Building a Memorial

Joshua Chapter 4

The Lord told Joshua to take 12 men, one from each tribe and tell them to take 12 stones from where the priests were standing in the middle of the Jordan and pile the stones up at the place where they would camp that night.

So Joshua called the men and told them to do as the Lord instructed and they would use these stones to build a memorial. Then in the future when their children asked what the stones meant, they could tell them that the stones remind the Israelites of when the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Covenant went across. The stones would serve as a permanent memorial to the people.

Joshua built another of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the priests who carried the Ark stood. It is still there today.

The priests who carried the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the Lord's instructions were carried out. The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across. These were 40 thousand warriors and they crossed the plains of Jericho in the Lord's presence.

That day the Lord made Joshua great in the eyes of the Israelites and for the rest of his life, they revered him as they had Moses.
Then the Lord told him to have the priests carrying the Ark, come out of the riverbed, and the Jordan flooded its banks as before.

The people crossed the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month- the month that marked their exodus from Egypt. Near Gilgal, they piled the twelve stones as a memorial and Joshua told the people that the Lord helped them cross the river like they crossed the Red Sea and he did it so that all the nations would know the power of the Lord, and that they would fear the Lord God forever.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: God punished Israel for its disobedience long ago then he turned to the rest of the nations ( Genesis 15:16) because the people of Canaan were wicked and deserved to be punished for their terrible sins. Israel was to be the vehicle for this punishment. The fact that Israel, as a holy nation, could not live among such evil and idolatrous people. To do so would be to invite sin into their lives. The only way to prevent Israel from being infected by evil religions was to drive out those who practiced them. It should be noted that Israel failed to drive everyone out and thus is wasn't long before they began to follow the Canannite practices.

Can you imagine the faith of the priests who took the steps into the Jordan River with the Ark. Their faith must have been enormous and strong. And God purposely chose the spring of the year when the water would be highest, that way he could show his power. Some say the water stopped because of a landslide, but we Christians know it was a miracle created by God. His supernatural powers served to build the Israelites hope and give them a great reputation.

Interesting that God did not take the people immediately to conquer the land. First they had to stop and pay homage to the memorial, so their children could learn the traditions.

How does this chapter relate to us today? I hope that we all can gain power and strength in our faith and be as strong as the priests who carryed the Ark. To obey without question. To know that HE is with us at all times and places and is there to solve our problems.
This chapter also shows us the importance of traditions and how we should all have special traditions in our family. Special dates or special places and stories to pass along to our children. Telling them stories about the past helps keep the memories alive and helps your children lean about God's foregiveness, his saving grace, answering prayers and solving your problems. If your family has no traditions, now is the time to start your own. God would like that.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
Health: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, Teli’s family, Logan and the newly born Stella who is taking mother’s milk now and Lori and her family.
Spiritual Uplifting: Gail, Mary
Restoration of faith: Al, John
Love and support for: Claire, Hunter
Support: Haiti, Chile, those cleaning up the gulf coast oil spill and those who lost their livelihood there. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.