Josh (09-28-08)
Sept 28, 2008
“Pass it on” Josh 4:1-24
When we come to Ch 4 we might as well be speaking about the exact principles we are trying to teach here at the Rock … that is / passing along to the next generation the wonders & the truth of our Lord
Why did God tell Joshua to take 12 men ( one from each tribe ) & tell them .. to take a large stone from the middle of the Jordan River ( v20 ) & carry them to Gilgal / abt. mile from Jericho
Read Josh 4:1-24 Pray
From the beginning of time God has been concerned over what is taught / known about Him ( especially to the next generation ) … so He commanded us .. we who believe in Him to tell everyone about our Lord
These stones were just that … a reminder of what God did for His people & the world ( v24 )
( note ) 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
& He ordered each believer to teach the next generation .. about who He is
Josh 4:21-24 ( teaches us just that )
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 Red Sea which He dried up before us until we had crossed
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
( turn with me to Deut 6 )
This is exactly what & why we teach every parent who comes here to dedicate their children to the Lord …
In reality .. we teach them clearly that they are dedicating themselves to teach their children about the wonders / truths of their God
Read with me again in Deut 6:4-7 ( we read )
4) hear O Israel the Lord is our God .. the Lord is one
5) you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your might
( then Moses writes )
6) these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart
( why .. well look )
7) you .. shall .. ( what ) you .. shall teach them diligently to your sons & you .. shall talk of them .. when you sit in your house & when you .. walk by the way & when you .. lie down & when you .. rise up
( as you can see .. this is our responsibility )
To an unbeliever / or uninformed person the heap of 12 stones was simply just another .. pile of stones
But to a believing Israelite …
( But to a believing Israelite ) … these stones were .. a constant reminder that Jehovah is their God / thru faith in Him & that He does wonders for His people
& they were to relate that story to their children
Dr McGee writes of these 2 events in this particular fashion …
of why there were 2 separate removals of the stones from the River & placed .. in & out .. of the River
The 12 stones taken out of the Jordan & put on the west bank of the river / in Gilgal were a reminder of God’s tremendous power on Israel’s behalf / His resurrection & His life
( then Dr McGee writes )
As we know .. Christ went to His death for us & so .. the 12 stones were put into the water as a representation .. of His death
But .. the 12 stones taken out of the Jordan & put on the West Bank of the river were to represent .. His resurrection [1]
It seems logical to me that these stones taken out of the River & placed in Gilgal … would represent .. a risen Savior a Savior / Messiah that they looked forward to & One .. whom we look back upon
I don’t think it is stretching scripture to say that those incidents ought to remind us of the death & resurrection of our Lord
( But here is the sad part of our faith & the warning we have from God about our walk with Him )
It is unfortunate to note .. that in time we are told that this memorial at Gilgal gradually lost its spiritual meaning …
& instead .. it became a shrine where the Jews sinned against God by worshiping idols there ( the Prophet Hosea / & others .. ie: Amos ) condemned the people for worshiping idols at Gilgal
Hosea 12:11
is there iniquity in Gilead surely they are worthless
in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls
yes .. their altars are like the stone heaps
beside the furrows of the field / ie: worthless
( Amos 4:4 & 5:5 echoed the same warning )
Listen .. there is a strong lesson here ( for every one of us who believes ) … & it is .. that we are obligated to teach the next generation ( 1st thru the family .. & then the church )
We are to teach the truth about our Lord or they too / the next generation of believers. might turn away & start following the world & its idols [2]
The monument at Gilgal reminded the Jews that God had opened the Jordan River & brought them safely to the Promised Land & they had made a break with the past … & was never to consider going back
Whereas the monument / the 12 stones placed in the depths of the river reminded them that their old life was buried & they were now “to walk in newness of life”
As Paul reminds us in ( Rom 6:1–4 )
1) what shall we say then .. are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase
2) may it never be how shall we who died to sin still live in it
3) or do you not know that all of us .. who have been baptized into J.C. have been baptized into His death
4) therefore .. we have been buried with Him thru baptism into death so that .. as Christ was raised from the dead thru the glory of the Father so we too might walk in newness of life
The Greek word .. baptism / baptizo here in Romans has no connection with water it speaks only of .. identification
We too are identified with Christ in His death & when He died .. He died for us
His death was a substitute for our death & when He rose from the dead then we rose from the dead too
& we are joined today to a living Christ thru His identification within our lives thru the wonders of baptism [3]
You see .. whenever the Jewish children asked about the 12 stones at Gilgal
Their parents would have to explain to them the miracle of crossing of the river by God’s grace .. on dry ground
( But then they would have to add ) …
But there is another monument … in the middle of the river / that you cannot see where the priests stood with the ark on dry ground .. so we could pass
( You can’t see it .. but it’s there … which I believe is extremely important )
( why is their not seeing the stones important to the next generation )
Because right away .. it reminds them / us that our old life has been buried with Him
& we must now live a new life in obedience to the Lord .. by faith alone
You see the importance of their not seeing these stones … the children would have to accept this fact .. ( how ) .. by faith because they could not see the stones [4]
Without question .. faith is everything to our lives as Christians it was then .. & it is even now .. to this day
Hebrews 11:6 reminds us of this truth
& without faith .. it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God .. must believe that He is & that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him
By the way .. there is nothing wrong with memorials … provided they don’t become .. religious idols that turn our hearts from God & link us to the past .. so that we fail to serve God in the present
Glorifying the past is a good way to inhibit / hinder the present & rob the church of its power .. today
Those of us who are mature in our faith we have an obligation unto the Lord & it is .. to the next generation who need reminders of what God has done & who God is within their lives today but these reminders must also strengthen their faith .. today & draw them closer to the Lord .. today
Verses:
Deut 6:4-7
Hosea 12:11
Rom 6:1-4
Heb 11:6
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[1]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 4:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 4:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.