THE WITNESS OF A MEMORIAL

Pastor Jerry Rockwell

THE WITNESS OF A MEMORIAL

Joshua 4:1-24

Introduction: When you go to Washington D.C. you find the city is filled with memorials. There is the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the memorial to the fighting men who died in war at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and we could go on. Did you ever think of the purpose of a memorial? It is designed to remind future generations of the things and people that are worth remembering. When a nation forgets its past, it begins to lose its way. Memorials are important in people’s lives. 

Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem titled “Recessional.” It was written in 1897 at the coronation of Queen Victoria in England. It had a refrain after each stanza, “Lest We Forget.” There is an importance of not forgetting. 

This is what the passage before us is about. Israel crosses the Jordan, and in the process, Joshua erects two memorials. He sets one up in the middle of the Jordan River, and then he sets one up on the shore at Gilgal. These two memorials offer us a great deal of instruction if we pay attention. We want to do several things with this text. First, we want to learn about memorials. Second, we aim to understand the purpose of these memorials, and third, we seek to explore the spiritual application of these two memorials.

It is worth noting the reference to this event in the New Testament at 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. An explanation will be explored at the conclusion of the examination of the event and what is recorded in Joshua 4. It is worth noting the way God emphasizes the importance of the book of Joshua in the New Testament. We often think the Old Testament is not important and even believe, like Reformed preachers, that the Old Testament is a non-entity. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. 

1. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEMORIALS, Joshua 4:1-7. Here, Joshua gives instructions to the people of Israel regarding the stones and their placement. There were twelve men, one from each tribe, who were to take a stone from where the priests stood that carried the Ark of the Covenant and take it to the shore where they were going across Jordan. There was a pile of twelve stones in the middle of the river where the priests stood with the Arc of the Covenant and another pile of twelve stones on the shore of the promised land at the city of Gilgal. These two piles of stones for a memorial will be explained later. Joshua is following the instructions God gave him for the crossing of the River Jordan into the promised land. The purpose of the “memorial” (vs. 6) is to be a witness to future generations. Note: Joshua 4:6 (KJV) That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?  

1. THE PRACTICE OF THE MEMORIALS. The two piles of stones will give us a significant application later in our study. 

1. The External Witness, The Stones at Gilgal, Joshua 4:5-8, 19-21. According to the text, this place was Gilgal (see Joshua 4:19-21). We will learn more about Gilgal and its significance at a later time. For now, please note that this is where the memorial is to be placed. The twelve stones that were taken from the midst of the river were to be placed there. These were to serve as external witnesses to the event, which took place miraculously when they crossed the River Jordan. As we saw in Joshua 4:6 a reference to the use of the stones as a witness to coming generations of God’s miraculous work in taking the children of Israel across the River Jordan to the land He had promised. Look at Joshua 4:21–22 (KJV) ²¹ And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? ²² Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. This is an important principle for Christians today of having a testimony of the things God has done in our life that demonstrates the power and provisions God provides

2) The Internal Witness, The Stones in the Midst of the River, Joshua 4:9-13. We are told that Joshua placed the second group of twelve stones in the river where the priests stood with the Ark of the Covenant. We are told that these stones are there “unto this day” (Josh. 4:9). In other words, they were to be an eternal witness. These stones were not visible to the public eye and were not there to be observed. Yet they were there and made a witness that was to be forever. This will have significance for us later.

2. THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE MEMORIALS, Joshua 4:6, 24. “Perseverance” means doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success—persistence in accomplishing a task.

1. The Relationship with God, Joshua 4:6-7. This first group of stones was for a specific purpose. It was so that future generations would know of God’s work among His people. God wanted the children to know of the God that they had served and to see His power demonstrated on their behalf. These stones were intended to serve as a reminder to future generations of God’s faithfulness and to reaffirm that He is trustworthy and cares for His people. 
2. The Relationship with the World, Joshua 4:24. The second group of stones was to be placed in a public place for the world to see. According to this verse, they were to be a testimony to the “people of the earth” (Josh. 4:24) as to how the mighty hand of God had worked on behalf of the people of God, and that the “people of the earth” and the people of Israel would “fear the Lord your God for ever.” [Emphasis added.] Please notice that the statement is that the people of the earth might fear YOUR God. 

2. THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THESE STONES, Joshua 4:1-9. As we have said many times, the Bible has three applications: the historical application, the doctrinal application, and the personal/spiritual application. We have looked at the historical application. It was clearly designed to demonstrate to the people of Israel and the nations around that God was faithful and wanted to demonstrate His power in the people who called on him as a witness to the nations around of who He was. The doctrinal application has a setting in the Tribulation when Jesus (the real Joshua) will lead His people, the remnant of Israel, into the land and establish His millennial reign on the earth on the throne of David. We must remember Luke 1:32, He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. Then there is the personal/spiritual application which answers the question, “How does this apply to me?” We want to look at this part of the passage. What does all of this mean to me? The activities of the people of Israel took place nearly 3500 years ago. How can it have any meaning to me? There is a significant meaning to this story that we dare not miss. God wants us to realize that these things happened for our edification, that we too might have hope. (Rom 15:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Cf. Rom. 16:26; 1Cor. 10:6.)  We know from these verses that God wants to teach us something as well. The meaning of this section of the scripture has a definite application that we dare not miss. 

