To move me from where I was (the spiritual doldrums) to the place of fulfilling my purpose and entering into active ministry, Spirit promised “to make a way where there seems to be no way.” My guides used the symbolism of the Ark of the Covenant leading the ancient nation of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land to instill their promise in me.
But, the Ark of the Covenant and the Jordan River… What do they mean?
The Jordan River
The Jordan River begins at the Sea of Galilee and flows 156 miles into the Dead Sea. Currently, the river serves as the eastern border of the State of Israel.
The prophet John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan. It was then that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him with the visible sign of the dove, and many onlookers heard a direct voice affirming Christ’s identity with divine approval (Matt. 3:16-17).
Symbolism of the Jordan
Jordan means “to descend” or “flow down.” It symbolizes coming to the end of self—dying to the lower self and its desire to live according to the wishes of the ego, apart from a guiding connection to Spirit. It indicates consecration.
It also represents freedom in that crossing the Jordan is the final step of a wilderness journey. The midst of the Jordan is where the old is washed away and the presence of God manifests, opening the door to a new way of life, anointing the prophet for a Spirit-led ministry.
Now, about the Ark of the Covenant. (No, it’s not the ginormous floating zoo Noah built. Let me explain.)
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant was a gold-covered wooden box that usually reposed in the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum of the Tabernacle—unless the Israelites were on the march. Then, the priests carried it on poles before the vanguard, signifying that God was leading them forward.
The Ark contained:
- The stone tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments
- A jar of manna (bread from heaven that came down daily during the wilderness years)
- The staff of Moses’ brother Aaron that once sprouted branches and bore almonds overnight* (Heb. 9:4).
*I discuss the symbolism of the budding rod in my book, Called and Commissioned: 14 Principles for Budding Prophets.
The Ark was covered by a gold lid adorned with two cherubim (a type of angel), between whose outstretched wings the high priest sprinkled blood from the annual national atonement sacrifice. This spot was called the “mercy seat,” and it is where YHWH appeared.
The Ark Represents the Presence of God
The significance of the Ark in the Joshua story is this: To deliver Israel from the wilderness into the Promised Land, the manifest presence of God had to lead the way. God would “make a way where there seems to be no way,” even stopping the flowing waters of the Jordan during floodtide.
So what was my guide telling me through this archetypal Old Testament story?
The Message for Me
My guide’s message to me through many mentions of this story in my early channeling was this:
- You’ll be in the wilderness a long time—until you come to the end of yourself and relinquish your unbelief (my attachment to the lower self and “the story of me” instead of connecting with the divine, higher self and my purpose for this incarnation). See “before” and “after.”
- But I will surely lead you from your wandering to where I’ve destined you to be.
- You cannot do this on your own, in your own strength, but you will need the manifest presence of Spirit to go before you.
- The appearance of the Ark of the Covenant will be a SIGN to you. (Important: Keep this in mind for next time.)
- Even though I am leading the way, you must step out in faith, for it’s not until the priest’s feet “touched the water’s edge” (Josh. 3:15) that YHWH’s power stopped the river’s flow.
- You’ll cross the river not in a morass of mud, but on dry ground. Spirit’s power and deliverance are thorough and will pave the way for a clean transition.
When my guide first began mentioning crossing the Jordan back in 1992, did I understand what he was saying?
Conceptually, yes. Experientially, no. … It would take 20 more years of wilderness for the message to sink in and for me to reach the end of my rope.
But because the prophecy was so important for my life and call, Spirit confirmed it with an incredible sign. More next time.