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Crossing the Jordan - The Book of Joshua · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And it shall come to pass as soon as the
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  Speaker 1: soles of the feet of the priests that bear the
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  Speaker 1: ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth,
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  Speaker 1: shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the
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  Speaker 1: waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from the
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  Speaker 1: waters that come down from above, and they shall stand
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  Speaker 1: upon a heap. Joshua 3.13 Dear God, As the sun
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  Speaker 1: greets my face today, I realize that hope fills the sky.
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  Speaker 1: Like Joshua and the children of Israel, I declare that
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  Speaker 1: today is the day I will cross over into my
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  Speaker 1: promised land. Regardless of the obstacles in front of me,
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  Speaker 1: I can feel the Spirit of God with me. As
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  Speaker 1: I place your presence before me, Lord, the mighty waters
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  Speaker 1: of obstacles must part and make way for me to
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  Speaker 1: cross over into my promised land. As my feet touch
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  Speaker 1: the grounds of my promise, I will set up touchstones
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  Speaker 1: that remind me of all the miracles you have done
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  Speaker 1: on my behalf. My war cry of victory will be
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  Speaker 1: heard all over the world as you elevate my life
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  Speaker 1: to be a symbol of your love and power to
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  Speaker 1: those who believe. I declare that I am strong and courageous.
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  Speaker 1: I decree that I am unmoved as I prepare to
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  Speaker 1: fight and take what belongs to me and my family.
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  Speaker 1: The time is now. My moment of expansion and victory
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  Speaker 1: has come. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for praying
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  Speaker 1: with us today. Continue your time with God by listening
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  Speaker 1: to today's Bible story, brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Click the link in the description to grow closer to God. There,
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  Speaker 2: you'll find daily prayers, Bible plans, sleep stories, and so
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  Speaker 2: much more, all on the Pray.com app. Click the link
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  Speaker 3: Crossing the Jordan In our last story, we learned about
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  Speaker 3: Joshua's spies infiltrating the city of Jericho. The spies were
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  Speaker 3: eventually discovered, but then saved by a prostitute named Rahab.
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  Speaker 3: She informed the spies of Israel that all of Jericho
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  Speaker 3: was terrified of Israel, and that they all knew the
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  Speaker 3: Lord would give Israel the land. Filled with hope, the
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  Speaker 3: spies returned with good news. Now we learn about the
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  Speaker 3: people of Israel venturing forward into new beginnings. God's mighty
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  Speaker 3: hand would be shown once again, inspired by the book
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  Speaker 3: of Joshua.
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  Speaker 4: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 4: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
• 3:14
  Speaker 4: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
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  Speaker 4: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
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  Speaker 4: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
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  Speaker 4: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
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  Speaker 4: slash stress. In our previous episode, God reaffirmed his promise
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  Speaker 4: and presence to Joshua and charged him to be courageous.
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  Speaker 4: Joshua prepared the people to cross over into the promised land,
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  Speaker 4: but first he sent spies to scout the city of Jericho.
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  Speaker 4: There we met a prostitute by the name of Rahab
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  Speaker 4: who told the men that the whole city was terrified
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  Speaker 4: of Israel and, more importantly, of their God. She also
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  Speaker 4: protected the spies from Jericho's king and, as a result,
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  Speaker 4: gained grace in God's eyes, favor that would reverberate through
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  Speaker 4: the millennia through her own bloodline. Today we'll join the
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  Speaker 4: Israelites as they prepare to brave the raging river Jordan
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  Speaker 4: before them. It is a crossing that would be impossible
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  Speaker 4: were it not for the Most High God who goes
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  Speaker 4: with His people. And in this reading we'll see His
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  Speaker 4: power reveal once again to the wonder of Israel. Let's
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  Speaker 4: listen now to today's story.
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  Speaker 3: Hope filled the skies as the sun rose above the
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  Speaker 3: mountain range. A newness of life and vitality could be
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  Speaker 3: felt among the camp. Smiles and laughter could be heard
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  Speaker 3: for miles. Home had become a distant thought to the
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  Speaker 3: people of Israel. They had grown up wandering the wilderness.
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  Speaker 3: Their parents were the ones who came out of Egypt
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  Speaker 3: and experienced the mighty acts of God. Now they were
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  Speaker 3: the ones to inherit all the Lord had promised them.
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  Speaker 3: Joshua led the people out of Shittim. and they traveled
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  Speaker 3: to the coast of the Jordan River. The river was
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  Speaker 3: raging before them. Deep, rushing waters boomed and shook the earth.
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  Speaker 3: The Jordan was truly treacherous, yet Joshua and the leaders
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  Speaker 3: of Israel looked at it with smiles on their faces.
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  Speaker 3: They faced the rapids with a quiet confidence. If Israel
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  Speaker 3: knew anything, it was that water was no obstacle for God.
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  Speaker 3: After three days, Joshua and the officers of Israel led
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  Speaker 3: the people down to the water to camp. They scanned
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  Speaker 3: the river and spoke amongst themselves, as if analyzing where
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  Speaker 3: they would build a bridge. Instead, they turned to the
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  Speaker 3: people and commanded, The Ark of the Covenant shall go
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  Speaker 3: before us. Wherever it goes, you shall go also, but
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  Speaker 3: keep your distance and do not come near it. How
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  Speaker 3: they would cross the river? was still a mystery to
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  Speaker 3: the people, but they were excited nonetheless. Joshua began climbing
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  Speaker 3: a rock nearby to speak to the people. He stood
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  Speaker 3: up high with the waters at his back so all
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  Speaker 3: the people could see him. Joshua was not like Moses.
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  Speaker 3: Moses was a shepherd and carried his staff. Joshua was
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  Speaker 3: a soldier, and his sword never left his side. Joshua's
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  Speaker 3: strength as a warrior and leader was captured the people's attention.
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  Speaker 3: Joshua raised his voice towards the children of Israel. With
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  Speaker 3: a booming voice carried by the waters, Joshua yelled, Prepare yourselves,
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  Speaker 3: for tomorrow you will behold the wonders of God. The
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  Speaker 3: people cheered, and Joshua nodded to the priests to go
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  Speaker 3: fetch the Ark of the Covenant. It was time to
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  Speaker 3: put the wilderness behind them. Joshua could feel the Spirit
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  Speaker 3: of God giving him confidence to lead. God spoke to him, saying,
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  Speaker 3: Today the people will know that I am with you,
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  Speaker 3: as I was with Moses. Joshua nodded and led the
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  Speaker 3: people to stand at the shoreline of the river. They
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  Speaker 3: stood still, watching the waters rage before them. All were silent, waiting,
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  Speaker 3: and the only sounds were that of the flowing river.
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  Speaker 3: Moments passed, and Joshua stood tall once again for all
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  Speaker 3: to hear him and say,' Here, you shall truly know
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  Speaker 3: the living God is with us.' And as Joshua was speaking,
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  Speaker 3: the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant came from
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  Speaker 3: among the people. They parted to keep their distance and
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  Speaker 3: watched as the priests walked towards the banks of the river.
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  Speaker 3: Slowly the priests began to walk into the water. As
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  Speaker 3: their feet sank into the river, the waters began to
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  Speaker 3: spill apart before them. With each step, the water moved.
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  Speaker 3: Mist flew into the air as the Jordan bowed before
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  Speaker 3: the mighty hand of God. As the Red Seas once parted,
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  Speaker 3: the Jordan divided to make way for freed captives. The
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  Speaker 3: people were still silent, in awe of the majesty unfolding
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  Speaker 3: before them. The wind from the waters blew their hair back.
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  Speaker 3: and tears filled their eyes. It was the most beautiful
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  Speaker 3: moment they had ever seen. The priests walked forward, carrying
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  Speaker 3: the written promises of God on their shoulders. The priests
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  Speaker 3: strode proudly, and their hearts welled up within them. One
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  Speaker 3: by one, the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan into
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  Speaker 3: the promised land. The priests stood in the midst of
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  Speaker 3: the waters on dry ground. The people crossed to the
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  Speaker 3: other side safely, God instructed every leader from each of
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  Speaker 3: the twelve tribes of Israel to carry a stone from
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  Speaker 3: one side to the other. They would build a memorial
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  Speaker 3: to him and his faithfulness. So each man did according
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  Speaker 3: to what God had said. The priests exited the waters,
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  Speaker 3: and the river went back to its place. And there,
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  Speaker 3: in the midst of all the people, Joshua built a
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  Speaker 3: memorial out of the twelve stones. This served as a
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  Speaker 3: reminder to all those who would ever question or forget
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  Speaker 3: the power of God. They gazed upon it, and God
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  Speaker 3: spoke to them through Joshua, saying, When your children ask
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  Speaker 3: of these stones, their fathers shall tell them that the
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  Speaker 3: Lord dried up the water of the Jordan, as he
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  Speaker 3: did the Red Sea. These stones serve as a mausoleum
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  Speaker 3: to the entire earth, that the Lord is mighty and
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  Speaker 3: to be feared for all eternity. The crowd cheered and worshipped,
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  Speaker 3: their hearts filled with gladness. This was truly a victory
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  Speaker 3: unlike any other. All was well, yet the struggle had
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  Speaker 3: just begun. Miles away, word of this miracle spread like wildfire.
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  Speaker 3: The people dwelling in the land of Canaan caught word
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  Speaker 3: of the mighty acts of God. They trembled, and fear
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  Speaker 3: gripped their minds and hearts. They knew the inevitable end.
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  Speaker 3: God would give Israel their land. Yet some would not
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  Speaker 3: go quietly. They were preparing for war. All the men
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  Speaker 3: of Israel who were not already circumcised cut themselves before God.
