Issue 868 – Blocked – October 18, 2022
Kathy and I recently walked the Pepin Brook Trail at Aldergrove Regional Park. It is about 3.5 km of rolling hills and level ground. The last part of the trail is a steep uphill to where we parked. The elevation gain is only about 70m, but it makes for a good cardio workout to end the hike.
The brook is home to three endangered species, two fish (Nooksack Dace, Salish Sucker) and one mammal (Pacific water shrew). The park is also home to other local wildlife, including the beaver.
If you look closely at today’s images, you will see a freshly maintained beaver dam creating quite a swampy area along Pepin Brook. We didn’t see any beaver, but there are a few older lodges along the brook.
I have always been fascinated by the engineering work of beavers and how they can transform the landscape. When a beaver gets to work, forested areas can quickly become marshes and meadows. It is astounding to see how quickly they can dam up a waterway.
In the Old Testament, we see God work miracles of water damming that would make any beaver jealous. Most people are familiar with the parting of the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds) that happens by God’s power at Moses’ bidding. It closes just as quickly to drown Pharaoh and his army.
There is another, less well-known story in Joshua 3, where God stops up the Jordan River on command. He is about to allow the people of Israel to cross the Jordan River at harvest time (when the river traditionally runs high).
The people are assembled at God’s command and prepared to cross the Jordan.
So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 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), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. Joshua 3:14-17
Once the people have crossed over, the river resumes normal flow.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before. Joshua 4:15-18
Now I have seen many explanations that attempt to explain this event in natural terms. Typically they involve some form of an upstream landslide that temporarily blocks the river from flowing. Even if some form of landslide is involved, it cannot explain the stoppage and reflow on command.
God is sovereign and can intervene in our world anytime He desires. He can command the seas to calm, rains to cease and rivers to stop at will. He is the creator of the entire material world, and it responds to Him as Lord.
No matter the obstacle, it will happen if God wishes something done.
The one who created all that is and has the power to part the seas and stop up rivers holds our salvation securely in His hand. That, my friends, is good news.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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