It's very counter cultural to believe that God purposefully exalts individuals among the Church. This is hard for us to believe because we are engrossed in the defacto Christian culture that assumes that we are all equals because we are all equally part of the body of Christ.
But what would you do if it was God's specific call for your life that the Church be in awe of you? Do we even have a framework to know how to process being exalted by God?
God Exalts Individuals
Joshua was told by God, specifically, that he would be exalted like Moses among all of Israel. He was individually exalted above everyone else in the nation.
How did God exalt Joshua? God did it by drying up the Jordan so that the country could cross on dry land. Back then, the Jordan river then was a mighty river that looked a lot like the Mississippi river today. God asked Joshua and the nation to cross that mighty river during its peak season when the water overflowed its banks. Which means, God wanted them to cross the river when it was scariest and most difficult.
So, we are never exalted by our own capabilities, but always by capabilities that point to a mighty God. In the same way, John Piper, a mighty preacher, had problems with speech in his youth. Even Tim Tebow had to win games that did not point to his naturally awesome quarterback skills.
Purpose for Believers
God exalts individual Christians among the Church by having them do things beyond their capacity so that we all know that the awesome thing done, was not done by them, but by God. When we know that the awesome deed is done by the power of God, we know that God is among us. God exalts an individual among us to show us that he is with us.
This still applies to us today. God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Just as God exalts an individual Christian among the Church for the purpose of showing that God is with the Church, so God exalts the entire Church to glorify himself to the world.
God gets glory when his Church bears fruit because true fruit bearing can only happen through association with God. We must remain in God. He must be with us. And if he is with us, we bear fruit that ultimately glorifies him.
But what would you do if it was God's specific call for your life that the Church be in awe of you? Do we even have a framework to know how to process being exalted by God?
God Exalts Individuals
Joshua was told by God, specifically, that he would be exalted like Moses among all of Israel. He was individually exalted above everyone else in the nation.
The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." (Joshua 3:7)The entire nation stood in awe of Joshua. God specifically lifted up Joshua and wanted the nation to be in awe of him. Sounds awfully man centered doesn't it?
On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life. (Joshua 4:14)Means of Exaltation
How did God exalt Joshua? God did it by drying up the Jordan so that the country could cross on dry land. Back then, the Jordan river then was a mighty river that looked a lot like the Mississippi river today. God asked Joshua and the nation to cross that mighty river during its peak season when the water overflowed its banks. Which means, God wanted them to cross the river when it was scariest and most difficult.
"Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 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." So... 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 3:11-17)God exalted Joshua by associating Joshua with an act that was beyond his natural capabilities. No matter how good of a leader Joshua was, he could not, on his own, change the course of rivers. Everyone knew that Joshua did not have the power to dry up the Jordan river! So Joshua was exalted because he was associated with the God of the universe who could dry up the mighty river.
So, we are never exalted by our own capabilities, but always by capabilities that point to a mighty God. In the same way, John Piper, a mighty preacher, had problems with speech in his youth. Even Tim Tebow had to win games that did not point to his naturally awesome quarterback skills.
Purpose for Believers
God exalts individual Christians among the Church by having them do things beyond their capacity so that we all know that the awesome thing done, was not done by them, but by God. When we know that the awesome deed is done by the power of God, we know that God is among us. God exalts an individual among us to show us that he is with us.
And Joshua said, "Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you..." (Joshua 3:10)By seeing God's majestic acts, we know he is still alive. But we not only know that he is alive and well, we know that he is with us! And that is infinitely better.
This still applies to us today. God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5).Purpose for the World
Just as God exalts an individual Christian among the Church for the purpose of showing that God is with the Church, so God exalts the entire Church to glorify himself to the world.
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.(Joshua 4:23-24)The purpose is so that all the people groups of the world would know and fear God. Rahab the prostitute was a Canaanite from Jericho who believed in God because she heard of God's mighty power displayed through the destruction of Egypt (Joshua 2:8-14). She eventually became a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ himself (Matthew 1:5), and is now permanently (1 Peter 1:25) in the hall of faith (Hebrews 11:31). Pretty good for a prostitute from Jericho. She is more exalted than I ever will be.
God gets glory when his Church bears fruit because true fruit bearing can only happen through association with God. We must remain in God. He must be with us. And if he is with us, we bear fruit that ultimately glorifies him.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:5-8)So, God exalts individuals, to exalt the Church, to ultimately exalt Himself.
Thank you!
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