Joshua 4:4-7 & 21-24
So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you.
In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."
He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
Take the time to read all of Joshua 4, along with chapter 3. This will help you better understand the context of the words we will examine. The book of Joshua describes the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land; this is after 40 years of wilderness wandering.
What is the nature of the memorial that Joshua asks the men to make?
What are they to do? Why?
Why is God concerned with telling the Story from one generation to another?
How does the Exodus story get tied to the crossing of the Jordan?
In what ways do we tell the Story to our children?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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26 comments:
Sorry about this being late. I may tell you why later. We'll see!
I think I know why! He's lucky it wasn't worse!
I love the fact that God has the people tell the stories from one generation to the next. Practically, this was the best way to pass along information. Writing paper and tools were still very primitive and cumbersome (I think) at this time. But psychologically hearing this from your father or grandfather brings life to the story; it makes it closer to your heart! Much better to hear my father's voice in person than have him write me a note that I'm supposed to read all the time.
I also forgot about crossing the Jordan on dry ground. I've heard recently about archaelogical explanations into the Exodus, tying the plagues and the Red Sea crossing to a volcanic eruption. God's hand was involved either way to have prepared the people, but in this case God absolutely directly stopped the water. Amazing!
Pp is making reference to my son Luke's little Saturday night adventure.
He left the house about 7.45 to go to Curt P's for a little while and then later catch up with some friends for a meal of second hand smoke at Golden Gables.
About 15 minutes after he left I am in my office working away on Sunday's stuff, which is unusual for me (and frustrating). I hear Kedra calling to me: "Luke is OK but he's flipped the Bronco!"
Automatic response: "What!?!" Repeat: "Luke is OK but he's flipped the Bronco!"
Repeat: "What!?!"
I go immediately and get my work clothes and we rush to the scene. Very unsettling! The Bronco is upside down, wheels pointing to the sky, precariously positioned at the top a hill, lights on. Luke is standing there by it.
Too many thoughts too unpleasant to express.
Long story short: we go get my dad's truck, flip it back to wheels downward, pull it home.
The body is destroyed. Most of the windows are broken out, and it is twisted and dented. The frame and everything else seems fine.
Luke is already talking about fitting it with a truck body...
This happened Saturday night, the eve of his departure back to Lipscomb. It was hard enough to let him go back after a nearly a month at home. Somehow this little Bronco busting made it a little harder.
Allen, Glad to hear that Luke is ok. I am sure it was a scary time for you and Kedra. pat
Something else i like about the "second crossing" is that it happened to the "next generation" of Hebrews that weren't there for the Exodus. I can see it as God's way of saying "just in case you've forgotten, it was I who brought you to this place, and I am your God too! I will provide and care for you if you acknowledge me and worship me." I think we get those reminders in our lives now if we will just look for them. Reminders that say God is present and active now as He was then.
Glad Luke is okay, that must have been so scary for him.
PP you are so right to point out that what worked back then still applies now. It also gives me the opportunity to share a story.
A little background...Luke went into a residential center in July. He didn't do well there and was eventually moved to a different one. While this was in the works to move him, I had googled my cousin, who has the same name as a cartoonist and I had been curious to see if it was him. I had been planning on looking him up for months if not years and one morning when I came home from work, so very tired and sleepy, something told me to just do it, just look him up. Well he wasn't the cartoonist, but he was in there, he is an assist. director at ball state, and I emailed him.
His first email back said he and his wife were frantically trying to arrange for his son to go to a residential high school in terre haute. I said was it gibault, and he said YES! His son has Aspergers, which falls under the Autism umbrella, and though they have had many problems with him he had not had to leave home before. He just turned 17. So I was able to help them with this painful journey. Now his son is there, just got there jan 5th and already Luke has helped his son feel more comfortable there. And having someone else to talk to about our sons has really helped both of us. God's timing is so very perfect.
Annette
Good thoughts, PP!
There is a huge difference between the written and spoken word.
The Words of the Bible are meant to come alive in our lives; to be "spoken" by the way we live, by the stories we tell.
"The Word is living and active..."
Jesus is the Word become flesh. He did not come to abolish the Law and Prophets but to fulfill them, to live them out in the flesh.
We are called to do the same, right? We take in all the stories of The Story and then, with the help of the Spirit, live them out in our lives.
We incarnate the Word.
I really like your observations on the generations. Excellent point.
Thanks, Annette, for sharing that story of encouragement.
I am going to wait and study the text tomorrow. I want to be fresh and clear minded. I did read Joshua 3 and 4 today. You really need to read chapter 3. I just love verse 3
Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
Wow!
I actually used that verse back when we were trying to persuade the congregation to build the FLC.
It worked!
It's hard for me to believe that it will soon be 9 years since we broke ground on the FLC. It has been a wonderful tool so far.
I am going to go out, here in a little while, and gather 12 rocks; large ones I hope.
I am going to construct a rock pile on the stage for Sunday. I hope to get some pebbles and pass them out to the kids during "Kingdom Kids" time.
I figure I better get the rocks this evening, because I think everything is going to be so frozen after tomorrow that I won't be able to get them.
Just read about the boys, Uz and Buz. No kidding! Read Genesis 22:22.
Got the rocks and the pebbles (not fruity or cocoa).
I put the big rocks in the back of my truck, thinking I might need a little weight in there tomorrow. I think we might get around an inch of snow. We'll see.
Getting ready to head up to Jay's for the Men's study. I really like this ever-changing group.
