过河的考验
约书亚记三章9至17节
9约书亚对以色列人说：你们近前来，听耶和华─你们神的话。
10约书亚说：看哪，普天下主的约柜必在你们前头过去，到约但河里，因此你们就知道在你们中间有永生神；并且他必在你们面前赶出迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亚摩利人、耶布斯人。
11a-12你们现在要从以色列支派中拣选十二个人，每支派一人，
13等到擡普天下主耶和华约柜的祭司把脚站在约但河水里，约但河的水，就是从上往下流的水，必然断绝，立起成垒。
14百姓离开帐棚要过约但河的时候，擡约柜的祭司乃在百姓的前头。
15他们到了约但河，脚一入水（原来约但河水在收割的日子涨过两岸），
16那从上往下流的水便在极远之地、撒拉但旁的亚当城那里停住，立起成垒；那往亚拉巴的海，就是盐海，下流的水全然断绝。于是百姓在耶利哥的对面过去了。
17擡耶和华约柜的祭司在约但河中的干地上站定，以色列众人都从干地上过去，直到国民尽都过了约但河。
信息分享
今天，我们将看见听命和自洁所带来的结果。当神的百姓立志听从神，并将自己完全交在神的手中，那么，要他们凭着信心与神同行，根本就不是问题。
在出发以先，约书亚对众民所讲的一番说话，给他们无比的激励，因为他提醒百姓紧记：
神与你们同在，祂是你们神。(9节)
你们的神是永生的神。(10节)
你们的神是掌管万有的主。(11节)
正当百姓被一条涨满的河挡着前路之际，约书亚的这番说话，给他们带来何等的激励呢！难道一条河就能阻碍神，使他们无法前进？不。那么，神究竟吩咐他们怎样过河呢？神竟然吩咐他们跟随着约柜，走进河里，从河的中间走过对岸！
你可以想像当时的情景吗？当祭司踏出信心的第一步，走到涨溢的河里，河水就在他们面前分开。他们原先不知道神要怎样做；他们也不晓得祂如何分开河水；他们只知道凭着信心踏进河里，神就会成就祂的应许。
神用祂那双无形的手把河手分开，使足有三十哩长的河水立起成垒，让以色列民在河床走过。祭司一直站在河床中间，直至众民都过了河。最后，当祭司也走到对岸立定之后，神便放手，河水便再次涌流不息。
我们不明白神如何行这神迹，但是，如果你今天有类似的经历，神在困难和绝望中为你开路，你就知道这是神所行的神迹奇事了。记着：不管你的人生道路遇到多大的障碍，神的能力始终胜过一切，祂必可帮助你越过障碍。
问题是在于，你是否已经自洁，并立志听从祂，然后愿意踏出信心的一步？你只管凭着信心做好你的本分，神自会成就祂的应许。
HOW TO CROSS A FLOODED RIVER
Joshua 3:9-17
9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.”
10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”
14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
Message
Today we see the results of obedience and consecration. When God's people are obedient, when they have given themselves entirely to God, then walking by faith is not a problem.
What did Joshua say to them as they stepped forward? Here are words of tremendous encouragement.
- God is with you and he is your God, v. 9.
- Your God is alive, v.10.
- Your God is Lord over all, v.11.
What wonderful words of reassurance as they faced the flooded river. Would one river stop their God - or them? Never. What did God tell them to do? They were to follow the Ark into the river and go across to the other side.
Can you imagine it all? When the priests took the first step of faith into the flooded river, the water began to open up in front of them. They had not known what God would do. They did not know how he divided the river. They simply stepped out in faith. God did the rest.
God's invisible hand held the water back until a body of water 30 miles long was damned up and the ground was dry for the Children of Israel to walk on through. The priests stood at the foot of the great body of water until everyone had passed over. When they walked out of the riverbed God took his hand away and the water flowed again.
We don't understand how all this took place. But if a way has to open up for you just now, remember God can do it. No matter how big the obstacle in your way may seems, God is greater.
Is he waiting for you? For your obedience, for your consecration, for your step of faith? You do your part in faith and God will do this.