Central Text: Joshua 4:1-11; 24:27
The central text picks up with the Children of Israel under the leadership of Joshua starting their claiming of the Promised Land after the death of Moses on Mount Nebo. Chapter 2 is God showing favor and provision of God through Rahab and chapter 3 the children of Israel begin the crossing of Jordan. God parts the Jordan like the Red Sea not because of a lifted staff but because His presence goes in front (That is a sermon in itself). The children of Israel numbering anywhere for 1-2 million are passing through the dry riverbed and God tells Joshua to turn around after the people have completed passing. He tells him to take twelve stones from the side of the Jordan they came from and carry it with them as they passed by the Ark of the Covenant. They set up a monument on the other side and Joshua sets up a monument in the middle of the Jordan before the waters recede. These were placed there as Joshua explains, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 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. (Joshua 4:6-7 ESV)" The stones are for the children to be taught and to not forget. This is vitally important. We have to lay milestones in our lives for those that follow us (spiritual brothers and sisters). Also, these markers are as Joshua at the close of his life declares, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God. (Joshua 24:27 ESV)”
I have always been intrigued and enthralled by the Old Testament. I really cannot put my finger on it really. Maybe it's the colorful stories, the very human and often superhuman characters, the consistency of God in judgment, prophecy and encouragement. In my reading the Old Testament, I find a recurring theme of remembering and forgetting. The central character is really a nation of people. God built the nation of Israel on a promise to Abraham and Sarah and we follow the story of God's people through the rest of the Bible. This cyclical theme flows through the whole bible. When the children of Israel remembered God and what God had done they did not sin and prospered when they forgot God and what He had done they chased after other gods, other ways of doing things and this led them into bondage and exile. There is safety in remembering God. Why!? I am glad you asked remembering God's track record breeds trust. Young worshipers look back at your own life, take stock and make a deliberate effort to mark milestones where God has truly blessed and brought you out.
But as much as this is about the stones, this is more about the danger of forgetting the stones. The enemy loves to blind our eyes of the past. Shielding our eyes in the foggy clouds of forgetfulness. The poet James Weldon Johnson in the third of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" describes the descent this way, "Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee. Lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the word, we forget Thee;" The poet calls forgetfulness inebriation of the world. Look throughout the Old Testament you see the children of Israel fall into the cycle of addiction. Their addiction? The things of the world. They started sober (in the will of God), made some decisions because they saw the prosperity of the world. One sip of this wine turned into a drink at the bar, just like functional alcoholics they became nominal in the pursuit of God to the point of complete inebriation. This is where they forgot God and what he has done. The more the wine takes hold, the less the power and voice God becomes evident. But, God in His unfailing love was with them in their drunkenness and He sent prophets and judges and righteous kings and ultimately exile to place them in spiritual (covenantial rehab).
But, what about us? What about me and my situation? I am glad you asked. For they were born into covenant, we were born into the wine of the world. All we know is the drink of the world, we were born drunk. But God!! Jesus came to break the cycle, break the chains designed to keep bound. To kill the drunkard and replace that with himself. This is not rehab through detox and temporary sacrifice, this is a rebirth marked by a stone. "The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner (the head of the corner). This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." (Ps. 118:22-23 ESV). This Stone (Christ) is at the heart of the new temple (the Church, cp. 1st Cor. 3:16-(17)), so that we will never forget. Because Christ is now in our heart, does that mean the enemy stops his enticement? Absolutely not!!! Satan is emboldened to bring the wine of the world. John the Apostle describes the taste of the wine, "For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and desires of the eyes and pride in possessions." (1st John 1:16 ESV). We are not immune...let me say it again...We ARE NOT IMMUNE-->Salvation never promised immunity from the vicissitudes of life. What salvation promises is overcoming power (cp. Romans 8:26-39). Overcoming is rooted in relationship with an all-powerful God and relationship is born by never forgetting what God has done, will do, and has promised to do. So place down the bottle of the world and drink the cleansing water of the Word and Always remember Jesus.
Be Blessed,
Ernest
