3:1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
3:2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp,
3:3 giving orders to the people: When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.
3:4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.
3:5 Joshua told the people, Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.
3:6 Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people. So they took it up and went ahead of them.
3:7 And the Lord said to Joshua, Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.
3:8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the Jordans waters, go and stand in the river.
3:9 Joshua said to the Israelites, Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.
3:10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
3:11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.
3:12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
3:13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lordthe Lord of all the earthset foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.
3:14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
3:15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge,
3:16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
3:17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
Summary; Joshua and the people of Israel are headed to the Jordan River. Our Heavenly Father made the river go a certain direction so the the land and people can pass on the ground. 1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. The priests, and the children of Israel walked across on dry ground, just as they did the Red Sea when leaving Egypt.
Closing Prayer; Heavenly Father we thank you for your word and what you have done for us through the churches. Help us to follow where you guide us throughout our lives. Help us to do the work you call us to do. We pray that all who read this lesson understand it and learn from it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Salvation: Which is how you ask to become a child of Our Heavenly Father. Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and I know you will answer my prayers. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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