May 21, 2026

Joshua 4

14 ¶ On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

This verse comes right after the children of Israel pass through the parted River Jordan on dry land. When I read that the Lord magnified Joshua in their eyes, I believe this means that they realized, or gained testimony, that Joshua was truly the prophet of the Lord. One may be inclined to think that this realization came about because they saw a miracle, and perhaps that is true, maybe even for some of them it was true. But I find it interesting that this verse comes not immediately after the river parted, but after they followed the prophet through the river.

The Lord will magnify the prophet in our eyes, He will testify that he is the Lord's representative on earth, and we will know that with a surety as, and after, we follow the prophet.

Another note about the similarity between the river and the veil. The river parted as the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was carried into its midst. What does that mean? First, as we keep our covenants, bear them up, that brings us through the veil to Father. How do we keep our covenants and increase the strength of the relationship that binds us to our Savior? Inside the Ark were contained the staff of Moses (the priesthood), the tablets containing the commandments, and manna (daily bread, a daily focus on God's words). These have the power to part rivers that lead to promised lands, but they, through and because of the power and Atonement of Jesus Christ, also have the power to part the veil leading to eternal life.