Title: The Lord Prompted The Remembrance Of Jehovah
Bible Book: Joshua
Author: Donnie L. Martin
Subject: Faith; Remembering; Memorials; God Honored; Thanksgiving
Objective:
Introduction
Most of us are fully aware of the events that preceded Israel's arrival and encampment at the bank of the Jordan River, prior to their entry into the Promised Land. They had just completed a forty-year trek through the wilderness, which was characterized by much spiritual instruction, as well as a number of on again/off again experiences in their dedication to God. But finally, for the second time during their forty-year sojourn, they find themselves at the brink of the Jordan River.
No doubt, as the Israelites looked at the swollen river that stood between them and their promised possession, it appeared to them to be an insurmountable obstacle. However, as we will see, seemingly insurmountable obstacles do not nullify the promises and power of God. There is but one thing that will prevent the fulfillment of what God has promised-Unbelief. What God promises, He is able to perform (Rom.4: 21). "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thess.5: 24), Paul told the Thessalonians. That must be the attitude of every saint who would see magnificent things from the hand of God.
Anytime a person or a church determines to walk with God and trust His promises, obstacles will arise, without fail, and will seem to declare everything that God has said to be a lie. But the presence of an obstacle is actually an opportunity for increased faith. The sad part is that we almost never seem to realize that fact at the time we face the problem. However, that mindset is often developed over a period of time, by repetition.
There are three things that I find in Joshua 3: 9-4:9 that God engineered to develop unswerving faith in His people. God used a flood to teach His people some principles of faith. Let's examine this situation to see what we can learn from it as well.
In seeking to mature Israel's faith, we notice several things.
I. Memorials Would Testify To God's Fulfilled Promise
Joshua 4: 1-3 "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."
The implications of what is said here are rather exciting. The first thing to note is the fact that two stone memorials were set up; both having twelve stones each. These twelve stones were obviously representative of the twelve tribes of Israel.
According to Joshua 4: 3, one memorial was to be set up on the Canaan-side of Jordan. In Joshua 4: 9 we are told that another memorial was set up on the wilderness-side of Jordan. This arrangement was indicative of the fact that the Israelites had come through the wilderness together, and they had entered the Promised Land together.
These memorials would give testimony to the present generation of the faithfulness of God, in fulfilling His promises, as well as to the next generation, who would ask of their meaning. In Exodus 3: 17 God promised His people that He would bring them out of Egyptian bondage, "...unto a land flowing with milk and honey." These stones would proclaim the fact that God always keeps His promises.
Speaking of the faithfulness of God, it is said of Hudson Taylor, "Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God's faithfulness. In his journal he wrote, 'Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning. He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all...Depend on it, God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.'" Our Daily Bread, May 16, 1992.
II. Memorials Would Testify To God's Fabulous Power
Joshua 4:4-7, "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 you 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 forever. 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."
God's purpose in setting up these memorials was to remind the Israelites of one simple truth: Passage into this new life in the Land of Promise was provided solely by the power of almighty God, not by stratagems of their own making. God had miraculously cut off the floodwaters of the Jordan River that His people might cross over on dry ground.
Only God could get the credit for bringing His people into their possession. It was only the greatness of God that had brought them through the wilderness and the water.
In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He had called himself "the Great," and was the monarch who made the famous statement, "I am the state!" His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in state in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial, thousands waited in hushed silence. Then Bishop Massilon began to speak; slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, "Only God is great." Today in the Word, April, 1989, p. 24.
III. Memorials Would Testify To A Gloriously Fateful Place
Joshua 4: 9 "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."
The spiritual picture framed by these two stone memorials is a beautiful one. As one stood looking at the monument on the Canaan-side of Jordan, his eyes would inevitably be directed to the corresponding monument on the wilderness-side of Jordan. Looking at one would remind him of the significance of the other. As an Israelite stood in the Promised Land, looking at this heap of stones, his thoughts would perhaps be something like this:
These stones came from the spot where the priests stood in obedient faith to Jehovah God-the place where we as a nation took our stand in agreement with God, claiming His promise and our possession. My people and I are able to stand here because we first took our stand over there, where the other heap of stones stands.
The monument on the other side of Jordan marks the place where our glorious fate was settled. They remind my people that we first had to stand firm in our faith toward God in order to enjoy the blessings of the Promised Land. By faith we have been brought from that place to our possession. Thanks be to God!
Conclusion
What a contrast this is to what is said of Israel concerning their first opportunity to enter the Promised Land. Hebrews 4: 6 tells us, "...they...entered not in because of unbelief."
This time however, the floodtide of trouble evoked faith instead of fear and failure. Every time they beheld these memorials, they would be encouraged to remember the faithfulness of God, His protective presence, and His awesome power, so vividly demonstrated on their behalf.
