Memorial Stones

Introduction

Joshua 4

8 And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste. 11 And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priests passed over before the people. 12 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. 13 About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life. 15 And the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

1 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’ ” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary v. The Twelve Stones (4:1–10)

A. to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you,

B. ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that

C. the flow of the Jordan was cut off

D. before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

D1. When it crossed the Jordan,

C1. the waters of the Jordan were cut off.

B1. These stones are to be

A1. a memorial to the people of Israel for ever.

Five Man Electrical Band (1970)

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people Need not apply" So I tucked my hair up under my hat And I went in to ask him why He said, "You look like a fine upstandin' young man I think you'll do" So I took off my hat and said, "Imagine that Huh, me workin' for you" Whoa

Sign, sign Everywhere a sign Blockin' out the scenery Breakin' my mind Do this, don't do that Can't you read the sign?

And the sign said "Anybody caught trespassin' Will be shot on sight" So I jumped on the fence and I yelled at the house "Hey! What gives you the right To put up a fence to keep me out But to keep Mother Nature in? If God was here, he'd tell you to your face 'Man, you're some kind of sinner'"

Sign, sign Everywhere a sign Blockin' out the scenery Breakin' my mind Do this, don't do that Can't you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can't you read? You got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat You can't even watch, no, you can't eat You ain't supposed to be here

The sign said, "You've got to have a membership card To get inside" Uh

And the sign said "Everybody welcome Come in, kneel down and pray" But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all I didn't have a penny to pay So I got me a pen and a paper And I made up my own little sign I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me I'm alive and doin' fine" Woo!

Sign, sign Everywhere a sign Blockin' out the scenery Breakin' my mind Do this, don't do that Can't you read the sign?

Sign, sign Everywhere a sign

The memorial stood as a witness of God’s power through his people 

Signs of faithfulness stand as a witness of God’s power through His people.

Steps of faith leave signs of faithfulness (1-6)

Signs of faithfulness point to God (7, 23)

— do you speak more of the signs of God‘s faithfulness or the scars from the world?

— scars of the world point to Satan and his work, whereas signs of faithfulness point to God and his power

Signs of faithfulness cause us to remember 

Signs of faithfulness remind us 

or

Signs of faithfulness are to remember and remind

or

Signs of faithfulness are to remember Him and remind ourselves

God wants us to remember what He has done to remind us of what He can do.

Signs of faithfulness promote discipleship (6, 21-22)

— God‘s work in our lives is meant to ignite His work in others’

— this is discipleship

Notice both verse 6 and 21 state WHEN your children ask about these stones . . . (not if)

Signs of faithfulness serve as a witness (24a) 

Signs of faithfulness lead us to worship (24b)

19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.

— This is the day of preparation for the Passover — another sign

Communion

Scars of the world point to Satan and his work, whereas signs of faithfulness point to God and his power.

There was a particular time when the scars of sin also served as the sign of God’s faithfulness — Jesus!

John 20:27–31 ESV

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.

It would seem that Jesus, after the resurrection and in His glorified body, is somewhat cleaned up from when He was on the cross; however, Jesus chose to keep the scars of the cross as signs of His faithfulness.

John 20:27–31 ESV

Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The scars our sin produced also serve as the sign of salvation that Jesus gives to us!

That’s the power of REDEMPTION!

Scars to signs - the scars in your life (your own sin or the sin others have committed against you) can become signs of God’s faithfulness when you step in obedience in faith and trust God.