canaan), Rom. GA, 9. Previous
ly the mention of the names of these
enemies ". 10) had SO frightened
Israel that they turned aside in
panic, but Israel had been learning
In the bitter school of discipline III
failure. "The Lord of all the earth"
". 11) is to lead, why then fear?
There was, however, to be a test, VIZ,
the path was not to open until their
feet we're in the waters. There was
no such test at the Red sea, for they
did not then have sufficient faith, ]
Cor. 1913, I. Peter 1T.
Israer's One Way.
III. The Dry Ground, Wv. 1917. Up
until the moment they stepped into
the water, priest and people alike re-
lied upon the bare word OF Jehovah,
l.. Sam. 1922. We, too. will surely
find a way Of escape If we yield him
implicit obedience, lisa. 1872; l. Cor.
1913. AS If to heighten this miracle
we need to remember it was the sea-
son Of food tide ". 49,. The river
Jordan Is a great type OF the 1udg-
ment passed upon sin. Verse sixteen
tells us that the waters were backed
up beyond "the city Of Adam" Our
Joshua delivers not only us from all
sin but his d~eliverance is also sum-
cient for the whole human race, Heb.
9:28, I. John III. Our deliverance Is
complete, let US praise him. The
Jordan would not, however, have
opened had those bearing the ark
U4u66O UROu (A0 U0AA. Inc ROOFAS
could not have been delivered except
as the ark remained in the river bed.
Jesus went into the waters for us, 2
Cor. sci; Gal. 3:13. He has con-
demned sin for us, Rom. 8:3. He
alone has opened q pathway for u
d~eliverance. There was no ether way
whereby Israel could be delivered and
further they were delivered right
against Jericho" (v. ICY viz, before
their next big task, and "all the ma
ton were passed clean over Jordan"
". 17), John 1872.
Representatives of each tribe (ch.
Al carried from the river twelve
| stones for the building of an altar so
that the history Of that deliverance
might be perpetuated.
~ rhA I Aeenn1 Tn thia lesson we