The hand of the Lord is powerful and He can do impossible things. What is impossible and illogical is possible for our God.
The twelve stones served as a reminder of God’s mighty power and God’s faithfulness to His promises for the younger generation. Let’s think of some “reminders” that would help us to teach God’s faithfulness to our children and the generations to come.
When we have troubles and temptations like floods of Jordan ,God can dry them up if we follow Him as He directs. It also reminds us to leave a legacy of good Christian life to our children and grand children and the generations to come by our walks and talks.
In this passage Joshua asks the people to pick up 12 stones from Jordan river. He uses that as a reminder to show that God can do miraculous things.
“That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him…” (v. 14). Joshua gained reverence not through something he did but through something God did. This is lasting reverence…true leadership, dependent on God
God knows that children ask good questions. God wants parents and Christian communities to have “reminders” to generate good questions.
Israel set stones up for reminders so that they can tell their children why they did it. The reason they set the stones up was that they crossed the Jordan river on dry land. We should put reminders when God does miracles in our lives.
(3:15-16) As soon as the priests carrying the ark of the covenant reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.
-(v18) As soon as the priests carrying the ark of the covenant set their feet off of Jordan river the water started flowing through again.
-If we carry the Word of God in our hearts and minds, God will be with us, God will be in us, we can feel His presence, He will guide us, protect us, and do miracles in our life, we can see His miracles, and use us to do His Will.
After doing everything that the Lord commanded him to do, Joshua exalted God in the sight of all Israel. Joshua didn’t praise himself instead he exalted God in the sight of all Israel. We should be just like Joshua.
vv. 21-22 “This may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come”The purpose of this memorial stones is to teach our children about the great things God had done, so that God’s work would not be forgotten among the young generations. We should teach them to trust in God with all their heart..
v5,v8 “Each men carry it on their shoulders by their own…..”–The 12 stones didn’t appear there as a miracle, the 12 men carry it by themselves.
Like that in everything there is our part to obey God and to work for God.
We all have a greater responsibility to take the truth of God and pass it down to our generations.
We have to trust God in every aspect of our lives. Our God is a powerful God who can perform unimaginable miracles.
22 …’Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’- all people see that as a river & tough to cross over, but for Israel, it was a dry land.
– when people see it as a big problem and when they feel, we can’t manage, we should walk through like Israelites crossed Red sea & Jordan.
– I feel our testimony is more important than laying stones. Crossing Jordan comes first then laying of stones.
– Our focus should be on crossing Jordan. When we focus on laying stones, we could loose focus on the main topic.
– I felt uncomfortable when many female members goes for Sunday school teaching (50 % of church female strenth in TUCC?) loosing the main sermon. Are we focusing more on laying stones?😳
– I don’t say it is not important but it is not good loosing church sermon. Some preachers put so much effort to prepare Sunday sermon, which shouldn’y go waste. May be a separate School after Church service…