Crossings in Joshua

“But boundaries, and their crossing, will be important throughout Joshua, with the Jordan crossing being the parade symbolic example. Indeed, Israel begins her journey by crossing the Jordan. But the ‘Jordan valley not only constitutes a boundary but also a defining symbol and a point of reference. Traversing it signifies Israel’s entry into the measure of life YHWH gives.’ We will see how this theme of crossing into (or out of) life with YHWH is recapitulated throughout Joshua. But for now, we may observe the symbolic character of the land, where the land symbolizes Israel’s life with YHWH, and that crossing into the land (Israel) symbolizes crossing into this life in its fullness (as the fulfilment [sic] of promise). This symbolism is reinforced by the attention given to the Transjordan tribes (1:12-18). Here, they affirm Joshua’s authority and respond in the most positive way possible (something that the other tribes are not reported as doing), indicating that they are indeed ‘crossing into’ the fullness of life with YHWH, even if not the land.”—Reading Joshua as Christian Scripture, pp. 122-123

<idle musing>
Interesting insight, isn't it. Previous generations used to talk about becoming a Christian as “crossing the Jordan,” which seems to be an apt word picture. Of course, they also used the same expression for death at the end of one's life; I would be more inclined toward seeing it as the here and now, the “presence of the future” as some put it, or “realized eschatology” as others put it.

The fact that there are multiple crossings in Joshua also maps well onto the Christian life, doesn't it? And, the fact that it is crossing into—or out of!—life with YHWH is especially interesting. Earl comments on that in the next paragraph
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If, as we shall see, Joshua may be understood in terms of what it means to possess the land and live in the land in the fullness of life that YHWH gives so as to move toward ‘rest’, then it suggests that in the Christian context Joshua might be understood to relate to what it means to live so as to move to possess or inherit the ‘kingdom of God’, an idea that will need further exploration.—Reading Joshua as Christian Scripture, page 123

and, a bit later

Indeed, perhaps a weakness of traditional Christian readings of the Jordan crossing is that the crossing has been interpreted ‘atomistically’ and somewhat independently of its narrative context, a context that gives content to something of what is envisaged in the nature of the new life of the community being entered.—Reading Joshua as Christian Scripture, page 133

<idle musing>
It will be interesting to see how he develops it...
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