Bible Explained

In the first few chapters of Joshua there is a real emphasis on feet, and where Joshua and Israel set the soles of their feet.

Joshua is the new commander of God’s people after Moses has died. He is the one commissioned by God in Joshua chapter 1, to be strong and courageous and to enter the Promised Land.

Time and again. In the first four chapters of Joshua there is mention of where God’s people place their feet.

1 v1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. ³ Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.

Ch3¹² Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. ¹³ And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”

Ch3¹⁵ and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), ¹⁶ the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away.

This is slightly surprising to a modern reader where we don’t really talk about where we place our feet much. Why was God emphasising this?

For Joshua, God was teaching him that everywhere he stepped belonged to God, God’s territory, his domain and kingdom was mapped out by where the Isaelites stepped in the book of Joshua. They were to win the promised land pushing out the wicked 7 Caananite tribes. The kingdom advanced as they stepped forward and claimed new ground with each mile they advanced.

There are several stories referencing Joshua and feet in the book of Joshua. In one particularly striking passage in Joshua 10v24, the Israelites have conquered 5 enemy kings and to show that Joshua has taken authority over them and their land, Joshua places his feet on their necks as a footstool.

When Joshua and God’s people initially enter the land, they must first pass through the Jordan. Time and again in the Bible, God’s people pass through the waters before entering God’s place. (Red Sea crossing, Jordan crossing, Jesus baptised in Jordan, water baptism for believers).

God miraculously blocks the Jordan further upstream so they can pass through on dry land with God’s ark at the head of the procession. God commands them in chapter 4 to take 12 stones from the dry Jordan and build a memorial to commemorate this at Gilgal. Until recently archaelogists didn’t know where Gilgal was as they couldn’t find this 12 stone memorial. But what if they’ve been looking for the wrong thing?

Watch this fascinating video to see that the stones are shaped as giant footsteps, visible from above, that God would see. Could it be that there are 12 of these giant footsteps? One for each of the 12 tribes that passed into the land following God’s miraculous parting of the waters?

God has left this physical memorial in Israel today to point to the true Joshua – Jesus.

Now in the New Testament, the new Joshua (Jesus is literally the Greek version of the name Joshua), is growing his kingdom one step at a time as he takes Lordship and authority over people as they give their lives to him. He takes them through the impenetrable waters of sin and death to bring us into the presence of God, forgiveness and eternal life. We just need to trust and follow him, our Lord and Saviour.