Memorial Stones
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 41 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Sometimes the confluence of rivers makes for a spectacular photo.
For instance, confluence of Rhone and Arve rivers in Geneva, Switzerland.
Rhone, as it leaves Lake Lehman, has a deep blue color
Arve, which receives water from many glaciers before flowing northwest into the Rhone on the west side of Geneva, carries a much higher level of silt, and looks muddy brown
The place where the two meet is marked by a clear but jagged line that looks like the edge of a dark cloud in an approaching storm
In Passau, Germany, you have the confluence of the Ilz, the Inn and the Danube rivers
Ilz is a relatively small mountain stream with a bluish color
The Inn is a fairly large river flowing in from Salzburg, Austria. The Inn river has more water flow than the Danube, yet flowing away from the city, the combined rivers are called the Danube.
In our study of the Scriptures, I believe we have arrived at a confluence of several rivers:
In the book of Hebrews, we have looked at the eternal redemption that Christ obtained for us when He entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, and on the basis of His own blood, not that of goats and calves.
This gave us opportunity to look at that long river of Redemption that began way back in Genesis and flowed right through all the books of Scripture and spanning millennia.
In our Scripture reading this morning from , we read about singing a new song to the LORD, blessing His name, and proclaiming good things of His salvation (deliverance) from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
This God of mighty deliverance is greatly to be praised and is to be feared.
The writer of Hebrews draws our attention to the fact that the death of Christ that effected redemption, has enabled the people of God to receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Tomorrow, Americans across the country will remember the men and women who died while serving the country in order to give us our liberty.
We have a day set aside called Memorial Day to remember their sacrifice.
The Scripture places great importance on remembering - and in fact has many forms of memorials:
One such memorial was the erection of stones...
A long time ago, the children of Israel stood at the banks of the Jordan with a similar promise of receiving their promise of inheritance - the Promised Land.
They erected 12 stones as a memorial at the command of the LORD
Therefore, I would like to preach to you from Joshua chapter 4 on the topic: Memorial Stones
Therefore, I would like to preach to you from Joshua chapter 4 on the topic: Memorial Stones
Would you please turn to Joshua chapter 4 - we will read the 1st 9 verses
1 Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,
3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’ ”
4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;
5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
6 “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.
9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.
The children of Israel were on the verge of some of their best days and some of their most challenging days of their lives
On the one hand, Moses had just died - the great and revered leader was no longer with them, and a whole generation of people who saw the wondrous miracles in Egypt had also died in the wilderness
On the other hand, the children of Israel were at the edge of the Promised Land, with God’s assurance that many blessings awaited them.
Humanly speaking - it was one of the hardest times to enter the promised land - but where God had good things in store - it was a land flowing with milk and honey
humanly speaking - one of the hardest times to enter the promised land - but where he has good things in store - milk and honey
As we work our way through this account, we must remember that, good circumstances and bad are of no consequence to God:
He is Sovereign: He is in the charge of the flood waters
He is Steadfast: He is faithful to His promises - what He has said He will do
He is our Security: We are safe when we obey His commands regardless of the circumstances.
He is Strong: His power alone is sufficient, and we must remember His mighty deliverances.
The crossing of the Jordan was not just historic, it was an very important event in the life of the children of Israel in its immediate context.
The crossing of the Jordan was not just historic, it was an very important event in the life of the children of Israel in its immediate context.
As we work our way through this account, we must remember that
good circumstances and bad are of no consequence to God - He is in the charge of the flood waters
The Promised Land lay before them, but the nations that surrounded them had giants, and were very strong.
In addition, the swelling Jordan which overflowed its banks at this time of the year stood between them and God’s promises.
The crossing of the Jordan was not just a miraculous event, it played a significant role in the redemptive history of Israel
The crossing of the Jordan was not just a miraculous event, it played a significant role in the redemptive history of Israel
That is why God commanded them to establish a memorial
There are several important examples of Biblical memorials...
