Text: Joshua 4
Theme: We need to take note and remember when God does great things for us.
Intro:
- Last week, we looked at Joshua chapter 3 and took some important lessons regarding the need to wait on God’s leading and God’s timing in our lives. These lessons were draw from the example of Israel as they waited on God to lead them over the Jordan River.
- Today, we are going to look at the Jordan River crossing and, more specifically, the memorial that Israel set in place to remind future generations of Gods’ goodness.
I. The Command for a Memorial (Vs 1-5)
- The command given (Vs 1-3)
a. In verse 12 of chapter 3, we find that God had already prepared for what was going to take place here. God had commanded Joshua to select his 12 men ahead of time.
b. The men were to take the stones from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. - The command obeyed (Vs 4-5)
a. When Joshua had prepared these men, he didn’t know what they were supposed to do. Joshua had simply followed God’s command and had made these men stand by with him until God revealed his plan for them.
b. These stones were large enough that they needed to be carried on their shoulders rather than in their hands. A pile of large stones would stand out as a man-made structure beside the river.
II. The Reason for a Memorial (Vs 6-7 & 20-24)
- The memorial of God’s leading (Vs 6-7)
a. This is the whole point of a memorial, to remind us of past events because we are so inclined to forget.
b. It is a good thing for us to remember what God has done for us and to pass these things on to the younger generations.
– You see, the tough times will come, and the doubts will begin to creep in, but when we remember the goodness of the Lord and we look back at the things he did for us in the past it will encourage us to trust him for the future.
c. This memorial was to be a reminder to the children of Israel that God had brought them safely to the promised land. - The memorial of God’s power (Vs 20-24)
a. When their children asked them in years to come, “where did those stones come from?” They would be able to point to the river and say, “just in there, right where the priest stood while we walked across.”
b. There was a coming generation who had not seen the hand of God in the wilderness and who had not seen the miracle of crossing Jordan, and they would doubt the truthfulness of these accounts. But as long as the memorial remained, there would be a solid testimony to the hand of God.
c. The memorial was also intended to be a witness to the people of the earth.
III. The People of the Memorial (Vs 8-20)
- The two stone monuments (Vs 8-10)
a. It might seem strange to have a monument in the river, but it actually makes a lot of sense.
– The Jordan river was overflowing its banks at this time which means the water level was higher than usual. On top of that, the priests only entered the edge of the water before the river parted. This means that, even during flood season, the monument would be visible, and when the waters receded it would be on dry land.
b. So, what was the purpose of this second monument?
– “The one set was erected by the command of God at the spot where they passed the night ( 3); the other by Joshua on the spot where the priests’ feet rested whilst they bore up the ark during the passage of the people. This spot was near, or perhaps on, the eastern brink (cp. 3:8). These stones would therefore mark the spot at which the people crossed, as the others marked the place in which they lodged the night after the crossing; nor, as the stones would only be reached by the water in flood time, and then by the utmost edge of it, is there any reason why they could not both be seen, and continue in their place as the writer asserts they did up to the time when he wrote.”[1] Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament: Exodus to Ruth, ed. F. C. Cook and J. M. Fuller (London: John Murray, 1879), 359. - The people in the crossing (Vs 11-14)
a. These verses give us a quick summary of all the events, not necessarily in the order they took place.
– The men of war from the tribes of Ruben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh crossed over first to establish a military beachhead on the other side, thus providing protection against attacks from their enemies while the main group continued to cross over.
– Then the people crossed over the Jordan river on the dry ground and began to form up in preparation for the march to Gilgal, where they would sleep that night.
– Next, the stones for the monuments were gather and put in place.
– Finally, the Ark of the LORD passed over Jordan and as the priests’ feet came up onto the dry ground the waters of the Jordan river returned to their proper place.
b. Joshua was magnified in the sight of all Israel. - The miracle crossing ended (Vs 15-19)
a. The people had all made it across to the west side of Jordan safely and now God commanded that the priests should come up out of Jordan.
– As long as the Ark of God was in the Jordan river, there was nothing that could be done to prevent Israel from crossing Jordan.
– (Church at Philadelphia) Revelation 3:8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
– When God opens a door in our lives, no one can shut it. If God makes the way clear, then people may seek to oppose us but, in the end, we will go through with God on our side.
b. As soon as the priests’ feet were lifted up onto dry land, the waters of Jordan returned unto their place.
– One other thing I want to point out before we close this morning is that there was to be no turning back. The people had decided to follow God through the river and into the land of fight and faith, but now the waters had returned and there would be no going back, now they would have to trust God to bring them through for the rest of their lives.
Conclusion:
- Do you have a memory for miracles? Do you remember the works of God from days gone by and seek to encourage others with a testimony of God’s power and goodness?
- Are you going forward in the walk of faith? Are you trusting God with each day and, taking his promises by faith, going on for God?