OS 3-4{S. Is the story of the Jordan meant to teach us anything?
M. Yes, the Jordan is a figure of death. For man to attempt to pass through it by himself, would be certain destruction.
S. But the ark went before to dry up the water, and you said the ark was a figure of Jesus.
M. You are quite right. Jesus has gone before to dry up the waters of death. The Bible says that He abolished death, that is, He put an end to it, and Jesus broke the power of death by dying on the cross. He brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel. Now the gospel is the good news about Jesus; that He died and rose again, in order that every believing child of God might pass out of death, into His Father's house.
S. But you told me that the Red Sea was a figure of the death of Jesus. Why did God teach then the same thing twice?
M. It is God's way in the Old Testament, to teach us parts of the same thing by many different figures. This makes it easier to our little minds to understand God's great thoughts. When the Israelites were in Egypt, they were saved from Egypt's judgment by the blood of the Lamb: it was sprinkled on their doorposts. The first thing a sinner learns, is that Jesus has shed His blood, to save him from judgment; but God's people must not stay in Egypt, and to get out of Egypt they must pass through the Red Sea. The sinner must learn that the death of Christ has saved him from the world's judgment and from all that would keep him in the world—the cross of Christ separates the Christian from the world, just as much as the Red Sea separated the children of Israel from Egypt, and from the Egyptians. They saw them sink like lead in the mighty waters! When they were in Egypt they were quite safe from God's judgment because the blood was on the doorpost, but they were dreadfully afraid, for Pharaoh was there, and their taskmasters were there, and their burdens were there. But the moment they were on the other side of the Red Sea their fear was gone, the power of Egypt was broken, and they sang of God's salvation—as a saved sinner can look away from the world and its bondage and say, "Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
But God did not mean His people always to remain in the wilderness, so He said they must learn something more about death; they were not only to see their enemies dead, but they were to go into the place of death themselves, that they might know that the living God was among them. The Israelites did not really die when they passed through Jordan, but the Jordan is a figure of death, as the promised land is a figure of what God has prepared for those who love Him. The Israelites passed through the place which, but for the ark being there, would have been death to them; and they got into a place of safety and blessing. Suppose a child of God is dying, and he sees how the Lord Jesus has gone down into the grave for Lim, like the ark standing in the midst of Jordan, and he says, There is no fear in death for me, the water is all gone, Jesus has put an end to death, He has broken its power, I have only to look at Him who has risen out of death, for I go up to where He is alive for me. So that what we call death, is, for the Christian, only passing into life.
S. Is that why Christians are not afraid to die?
M. Yes. There is no fear in death to those who know that Jesus destroyed the power of death, and that He went up out of the grave to God's right hand. The child of God follows Him by faith as Israel followed the ark.
S. Oh that is wonderful!
M. It is wonderful indeed, and this is why God said, "Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out before you the inhabitants of the land." When the child of God knows that Jesus has risen out of death, he knows that God will without fail give him victory over everything that hinders him from getting into the joys of God's own presence.
S. Was not the living God with them when they crossed the Red Sea?
M. Yes. Jehovah was with them, but they did not know Him as the living God: they found out that He was the living God when He destroyed the power of death; that was, when the ark stood on dry ground in the midst of Jordan. It is God's purpose that we should never forget the death of Christ; and this is the meaning of His telling them to take up twelve stones from the spot where the ark rested; and to put them in the land for a memorial forever.
S. What is the meaning of, On that day the Lord magnified Joshua?
M. On that day the Lord showed them how great Joshua was Joshua is another figure of the Lord Jesus Christ who is called the Captain of our salvation: Jesus leads us into the enjoyment of heavenly things by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is magnified, that is, He is made great to us in His death, for He is the resurrection and the life. When a child of God knows a little about the death of Jesus, Jesus is a little great to him, but when he knows a great deal about it then Jesus is very great to him. We see Jesus greater and greater the more we learn about His death. He is magnified to us because He died and rose again. By faith the child of God has passed from death into life, now in this world; and in Christ we have already crossed the Jordan, and have tasted the joys of heaven.
S. But can anyone taste the joys of heaven while he is on earth?
M. Most surely we can, my child. Is not Jesus there? Is it not a joy of heaven to know Him? Can we not speak to Him, and He to us? Is there not an open way to where He is? It is all by the power of God's Spirit; this is why I told you that it was hard to explain it to you.
S. But God gives little children faith, and I do believe that Jesus who died on the cross is gone up to God.
M. Our bodies are not in heaven yet, they will be when they are made like His glorious body, but our hearts can follow the One we love, to where He is. We can go to heaven now by faith, we can be with Jesus there in spirit; the Bible says that children of God are seated together in heavenly places in Christ now; when we take possession of our place in heaven; and when we enjoy Christ there, this is tasting the joys of heaven, and the way to do so is, to know that we have died with Christ.
S. But how can a person die while he is alive, mamma?
M. By faith. The Israelites really saw the water of the Red Sea drown their enemies, and they saw themselves safe on the other side. We know by faith that our sins are washed away in Jesus' blood. They really saw the ark in the midst of Jordan; we know by faith that Jesus went down into the grave for us. They saw that the water was all gone; we know by faith that Jesus has abolished death, and now God connects all who believe, with Him, and says, "Old things are passed away, all things are become new." And now, like Joshua, when he put the twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, the child of God can look back to the death of Christ and say, There is the memorial of all my blessing. The cross is the spot where Jesus is magnified to me. When we know that our sins are put away we can sing of God's "great work." But when we follow Jesus into death, we know how great a Person He is! Jesus is magnified to us. The water of Jordan might flow over all its banks as it did before, but Joshua was magnified in the sight of all Israel: their fears were all gone, and their doubts were gone; they believed that he was able to conquer the land.
S. Why did the water flow back as soon as the priests' feet were lifted up on dry land?
M. Because as soon as the ark was gone, the power of death was as great as ever. So it is now, the tide of death and judgment flows on as terrible as ever; it is only those who are in Christ that find that there is no power in death for them, because Jesus has abolished death, and He has brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel.