patriarchs and prophets-第111节

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482

to　Moses；　and　by　his　quiet；　unpretending　fidelity；　his　steadfastness　when
others　wavered；　his　firmness　to　maintain　the　truth　in　the　midst　of　danger；
he　had　given　evidence　of　his　fitness　to　succeed　Moses；　even　before　he　was
called　to　the　position　by　the　voice　of　God。

It　was　with　great　anxiety　and　self…distrust　that　Joshua　had　looked　forward
to　the　work　before　him；　but　his　fears　were　removed　by　the　assurance　of　God；
〃As　I　was　with　Moses；　so　I　will　be　with　thee：　I　will　not　fail　thee；　nor
forsake　thee。　。　。　。　Unto　this　people　shalt　thou　divide　for　an　inheritance
the　land；　which　I　sware　unto　their　fathers　to　give　them。〃　〃Every　place　that
the　sole　of　your　foot　shall　tread　upon；　that　have　I　given　unto　you；　as　I
said　unto　Moses。〃　To　the　heights　of　Lebanon　in　the　far　distance；　to　the
shores　of　the　Great　Sea；　and　away　to　the　banks　of　the　Euphrates　in　the
eastall　was　to　be　theirs。

To　this　promise　was　added　the　injunction；　〃Only　be　thou　strong　and　very
courageous；　that　thou　mayest　observe　to　do　according　to　all　the　law；　which
Moses　My　servant　commanded。〃　The　Lord's　direction　was；　〃This　book　of　the　law
shall　not　depart　out　of　thy　mouth；　but　thou　shalt　meditate　therein　day　and
night；〃　〃turn　not　from　it　to　the　right　hand　or　to　the　left；〃　〃for　then　thou
shalt　make　thy　way　prosperous；　and　then　thou　shalt　have　good　success。〃

The　Israelites　were　still　encamped　on　the　east　side　of　Jordan；　which
presented　the　first　barrier　to　the　occupation　of　Canaan。　〃Arise；〃　had　been
the　first　message　of　God　to　Joshua；　〃go　over　this　Jordan；　thou；　and　all　this
people；　unto　the　land　which　I　do　give　to　them。〃　No　instruction　was　given　as
to　the　way　in　which　they　were　to　make　the　passage。　Joshua　knew；　however；
that　whatever　God　should　command；　He　would　make　a　way　for　His　people　to
perform；　and　in　this　faith　the　intrepid　leader　at　once　began　his
arrangements　for　an　advance。

A　few　miles　beyond　the　river；　just　opposite　the　place　where　the　Israelites
were　encamped；　was　the　large　and　strongly　fortified　city　of　Jericho。　This
city　was　virtually　the　key　to　the　whole　country；　and　it　would　present　a
formidable　obstacle　to　the　success　of　Israel。　Joshua　therefore　sent　two
young　men　as　spies　to　visit　this　city　and　ascertain　something　as　to　its
population；　its　resources；　and　the　strength　of　its　fortifications。　The
inhabitants　of　the　city；　terrified　and　suspicious；　were　constantly　on　the
alert；

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and　the　messengers　were　in　great　danger。　They　were；　however；　preserved　by
Rahab；　a　woman　of　Jericho；　at　the　peril　of　her　own　life。　In　return　for　her
kindness　they　gave　her　a　promise　of　protection　when　the　city　should　be
taken。

The　spies　returned　in　safety　with　the　tidings；　〃Truly　the　Lord　hath
delivered　into　our　hands　all　the　land；　for　even　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
country　do　faint　because　of　us。〃　It　had　been　declared　to　them　in　Jericho；
〃We　have　heard　how　the　Lord　dried　up　the　water　of　the　Red　Sea　for　you；　when
ye　came　out　of　Egypt；　and　what　ye　did　unto　the　two　kings　of　the　Amorites；
that　were　on　the　other　side　Jordan；　Sihon　and　Og；　whom　ye　utterly　destroyed。
And　as　soon　as　we　had　heard　these　things；　our　hearts　did　melt；　neither　did
there　remain　any　more　courage　in　any　man；　because　of　you：　for　the　Lord　your
God；　He　is　God　in　heaven　above；　and　in　earth　beneath。〃

Orders　were　now　issued　to　make　ready　for　an　advance。　The　people　were　to
prepare　a　three　days'　supply　of　food；　and　the　army　was　to　be　put　in
readiness　for　battle。　All　heartily　acquiesced　in　the　plans　of　their　leader
and　assured　him　of　their　confidence　and　support：　〃All　that　thou　commandest
us　we　will　do；　and　whithersoever　thou　sendest　us；　we　will　go。　According　as
we　hearkened　unto　Moses　in　all　things；　so　will　we　hearken　unto　thee：　only
the　Lord　thy　God　be　with　thee；　as　He　was　with　Moses。〃

Leaving　their　encampment　in　the　acacia　groves　of　Shittim；　the　host　descended
to　the　border　of　the　Jordan。　All　knew；　however；　that　without　divine　aid　they
could　not　hope　to　make　the　passage。　At　this　time　of　the　yearin　the　spring
seasonthe　melting　snows　of　the　mountains　had　so　raised　the　Jordan　that　the
river　overflowed　its　banks；　making　it　impossible　to　cross　at　the　usual
fording　places。　God　willed　that　the　passage　of　Israel　over　Jordan　should　be
miraculous。　Joshua；　by　divine　direction；　commanded　the　people　to　sanctify
themselves；　they　must　put　away　their　sins　and　free　themselves　from　all
outward　impurity；　〃for　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　〃the　Lord　will　do　wonders　among
you。〃　The　〃ark　of　the　covenant〃　was　to　lead　the　way　before　the　host。　When
they　should　see　the　token　of　Jehovah's　presence；　borne　by　the　priests；
remove　from　its　place　in　the　center　of　the　camp；　and　advance　toward　the
river；　then　they　were　to　remove

484

from　their　place；　〃and　go　after　it。'　The　circumstances　of　the　passage　were
minutely　foretold；　and　said　Joshua；　〃Hereby　ye　shall　know　that　the　living
God　is　among　you；　and　that　He　will　without　fail　drive　out　from　before　you
the　Canaanites。　。　。　。　Behold；　the　ark　of　the　covenant　of　the　Lord　of　all　the
earth　passeth　over　before　you　into　Jordan。〃

At　the　appointed　time　began　the　onward　movement；　the　ark；　borne　upon　the
shoulders　of　the　priests；　leading　the　van。　The　people　had　been　directed　to
fall　back；　so　that　there　was　a　vacant　space　of　more　than　half　a　mile　about
the　ark。　All　watched　with　deep　interest　as　the　priests　advanced　down　the
bank　of　the　Jordan。　They　saw　them　with　the　sacred　ark　move　steadily　forward
toward　the　angry；　surging　stream；　till　the　feet　of　the　bearers　were　dipped
into　the　waters。　Then　suddenly　the　tide　above　was　swept　back；　while　the
current　below　flowed　on；　and　the　bed　of　the　river　was　laid　bare。

At　the　divine　command　the　priests　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　channel　and
stood　there　while　the　entire　host　descended　and　crossed　to　the　farther　side。
Thus　was　impressed　upon　the　minds　of　all　Israel　the　fact　that　the　power　that
stayed　the　waters　of　Jordan　was　the　same　that　had　opened　the　Red　Sea　to
their　fathers　forty　years　before。　When　the　people　had　all　passed　over；　the
ark　itself　was　borne　to　the　western　shore。　No　sooner　had　it　reached　a　place
of　security；　and　〃the　soles　of　the　priests'　feet　were　lifted　up　unto　the　dry
land；〃　than　the　imprisoned　waters；　being　set　free；　rushed　down；　a　resistless
flood；　in　the　natural　channel　of　the　stream。

Coming　generations　were　not　to　be　without　a　witness　to　this　great　miracle。
While　the　priests　bearing　the　ark　were　still　in　the　midst　of　Jordan；　twelve
men　previously　chosen；　one　from　each　tribe；　took　up　each　a　stone　from　the
river　bed　where　the　priests　were　standing；　and　carried　it　over　to　the
western　side。　These　stones　were　to　be　set　up　as　a　monument　in　the　first
camping　place　beyond　the　river。　The　people　were　bidden　to　repeat　to　their
children　and　children's　children　the　story　of　the　deliverance　that　God　had
wrought　for　them；　as　Joshua　said；　〃That　all　the　people　of　the　earth　might
know　the　hand　of　the　Lord；　that　it　is　mighty：　that　ye　might　fear　the　Lord
your　God　forever。〃

The　influence　of　this　miracle；　both　upon　the　Hebrews　and　upon　their　enemies；
was　of　great　importance。　It　was　an　assurance

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to　Israel　of　God's　continued　presence　and　protectionan　evidence　that　He
would　work　for　them　through　Joshua　as　He　had　wrought　through　Moses。　Such　an
assurance　was　needed　to　strengthen　their　hearts　as　they　entered　upon　the
conquest　of　the　landthe　stupendous　task　that　had　staggered　the　faith　of
their　fathers　forty　years　before。　The　Lord　had　declared　to　Joshua　before　the
crossing；　〃This　day　will　I　begin　to　magnify　thee　in　the　sight　of　all　Israel；
that　they　may　know　that；　as　I　was　with　Moses；　so　I　will　be　with　thee。〃　And
the　result　fulfilled　the　promise。　〃On　that　day　the　Lord　magnified　Joshua　in
the　sight　of　all　Israel；　and　they　feared　him；　as　they　feared　Moses；　all　the
days　of　his　life。〃

This　exercise　of　divine　power　in　behalf　of　Israel　was　designed　also　to
increase　the　fear　with　which　they　were　regarded　by　the　surrounding　nations；
and　thus　prepare　the　way　for　their　easier　and　complete　triumph。　When　the
tidings　that　God　had　stayed　the　waters　of　Jordan　before　the　children　of
Israel；　reached　the　kings　of　the　Amorites　and　of　the　Canaanites；　their
hearts　melted　with　fear。　The　Hebrews　had　already　slain　the　five　kings　of
Midian；　the　powerful　Sihon；　king　of　the　Amorites；　and　Og　of　Bashan；　and　now
the　passage　over　the　swollen　and　impetuous　Jordan　filled　all　the　surrounding
nations　with　terror。　To　the　Canaanites；　to　all　Israel；　and　to　Joshua
himself；　unmistakable　evidence　had　been　given　that　the　living　God；　the　King
of　heaven　and　earth；　was　among　His　people；　and　that　He　would　not　fail　them
nor　forsake　them。

A　short　distance　from　Jordan　the　Hebrews　made　their　first　encampment　in
Canaan。　Here　Joshua　〃circumcised　the　children　of　Israel；〃　〃and　the　children
of　Israel　encamped　in　Gilgal；　and　kept　the　Passover。〃　The　suspension　of　the
rite　of　circumcision　since　the　rebellion　at　Kadesh　had　been　a　constant
witness　to　Israel　that　their　covenant　with　God；　of　which　it　was　the
appointed　symbol；　had　been　broken。　And　the　disc