Pillars Of Remembrance

Text: Joshua 4

Introduction

Q — How many of you have a definite log of memories that take your mind to the power of God? Would anyone like to share an instance that highlighted God’s power in your life?

What we have witness is God bringing them on a journey that left them with “pillar” moments to fuel their new life in this new land. You and I who are believers have the awesome privilege to not simply witness God’s power, but to experience it in such a way that a line of providential stories are written on your heart that you will later share with your family and friends.

Through the period of the patriarch, “pillars” or “standing stone” were erected as a memorial. Can you name anything used in the either Testament period to remind God’s people of His providence?

On the flip side, there were many pagan “pillars” erected during the same time period. Those God instructed to have torn down. Sadly, during the time of the kings, some more wicked leaning maintained them or even rebuilt them following a good king that had them destroyed.

Pillars through the time of the Greeks and Romans where used to elevated a particular Caesar or some king of Greek God.

What is the church called in the New Testament when it comes to their relationship and responsibility toward the truth? 1 Timothy 3:15 “15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

For us today, we are to see the importance of God building pillars in our own hearts. Not just for us, but also that we might go forward and build pillars in the hearts of our family and friends.

There is a kind of mindset that you’ve got to have in order to do what they did. You can’t be so “past” oriented that you end up living there. We must be “future” oriented.

Listen...we are all aware of the fact that the present is not perfect, right? Neither was the past or the future bar Jesus’ coming.

Here is a major biblical theme — You and I are privileged to live in the present. We are to take life one day at a time. Take hold of God’s meaning and strength for “today.”

Quote: “Memories are important! They are the soil of our present experiences into which our roots sink deeply and from which we receive nourishment. The superstructures of our lives are built upon the foundation of our memories. We are instructed by our memories as to the most creative way to live in the present, and they help equip us with a positive hope for the future.” (John A. Huffman Jr.)

Verses 1-3 — God’s Memorial Plan

We begin with God giving instructions to Joshua.

God is going to give valuable instruction that will play a huge role in their future success.

The men who needed to be ready are now called upon to serve as a strategic part of providing a reminder to not only their families, but future generations to come.

Take notice where they will be taking these stone….where they would set up camp.

The stones themselves would have a fixed location, but their message would be mobile.

Verses 4-7 — Joshua Shares God’s Memorial Plan With Family Leaders

One man from every tribe of Israel was to be represented.

What these men would do would happen after all 2+ million people crossed over.

There was faith to cross over, and now there had to be faith to go right back into middle of the river bed.

APP — As long as God is present there, our faith should take us up the highest mountain of in the lowest of valleys.

It was important that these men gather the stones near the ark of the covenant.

These stones were to represent the power of God.

Illustration: It is like crossing a not so sure to hold up bridge. It is not until you get to that mid point are you fully dependant on it’s integrity holding out. There is absolutely not possible way to quickly jump back to solid ground.

Take notice to the magnitude of these stones? (v5)

What God had done was the heavy lifting they could never had done on their own.

Q — What is more memorable, something heavy or something lite?

Illustration: When I was younger, I would carry 50 pound feed bags into the barn. I remember throwing heavy hay bails. I remember carry, bending, and cutting 5/8” rebar. I remember working in tobacco (outside of concrete work, that was some of the hardest work I had ever done).

Verses 8-9 — Joshua Builds A Leadership Pillar

This could have only been for Joshua or for Joshua and the Priests, not sure. Maybe it was just for God to see.

Joshua illustrates beautifully that leaders need pillars also!

Pillars help leaders maintain the right motivation, the right position, the right passions,

Maybe there would be times when the water would be clear or low enough, Joshua would come to the water’s edge and gaze upon it.

This was the first place he experienced God’s promise to him as the head leader.

Verses 10-14 — The Priests Displayed God Well

The Priests served as the people’s advocate leading up to Jesus’ becoming our High Priest.

It was the Priests job to make sure God was seen well and seen properly.

This was huge due to what they are going to build in Gilgal.

How they represented God then, would be how others would possibly see God in the future.

It was there responsibility to maintain proper and holy worship in order to have God’s favor; His presence.

If they had done anything wrong with the ark of the covenant, the waters would have come crashing down on them.

Can you image the casualties!

Example: There was a time when the ark was put on a cart. It about tipped over, someone touched it, and they died.

The Priests were providing an opportunity for God’s people to put to death a former pattern of disobedience and resurrect to a new life of obedience.

Galatians 2:20 “20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Romans 6:4–5 “4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

After everyone crossed over, the 12 men carried their stones out, and Joshua erected a memorial pillar in the river bed, then the Priests marched out of the river bed.

However, they didn’t move until God said they could...

Verses 15-18 — Completion Is Declared By God

A declaration of completion of God’s plan can only come from God Himself.

The attention is once again on the “feet” of the Priest.

God works through human flesh to carry out His plan on planet earth.

Every born-again believer should have a desire to be used by God!

Verses 19-24 — Leaving Answers To Future Questions

Take notice to where these memorial stone are being erected!

Gilgal; the very place where they would make camp just prior to marching around Jericho.

What would be the significance of that?

We need reminders of maintain our faith in God’s plan in the present moment.

This memorial had a far reaching purpose beyond the present.

Here are some things that these stones teach us:

Remember God’s powerful loving work.

We are vulnerable to forget what God has already accomplished.

We should take time to give thanks to God.

It is a privilege to make provision for future generations.

God favors cooperate unity.

God’s perfect will if for the earth to be filled with His glory again.

Conclusion

For us today, we are to see the importance of God building pillars in our own hearts. Not just for us, but also that we might go forward and build pillars in the hearts of our family and friends.

The kind of mindset that you’ve got to have in order to do what they did. You can’t be so “past” oriented that you end up living there. We must be “future” oriented.