The Ark of the Covenant – God With Us
illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible; illustrated by Gerard Hoet (1648–1733) and others, and published by P. de Hondt in The Hague; image courtesy Bizzell Bible Collection, University of Oklahoma Libraries; Wikipedia CCL
Meditation
Wednesday of the First Week of Easter harkened back to our Advent/Christmas season lessons about Emmanuel—God with us. The Psalmist being both prophetic and descriptive praised God for the intervention that gave the Family of God the victory over all.
The Gospel lesson in Matthew reviewed again the lesson from Easter Sunday of the Marys going to the tomb and discovering Christ in the garden, alive, well, and God with us.
The Old Testament lesson in Joshua revealed another example of God with us in the final stage of the Exodus of the children of Israel. The thousands of Israelites that were the second generation of Israelites from those that left Egypt, because they had wandered for forty years in the desert, were finally ready to enter the Promised Land.
Joshua was one of the two spies (Caleb being the other), having investigated the tribes to see if they could ‘win’ the territories, returned with the positive affirmation that they could win because of God being on their side. He was then selected by Moses to lead the people on that final leg. They camped on the east side of the Jordan River at a point known for the easiest crossing of the River.
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