And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
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.
And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
Joshua 4 recounts a pivotal moment in Israel's history: their miraculous crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land. This chapter emphasizes the importance of remembering God's faithfulness and passing that remembrance on to future generations. It's a powerful reminder that our experiences with God are not just for us; they are meant to be shared, so that others might also come to know and fear the Lord.
Setting Up Memorial Stones (Joshua 4:1-9)
After the entire nation had crossed the Jordan, God instructed Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe, to retrieve twelve stones from the riverbed where the priests were standing (Joshua 4:1-3). These stones were to be carried to their new campsite as a memorial. Memorials serve as tangible reminders of significant events and individuals. Think of national parks preserving historical sites, or halls of fame celebrating athletic achievements. Even in the church, we have memorials, the most prominent being Communion, where we remember Christ's sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
These stones were not just for the present generation. God intended them to be a teaching tool for future generations. When children would inevitably ask, "What do these stones mean to you?" (Joshua 4:6), parents would have a ready-made opportunity to share the story of God's miraculous intervention (Joshua 4:7). This proactive approach to spiritual formation highlights the importance of parents actively teaching their children about God's work in their lives. We must not only remember God's interventions in our lives, those moments when He steps into our difficult situations and does something extraordinary, but we must also testify about them.
Interestingly, Joshua also erected another memorial: twelve stones placed in the middle of the Jordan River where the priests had stood (Joshua 4:9). Though these stones would eventually be submerged, their presence served as a lasting encouragement to Joshua, a silent testament to the fact that nothing could stand in Israel's way when the Lord was leading them. The book of Joshua notes that these stones remained there when the book was completed, solidifying their significance as reminders of God's power.
The People Cross and Joshua is Exalted (Joshua 4:10-18)
With the memorials in place, God instructed Joshua to command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up from the Jordan (Joshua 4:16). As soon as they did, the waters of the river returned to their normal flow (Joshua 4:17-18). This miraculous event solidified Joshua's leadership in the eyes of the people.
On that day, the Lord exalted Joshua, and the Israelites revered him as they had revered Moses (Joshua 4:14). Just as God had parted the Red Sea through Moses, He had now parted the Jordan River through Joshua. This demonstrated that God was with Joshua, and that the people should follow him. God was making it clear: "Joshua is my man. Follow him."
Gilgal: A Place of Remembrance and Testimony (Joshua 4:19-24)
The people camped at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19), a place that would become significant for Israel's spiritual life. There, Joshua reiterated the purpose of the memorial stones: to serve as a witness to their children about God's amazing works (Joshua 4:21-23).
But the impact of this testimony was not meant to be limited to the Israelites. God intended for all the peoples of the earth to know that the Lord's hand is mighty, and so that they would always fear the Lord (Joshua 4:24). God's people, both past and present, are called to spread His fame and glory throughout the earth. Our stories of God's faithfulness are not just for our own encouragement; they are powerful tools for evangelism and for drawing others into a relationship with Him.
Joshua 4 is a powerful reminder that remembering God's faithfulness is crucial for our spiritual growth and for the spiritual growth of future generations. By creating memorials and sharing our stories, we can ensure that the mighty works of God are never forgotten, and that others may come to know and fear Him.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
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.
And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
Joshua 4 recounts a pivotal moment in Israel's history: their miraculous crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land. This chapter emphasizes the importance of remembering God's faithfulness and passing that remembrance on to future generations. It's a powerful reminder that our experiences with God are not just for us; they are meant to be shared, so that others might also come to know and fear the Lord.
Setting Up Memorial Stones (Joshua 4:1-9)
After the entire nation had crossed the Jordan, God instructed Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe, to retrieve twelve stones from the riverbed where the priests were standing (Joshua 4:1-3). These stones were to be carried to their new campsite as a memorial. Memorials serve as tangible reminders of significant events and individuals. Think of national parks preserving historical sites, or halls of fame celebrating athletic achievements. Even in the church, we have memorials, the most prominent being Communion, where we remember Christ's sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
These stones were not just for the present generation. God intended them to be a teaching tool for future generations. When children would inevitably ask, "What do these stones mean to you?" (Joshua 4:6), parents would have a ready-made opportunity to share the story of God's miraculous intervention (Joshua 4:7). This proactive approach to spiritual formation highlights the importance of parents actively teaching their children about God's work in their lives. We must not only remember God's interventions in our lives, those moments when He steps into our difficult situations and does something extraordinary, but we must also testify about them.
Interestingly, Joshua also erected another memorial: twelve stones placed in the middle of the Jordan River where the priests had stood (Joshua 4:9). Though these stones would eventually be submerged, their presence served as a lasting encouragement to Joshua, a silent testament to the fact that nothing could stand in Israel's way when the Lord was leading them. The book of Joshua notes that these stones remained there when the book was completed, solidifying their significance as reminders of God's power.
The People Cross and Joshua is Exalted (Joshua 4:10-18)
With the memorials in place, God instructed Joshua to command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up from the Jordan (Joshua 4:16). As soon as they did, the waters of the river returned to their normal flow (Joshua 4:17-18). This miraculous event solidified Joshua's leadership in the eyes of the people.
On that day, the Lord exalted Joshua, and the Israelites revered him as they had revered Moses (Joshua 4:14). Just as God had parted the Red Sea through Moses, He had now parted the Jordan River through Joshua. This demonstrated that God was with Joshua, and that the people should follow him. God was making it clear: "Joshua is my man. Follow him."
Gilgal: A Place of Remembrance and Testimony (Joshua 4:19-24)
The people camped at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19), a place that would become significant for Israel's spiritual life. There, Joshua reiterated the purpose of the memorial stones: to serve as a witness to their children about God's amazing works (Joshua 4:21-23).
But the impact of this testimony was not meant to be limited to the Israelites. God intended for all the peoples of the earth to know that the Lord's hand is mighty, and so that they would always fear the Lord (Joshua 4:24). God's people, both past and present, are called to spread His fame and glory throughout the earth. Our stories of God's faithfulness are not just for our own encouragement; they are powerful tools for evangelism and for drawing others into a relationship with Him.
Joshua 4 is a powerful reminder that remembering God's faithfulness is crucial for our spiritual growth and for the spiritual growth of future generations. By creating memorials and sharing our stories, we can ensure that the mighty works of God are never forgotten, and that others may come to know and fear Him.