Biblical memorials:
Biblical memorials:
they hurried to the battle
12 men - ch 3:12 - chosen men - strong backs - carry the stones out of the water - Gilgal about 8 miles away
Iwo Jima, Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington monument, Vietnam, Holocaust, 911 memorial, pink for breast cancer etc.
Reformation, The Lord’s Day, Communion
dedication of the temple
- test and refine the faith of the Israelites
Man’s responsibility?
Motive of the conquest
wait, watch, wash, walk, witness
- memorial for our deliverance
what sinful habit has the Lord delivered you from?
smoking, drinking, gambling, lying, swearing, drugs, bitterness, jealousy, complaining
Do you remember when God delivered you?
Men would choose gold/sliver, but God chose just commonly available stones - set them apart for a most holy purpose
Biblical memorials:
Day:
Day:
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
The Lord’s Day
Memorial Day - gone to war that we might have liberty
Writing
Writing
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
Personal Diary
Name
Name
God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.
Offering
Offering
‘Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it.
‘He shall then bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests; and shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
“You shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the sons of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”
And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
When we give to the LORD, though it is consumed quickly, it remains a memorial before the everlasting God
10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
Name engraved on a stone
Name engraved on a stone
“As a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall set them in filigree settings of gold.
“You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial.
God’s people are inscribed on the palms of His hands...
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
But here in Joshua, we are concerned with the Stones of Memorial...
But here in Joshua, we are concerned with the Stones of Memorial...
Look at v.7
7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
The account of crossing the Jordan actually begins in chapter 3
The account of crossing the Jordan actually begins in chapter 3
When you read through this account, what you discover is that the emphasis is something that you might not have expected...
The focus is on the “ark of the covenant”
Chapter 3: v.3, v.6 (2x), v.8, v.11, v.13, v.14, v.15 (2x), v.17
Chapter 4: v.5, v.7, v.9, v.10, v.11, v.16, v.18
Ark of the covenant represented the presence of God
It went before them into the waters
It was brought up last after all Israel had safely crossed over
When God is about to bring about a mighty deliverance, He prepares not only the circumstances, but also the people
When God is about to bring about a mighty deliverance, He prepares not only the circumstances, but also the people
The people had to wait
The people had to wait
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed.
2 At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp;
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed.
Josh 3:
v.1 “lodged there” - why? why not take them straight through?
v.2 “end of three days”
Wait and contemplate the impossibility
The people had to watch
The people had to watch
3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’ ”
Josh 4:3
“when you see the ark of the covenant”
*
Their eyes were to be on the LORD - as we saw the emphasis was on what God was about to do - the ark was the representation of His presence
The people had to consecrate
The people had to consecrate
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
4 “However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”
“Consecrate yourselves” - cleansing, setting apart, consecration
The commander had to command
The commander had to command
8 “You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ”
Josh 3:
Throughout this narrative, you will find that there is complete obedience
LORD commands Joshua to command the priests, and he obeys
The priests obey Joshua’s command
The 12 men obey the command
All Israel obeys
The event was a confirmation of what God was about to do in the Promised Land
The event was a confirmation of what God was about to do in the Promised Land
10 Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
Josh 3:
“you shall know that the living God is among you”
The people had to walk
The people had to walk
The priests
13 “It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap.”
The people
Josh 3:
14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,
The event described in a couple of verses!
The event described in a couple of verses!
15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),
16 the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.
Josh 3:
What kind of coverage would you see in the news channels today if something like this happened?
God’s emphasis is not merely on the miraculous - but the One behind the miracle
This is nothing short of stupendous!
Just like the Red Sea Crossing-
23 “For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
People not crossing in a single file! Broad way
Adam - city unknown, probably about 15 miles upstream (“a great distance away”)
When the people crossed over, the Jordan overflowed its banks again!