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  Speaker 3: They remembered the covenant of Abraham and sought to identify
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  Speaker 3: themselves as the promised people of God. Though bloody and painful,
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  Speaker 3: it was an act of devotion. The people celebrated Passover.
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  Speaker 3: and shouts of joy and laughter echoed across the valley,
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  Speaker 3: reaching the ears of their enemies. Danger was near, and
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  Speaker 3: war was coming.
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  Speaker 4: We open today's story with a crowd of people filled
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  Speaker 4: with hope and anticipation. This generation of the Israelites has
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  Speaker 4: known no other home but the wilderness, no way of
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  Speaker 4: life but that of a nomad. But now, at last,
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  Speaker 4: God's promise to His people was coming to fulfillment. They
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  Speaker 4: were going to receive their long-awaited home, the promised land.
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  Speaker 4: So it was moving time. But as they approached the
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  Speaker 4: raging river, it was clear to them that there would
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  Speaker 4: be no human way to pass through. There was no
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  Speaker 4: boat to take them over. There was no way across.
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  Speaker 4: Israel had faced impassable waters before. Only this time did
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  Speaker 4: you notice what was different? The only rumbling was that
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  Speaker 4: of waters rushing by, not of fearful people who turned
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  Speaker 4: on their leader and questioned God's ability to save them.
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  Speaker 4: They did trust in God. After all, what was a
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  Speaker 4: raging river to the one who parted the seas? God
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  Speaker 4: tells Joshua that he's about to show the people just
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  Speaker 4: how mighty he is. It will give the people confidence,
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  Speaker 4: not only in God, but in the leader, Joshua, whom
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  Speaker 4: God had chosen. When Moses faced the Red Sea, God
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  Speaker 4: went as a cloud of smoke and pillar of fire,
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  Speaker 4: but now the physical symbol of God's presence was the
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  Speaker 4: Ark of the Covenant. This holiest of symbols was not
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  Speaker 4: to be touched. Only the Levite priest could carry it.
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  Speaker 4: It was yet another reminder that God was with them,
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  Speaker 4: but not fully approachable by the people. One day this
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  Speaker 4: would all change, as God himself came to dwell among
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  Speaker 4: men in the person of his son, Jesus. That day
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  Speaker 4: had not yet come, so the people were told to
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  Speaker 4: keep their distance, but to keep a watchful eye. God
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  Speaker 4: was about to show them his power. Listen to how
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  Speaker 4: Joshua 3.17 recounts what happens next. Now the priest bearing
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  Speaker 4: the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly
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  Speaker 4: on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and
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  Speaker 4: all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all
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  Speaker 4: the nation finished passing over the Jordan. The people walked
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  Speaker 4: right across on dry ground into the promised land. A
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  Speaker 4: great miracle. Time and again, we see this in God's word.
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  Speaker 4: What appears to be impossible to human minds is accomplished
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  Speaker 4: with a word or just a step of faith when
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  Speaker 4: God is on the move. Whatever it is you may
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  Speaker 4: be facing today, whatever river that seems uncrossable or obstacle
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  Speaker 4: that seems impassable, if God is calling you to do it,
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  Speaker 4: then obey him and take that first step and cross
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  Speaker 4: over in the miracle working power of God. As the
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  Speaker 4: leaders of each tribe crossed, They carried with them a
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  Speaker 4: stone according to God's command from one side of the
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  Speaker 4: river to the other. And when they were safely on
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  Speaker 4: the other side, they built a memorial with these stones.
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  Speaker 4: This would be a perpetual reminder for generations to come
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  Speaker 4: of God's great might and faithfulness to his people. The
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  Speaker 4: Israelites further showed their devotion to their God as the
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  Speaker 4: men in camp who were not yet circumcised cut off
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  Speaker 4: their foreskins in remembrance of the covenant with Abraham. The
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  Speaker 4: people then observed Passover. remembering God's deliverance of them from
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  Speaker 4: Egypt the night when this whole journey began. All seemed well,
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  Speaker 4: but there were still battles to fight, and we're going
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  Speaker 4: to learn about these battles the next time. Dear God,
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  Speaker 4: thank you for today's passage, which reminds us that there
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  Speaker 4: is no obstacle that you cannot overcome. Help us, O God,
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  Speaker 4: to take steps of faith and trust you in going
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  Speaker 4: through what you lead us through. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 4: Before we go, I want to let you know about
• 15:09
  Speaker 4: a unique ebook that's yours to download absolutely free today.
• 15:14
  Speaker 4: It's called Breaking Free from Stress. And my prayer is
• 15:18
  Speaker 4: that it will help you conquer the daily task and
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: pressures and burdens that bring stress into your life. Download
• 15:24
  Speaker 4: your free copy of Breaking Free from Stress today by
• 15:28
  Speaker 4: visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jagram.org slash stress.
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: If today's reading moved you, the Pray.com app is where
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: you can go deeper with daily prayers, Bible plans, and more.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: Download it free.
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: Link in the description.