In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “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. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host. And they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that you may know the way by which you must go: for you have not passed this way heretofore”, and in chapter three and verse five of the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people to, “sanctify yourselves” where we read,
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves:
for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
The verse reads, “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and Joshua” which means “and Joshua whose name means God is salvation” “said unto the people” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed to the human beings of Israel both male and female”, “sanctify yourselves” which means “consecrate, prepare, dedicate and hallow your own selves”. Joshua or the writer shared how Joshua told the “people” of Israel to prepare and dedicate their own selves.
The verse goes on to say, “for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” Joshua continued with the words, “for tomorrow” or “because, since and on account that on the following day” “the LORD will do wonders” which means “Jehovah whose name means the existing One and is the proper name for the One True God shall perform and produce marvelous, wonderful, surpassing and extraordinary miracles” “among you” or “in the midst and middle of you, the people of Israel”. Joshua told the people of Israel that Jehovah God would perform extraordinary miracles in the midst of them.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Joshua as the new leader of Israel spoke to the people directly as he instructed them to set apart and dedicate themselves because Jehovah God was to perform extraordinary miracles in the midst of them on the next day. We can imagine hearing these wonderful words, and as Joshua and the people of Israel were to finally enter the promise land, God was going before them and they needed to prepare for His work. God wants to work in our lives as well, and when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who shall lead and guide us into His truth as He works His marvelous miracles within our midst.
Next time Joshua tells the priests, “take up the ark of the covenant”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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