1. The Stone Memorial in the midst of the river, Joshua 4:9. There is a meaning that the believer needs to remember. This is that God made a definite provision that will provide an eternal testimony to His faithfulness. 

1. That is the death of Jesus Christ as the payment for our sin. Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. This is a memorial that was not visible to the average person. There had to be a witness to this pile of stones that went beyond the ability to see them. There had to be a story told about what had happened on this important day when God moved back the waters. Look at Romans 5:6, 8. (Rom 5:6)  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Rom 5:8)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (1Co 15:3)  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. These stones picture the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf that we might enjoy the benefits of the new life.
2. That the picture of death be applied. Look at Romans 8:34, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” There is another picture that accompanies this application. These stones were buried in the midst of the Jordan River. They could not be seen but they were always there. Look at Romans 6:3-6. ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. The direct application of this matter is seen in the ordinance of baptism. The meaning of the stones in the river for the believer is comparable to the matter of baptism. It is a one time act that demonstrates that the believer has gone through death by their faith in Christ. That is what Romans 6:4 is about. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

2. The stone memorial on the bank of the river at Gilgal, Joshua 4:5-8, 19-21. Joshua wanted a visible picture to the people and generations to come. Notice that Joshua says these stones were to be a witness to the generations to come in two ways. 

1. First, they were to be a witness to the faithfulness of God and a demonstration of His power, Joshua 4:7. Has God done anything significant for you lately? We have a visitation ministry in our church, and we have an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how the Lord can meet needs in a life and demonstrate His power. You see, there is a significant difference in the world’s programs in trying to help people with spiritual problems. They are all mainly “self-help” programs that say, “I can do it.” They are like the story about the little train climbing up the mountain, and it was struggling with the steep grade. He kept saying, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…” and finally he made it to the top, and on the way down he said, “I know I can, I know I can, I know I can…” The major difference is that Christians believe that the only way to overcome struggles with sin is to allow God to demonstrate His power in their life. Do you know about Romans 1:16? It says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Look at Romans 13:1. It says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” You see, the only power from above is from God. The only way to have any dependence on the “higher power” is to have faith in God, who is the only power. If there is any power available, it has to be from God or sanctioned by God. The context here, of course, is government power, but we can make a sure application to our particular situation. We must understand a critical aspect of this matter, though. Here we see a picture of the element of the Christian life that corresponds to baptism.
2. Second, they were to be an opportunity to answer the question, “What meaneth these stones?” which is stated in Joshua 4:6 and Joshua 4:21. One of the important aspects of the Christian life is the part about being a witness. We build memorials for our children in everything but spiritual matters. We teach our children how to hunt, fish, work on the car, mow the grass, build something and many other things that are helpful and important. But why do we leave out the most important matter in life? Why do we fail to teach our children about the faithfulness and power of God? Why do we place spiritual thing in a category that if I get time we will address those things. The word “witness” occurs 119 times in the Bible. Over half (64 times) the word occurs in the New Testament. Listen to these: Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. We must build memorials in our life that others might ask why we believe the things we do. 1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. I read one time about a lady who had been charged for teaching her 2-year-old daughter to smoke marijuana. What was really dumb in the matter is that the lady videotaped the little girl smoking the pot and then she placed it on YouTube or Facebook for everyone to see. Evidently, someone was disturbed by what they saw and turned the lady in to the police. There is a secondary application here. Perhaps you don’t have a testimony to share with your children. Three times in this chapter, there is the statement “your children” (Joshua 4:6, 21, 22). What are you teaching your children? Do they know about the power of God in your life? Do they know of the faithfulness of God in your life? If not, why not?

3. Application from 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. The fact that this passage is a mention of the event of Joshua 4 is a significant point. God wants believers to understand the importance of the Old Testament.  We want to do a brief exposition of this passage and point out the things that are significant for every believer. One verse here is to be explored briefly, 1 Corinthians 10:6 (KJV) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. The first five verses make several applications that are important. 

1. Baptism., verse 2.
2. Spiritual meat, verse 3.
3. Spiritual drink, verse 4a
4. Spiritual Rock, which is Christ, verse 4b.
5. Pleasing God, verse 5.

Conclusion: Can I ask you about your ability to tell your children about the power of God in your life? Is there any evidence that God has done anything significant in your life? You see, we need to make a memorial in our lives for all to see. Without the witnesses of God’s provisions and providence in our lives, we are not accomplishing what God wants to take place in our experience on this earth in direct relation to our walk with Him in salvation.