Jos 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

This statement refers back to another period of time, in which a similar move was happening.

Num 10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.

Again, this speaks of the idea of a covering. As they moved from place to place in their journey, God had them covered.

The Lord:

Jehovah = “the existing One”

1) the proper name of the one true God

Your God:

1) (plural)

a) rulers, judges

b) divine ones

c) angels

d) gods

2) (plural intensive – singular meaning)

a) god, goddess

b) godlike one

c) works or special possessions of God

d) the (true) God

e) God

Yes, God is plural, and He is the one true God, the God over all.

Jos 3:4  Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore.

The message bible reads that the space between the Israelites and the ark was the space of about half a mile. My archeological bible lists the space as  about 1 thousand yards, or 900 meters. Note that the people were told twice not to come near to it. The only ones who were cleansed sufficiently to come near the ark were the Levitical priests who were to carry it.

Jos 3:5  And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

So basically, the day before the move was to actually take place, things were set into motion. The officers went throughout the people, giving the instructions to everyone. They were to sanctify themselves for this part of the journey.

1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate

a) (Qal)

1) to be set apart, be consecrated

2) to be hallowed

3) consecrated, tabooed

b) (Niphal)

1) to show oneself sacred or majestic

2) to be honoured, be treated as sacred

3) to be holy

c) (Piel)

1) to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate

2) to observe as holy, keep sacred

3) to honour as sacred, hallow

4) to consecrate

d) (Pual)

1) to be consecrated

2) consecrated, dedicated

e) (Hiphil)

1) to set apart, devote, consecrate

2) to regard or treat as sacred or hallow

3) to consecrate

f) (Hithpael)

1) to keep oneself apart or separate

2) to cause Himself to be hallowed (of God)

3) to be observed as holy

4) to consecrate oneself

Basically, to consecrate oneself means to dedicate somebody or something to a particular purpose. In essence, it is to separate them from any other purpose or intent, with the goal of getting them focused, and eliminating distractions.

In this case, the Lord was about to do miracles. I think that this consecration process has much to do with the mindset. If you are physically doing this consecration process, preparing for a great move of God, then your mindset is also prepared. This would eliminate doubt, because usually, we don’t act on something until we’ve “crossed over” in our minds first, and accepted the idea.

Joshua basically ensured this crossing over concept, because this process occurred with the people individually first; so that their mindsets were totally focused on the prize the next day, when the physical “crossing over” miracle of the entire camp was about to be played out.

In order to gain the victory, he had to have them of the same mind, no distractions, but all focused on the same end goal. With that kind of focus, they would be able to hear, listen, and obey the instructions to fulfill the plan.

This is what is required in the consecration process:

Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Sacrifice:

Mat 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Purity:

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.

Submission:

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Holiness:

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Service:

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

This had to do with a vow made by the father of the people of Israel.

Gen 28:20  And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Gen 28:21  So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

Gen 28:22  And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

God was still honoring Jacob’s vow.

2Cr 8:5 And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

He had the entire camp individually getting prepared for this event. There was no socializing, or entertainment. Everyone was doing individual preparation for this tremendous event. All last minute details were being put into place.

It’s just like when you are moving an entire household. There are many things to do, and to get in order. All parties involved have to be focused, especially if there is a time limit, and marching orders to go have already come in.

Finalization is a serious process, but getting them prepared and into the right mindset at this level, would enable them to walk forward as a unit, with their minds focused on God’s will, not their own.