Steven A. Bush - October 15, 2023
Crossing Jordan and Stacking Stones
Joshua 3:17 summarizes Israel's Jordan crossing: "Now the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan." (ESV) A day of covenantal history was unfolding and while God's people were beside themselves with excitement, Israel's enemies melted in fear. But something unique takes place during this crossing and Joshua 4:4-7 fills us in: "Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 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, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 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.'” (ESV) The Bible has many stories involving stones. But of course the Greatest Stone recorded is that of the Stone the builders rejected Who became the Chief Cornerstone! Yes indeed--The Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ our Lord!
Scripture References: Joshua 3:1-17, Joshua 4:1-24, Joshua 5:1, 1 Peter 2:4-10, Mark 13:1-2