18 It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.
Josh 4:
Lastly, the people witnessed the glory of God themselves
Lastly, the people witnessed the glory of God themselves
17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
priests stood in the middle of the Jordan until “all Israel crossed on dry ground”
Command to establish a memorial comes after deliverance
Command to establish a memorial comes after deliverance
1 Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
What sinful habit has the Lord delivered you from?
smoking, drinking, gambling, lying, swearing, drugs, bitterness, jealousy, complaining
Do you remember when God delivered you?
J
2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,
12 men - ordinary, anonymous men - most important task
We don’t have to be Joshua’s, just consecrated people ready for the service of God
representative of the whole nation
3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’ ”
Very specific location
“middle of the Jordan”
“the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm”
5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
Josh 4:
“take up a stone on his shoulder” - not in your hand, indicating some size
common thing like stones - men would have made a memorial of gold or precious stones
God simply consecrates the common things for Himself
The big question - about the significance
6 “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
Josh 4:6
Answer in v.7
Answer in v.7
7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
“the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD”
Don’t miss the punch line - before the ark of the covenant of the LORD
This is a testimony to God’s covenant loyalty to His people - nothing will stop/hinder God’s purposes.
Jordan’s violent gushing water is of no consequence in God’s sight
21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matt 1:21
37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
The people obeyed...
The people obeyed...
8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.
Josh 4:
“the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded”
Joshua, overwhelmed with gratitude, sets up 12 stones in the midst of the Jordan too!
Joshua, overwhelmed with gratitude, sets up 12 stones in the midst of the Jordan too!
9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.
Josh 4:
“to this day” - perhaps visible when the Jordan river ran low
vv.10-11 People hurried and crossed (it came about quickly, no problems, glitches), Priests came out last
vv.10-11 People hurried and crossed (it came about quickly, no problems, glitches), Priests came out last
vv. 12-13 Sons of Reuben, sons of Gad and half tribe of Manasseh obeyed
vv. 12-13 Sons of Reuben, sons of Gad and half tribe of Manasseh obeyed
v.12 “crossed over in battle array” - Promised Land not handed over on a platter
12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
Obedience throughout
Obedience throughout
Joshua, Priests, People, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh
Rewards of obedience?
14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.
Exaltation
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
Significance of this event in redemptive history of Israel...
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.
consecration of the Passover lamb
Josh 4:
celebration would coincide with the remembrance of this memorial
Not just for that generation...
Not just for that generation...
21 He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’
22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’
23 “For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
your responsibility to your children
have you personally experienced deliverance?
What is God’s ultimate purpose in the erection of the Memorial Stones?
What is God’s ultimate purpose in the erection of the Memorial Stones?
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Worldwide evangelism
Worldwide evangelism: “all the peoples”
God’s reputation goes before Him
God has not changed, nor His power weakened
Evangelism in Leonardo
Church-wide sanctification: “you may fear” - one of the plainest ways to demonstrate this is by obedience
Gratitude
Illustration: Toyotal Avalon
Illustration: Toyotal Avalon
Application:
Application:
Do you remember?
Can you establish a memorial of some sort?
What does that mean?
purpose - 4:24 peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, you may fear the Lord your God forever
forgetfulness —> unfaithfulness —> wickedness
forgetfulness —> unfaithfulness —> wickedness
“Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me. “I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Shout for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For the Lord has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.
Iwo Jima, Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington monument, Vietnam, Holocaust, 911 memorial, pink for breast cancer etc.
they hurried to the battle
12 men - ch 3:12 - chosen men - strong backs - carry the stones out of the water - Gilgal about 8 miles away
dedication of the temple
Iwo Jima, Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington monument, Vietnam, Holocaust, 911 memorial, pink for breast cancer etc.
Reformation, The Lord’s Day, Communion
dedication of the temple
- test and refine the faith of the Israelites
wait, watch, wash, walk, witness
- memorial for our deliverance
smoking, drinking, gambling, lying, swearing, drugs, bitterness, jealousy, complaining
Do you remember when God delivered you?
Men would choose gold/sliver, but God chose just commonly available stones - set them apart for a most holy purpose