I wrote this to my family this morning:
I was talking to someone yesterday about Luke’s Bronco busting. This guy made a really good point that was illustrated with Luke’s experience. He said when you are traveling in a vehicle you should always keep your cell phone on your person somehow – in a pocket, etc. A lot of us place them somewhere in the car, but in an accident everything goes flying everywhere. If you don’t have your cell phone on you somehow, then you might not be able to find it to call for help.
Good advice.
We had a really good Men's Bible study last night. We talked about speech, but we didn't go the usual places (cussing, swearing, temper tantrums, etc.). We talked a fair amount about how to speak words of blessing and encouragement rather than the opposite. Speech-control was a governing idea.
A lot of guys shared a lot of good, powerful stories. I was struck that we had 3 guys in the room that have been delivered from a life of drugs and alcohol. They all spoke of that deliverance and connected it with speech - past, present, and future.
Fascinating.
In Joshua 3 and 4 speech plays a huge role, and of course speech is the means by which the Story is transmitted.
A pile of rocks precipitates a question, which calls for an answer.
Makes you wonder if we should live "questionable" lives? In other words, do the lives we live become a source of inquiry (hopefully for the good!)?
Why are you joyful? Why are you at peace? Why are you...?
Memorials play a huge part in the lives of people. the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the Wailing Wall, Vietnam Memorial, cemetaries, the Lord's Supper, etc. But in each case, the memorial only means something to the person that has a personal connection to what the memorial represents. So while the rocks are a great visual, it maybe wouldn't have the impact that it would have for a Hebrew in the middle east.
My question is this: What memorials do people (Christians and non-Christians) in southern Indiana have to draw them closer to and remind them of the important things in life (faith and family in particular)? I'm drawing a blank, other than the Lord's Supper and a grave stone. If there is a hole there, is this why the building where a church meets can become somewhat sacred to some? If so, that is much more understandable to me than I've accepted in the past.
This is worth watching!
Good thoughts PP.
The rocks will be a good visual, AND they are reminder to tell the Story. The Story SHOULD have the same impact on us as it did for the original participants, right? Isn't that the point of telling the story and actively remembering it?
I think there are lots of things that can become powerful reminders of what is important. My family has had a nice Christmas Eve meal for years. Kedra fries chicken and makes a wonderful meal that we eat by candlelight. We drink sparkling grape juice, and during that meal I speak words of blessing/affirmation to each member of our family. This year Maddie was included of course, and we moved the meal to another night but it didn't matter. I think the meal itself, the food and the way it is presented, becomes a powerful reminder of who we are, have been, and will be. It's a part of our family story.
Not sure if that's what you are talking about...
I think church buildings can become very important to folks, and I don't see that as a bad thing. It can be if it becomes a hindrance to Kingdom work, but for the most part I think there is comfort in familiar surroundings. Church buildings are full of precious, sacred memories for lots of people. I think we should honor that.
Thanks for your good stimulating thoughts/comments!
Thanks for those insights into your family traditions. Yes, that's the sort of thing I was thinking about, I love that you do that! My family used to get a real Christmas tree every year the day after Thanksgiving and spend the day decorating it and the house. It was a great family day we always looked forward to. Unfortunately we aren't doing that anymore, but I think that reminder is enough to draw me closer to family and live a thankful to God.
The rocks SHOULD do that for us if we recognize their God is our God. It would work for me, and that's a start!
I have seen the attitude toward a physical building unite and divide, or perhaps the doctrine or theology that involves a building. But I think history will show most of us that the meeting place where so much good takes place will be remembered more for the good times than the bad or nothing at all. That should definitely be honored! I try more to keep that in mind when approaching my brothers and sisters, and especially my elder brethren when dealing with minor issues! :)
That video is powerful! I love the transparency and dependence on our God!
They've already announced a 2 hour delay for tomorrow for the schools.
Been working on our passage some more.
Crossing the Jordan at this time, during flood stage (Josh. 3:15), would have seemed impossible to the people. They are crossing at an usual spot at an "impossible" time.
Imagine the priests’ feet touching the (flood) water and the water starts stopping! It piles up several miles upstream.
As soon as the feet of the priests leave the river bed the waters return. Imagine it!
The Ark, which represents the presence of God, leads the way, watches over the process, and then, presumably, goes to the place where the people will camp.
This story is tied to the Exodus Story.
What is the point of telling these two stories?
0 degrees. That's cold.
Last night my class considered Joshua 3 and 4. It went OK. You know how some classes are better than others? This one was OK.
Near the very end of the class I think we found the sermon that I'll be working on today.
We talked about the importance of knowing the Story of God's deliverance as seen in crossing the Jordan and the Red Sea. These two are linked in Joshua 4:23, which then calls for a response in verse 24.
When we tell that story we need to make reference to what Joshua says in 3:4a. Talking about the Ark, which is symbolic of God's presence, he says to watch it.
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.
How many times in life do we find ourselves not sure of which way to go, since we've not been that way before?
The Story tells us to know, to trust, to look for the God of deliverance. Let him lead.
Minus 7 this morning!
Just finishing up my sermon this morning. I like it, which means you probably won't. ha ha. It amazes me: the sermons I usually don't like/feel that good about are the ones that people seem to enjoy. Mystery.
I don't know if I have told you or not but I am working with a group of guys from different parts of the country on this series of sermons. This is a result of the preaching conference back in October.
My cohort has guys from Indiana, Nebraska, Texas, and Michigan in it. Gary is a part of the group and is doing a great job of helping with worship and other insights.
It's pretty amazing how all of us see different things and end up preaching the same text in different ways. Even though that happens we gain so much from the interaction. I am finding it very helpful.
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