Miracles happen when GOD WILLS and WE WILL follow Him into it. The Israelites followed the priests and the ark of God through the Jordan. It became a massive testimony of God’s power to the whole world!

Four million Israelites experienced a great miracle at the River Jordan. The ark was an image of Jesus and God’s presence. They had left Egypt and walked through a wilderness for 40 years, on their way to the land of Canaan. Now the goal was reached, but they had a big problem: the River Jordan “overflowed all its banks” at this time, and it looked very problematic. But God had a plan that He had shared with their leader, Joshua. He wanted to divide the Jordan in two, so that they could cross over on dry ground. Just as happened with the Red Sea, 40 years earlier.

Preparations for the Miracle

Joshua had asked the people to make important preparations:

“Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Joshua 3:5

God requires that we remove sin and dirt before we seek Him as healer. Clogged channels of doubt, unbelief, and hidden sins can be an obstacle. No one is perfect, but living in the light, in confession of sin, is a spiritual plus before a miracle can happen. Is there anyone we have not forgiven? Are we harboring bitterness and hatred? Confess it and let the blood of Jesus cover all your sins, both those you remember and those you do not remember. God loves to forgive! The blood of Jesus is “all-covering”!

Now Israel was ready for a massive miracle! As soon as the priests who bore the ark dipped their feet in the water of the Jordan, “the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city.” (Joshua 3:16) An entire nation of four million people experienced their miracle. God wants us all to experience great miracles. Take good care of them.

The Miracle Must Be Made Known

Joshua built a heap of stones with twelve stones at the riverbank where the people came over (a picture of the twelve tribes of Israel). It was to be a memorial of the miracle at the Jordan. He wanted it to stand as a monument of God’s great Jordan miracle for posterity:

“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Joshua 4:21–24

The miracle at the Jordan was to be a sign both for Israel and for the whole world – including Norway.

When Does the Miracle Happen?

This teaches us the following: 1. A miracle happens when God wills it. 2. We must cooperate with God and prepare ourselves for a miracle. 3. A miracle happens on God’s terms. 4. God asks us to believe in miracles and participate with all our heart. 5. A miracle happens when we need help from God to achieve a goal in life that is part of God’s plan for us. 6. A miracle happens so that we can testify of His greatness to posterity and the whole world. 7. God is the primary source of a miracle, but we must be involved – with all our heart.

Israel took possession of the Promised Land, Canaan. The miracle in the Jordan became a flying start to an invasion of a land with many enemies. But the land was a gift from God to His own chosen people. A land that today is in focus, more than ever before. But the start of it all was a mega-miracle in one of the world’s most famous rivers.

Svein-Magne