Joshua 4:1-9

¹When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ²“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
⁴So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵and 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, ⁶to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷tell 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.”
⁸So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. ⁹Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

Forgotten Sins

God is all-knowing. He can remember everything from eternity and beyond. The things that He cannot remember are forgiven sin. Does God intentionally forget the sins He forgave?
In Hebrews 8:12, ¹²For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

When the Bible says that God won’t remember the sins He forgave, it does not mean that He has limitation on remembering. He decided to remove all forgiven sins from all historical archives and records. We need to repent of our sins to receive His forgiveness. God won’t bring out those sins He forgave when we commit similar sins. He decides what He wants to remember.

It says in Exodus 28:11-12, ¹¹Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal… ¹²and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord.

The Lord commanded that the names of the sons of Israel be engraved on 2 onyx stones attached on the shoulder pieces of Aaron’s priestly garment. The onyx stones with the names of the sons of Israel serve as practical exhibits that God remembers what He promised to remember.
Setting up stones as monuments have been practiced by humankinds to remember those significant occasions in history. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan, they set up 12 stones to remember their amazing experience of passing through the Jordan River on dry ground at flood stage. But why did God require 12 stone not one, five or more? To represent each tribe?!
In Joshua 3:12, ¹²Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

Joshua told the Israelites to choose 12 men from each tribe of Israel before the Lord told him to choose 12 men from among the people. Were the 12 men that Joshua told the Israelites to choose the same 12 men Joshua personally chose when the Lord told him to choose 12 men?
¹When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ²“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

Observe this! Joshua told the Israelites to choose 12 men from each tribe. The Lord told Joshua to choose 12 men from each tribe, too. Why did the Lord tell Joshua to choose 12 men when Joshua had already told the Israelites to choose 12 men? The Lord told Joshua to instruct those 12 men to take up stones from the river. The 12 stones served as memorial stone for future generation to know that their ancestor crossed Jordan River on dry ground at flood stage.

1. Future

⁴So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵and 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, ⁶to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’
The Lord wanted the Israelites to remember that particular experience. He also wants the future generation to know about it. Remembering what God has done in our life, counting the blessings God has given us helps to keep our faith in the Lord, especially during hard times.

When Joshua told the Israelites to choose 12 men, he did not tell them why they were to choose 12 men. But when the Lord told Joshua to choose 12 men, He instructed him to tell the 12 men he personally appointed to take up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River. When the Lord told Joshua to personally appoint 12 men, did God imply that Joshua should practice his authority and not relying upon people’s choices? Kind like, “You appoint Joshua, not them.”

Like many first time leaders, Joshua might have sensed some kind of doubts on his ability to lead. It was his first time to lead a whole nation. The Lord wants Israel to respect Joshua as their leader. When the Lord instructed Joshua, was it God’s way to exalt Joshua before them?
Flashback from Joshua 3:7, ⁷And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

God made it sure that His plans will be accomplished. When God chose Joshua, He knew the limitations, doubts and fears of Joshua. The Lord implied that when He chose Joshua, He won’t leave Israel into Joshua’s hands alone. The Lord was always there to encourage and give instruction to every step they will take in conquering Canaan.

Boy Scout

It is not a secret that many church leaders and even pastors could be frustrated. You might have heard the story of a young Boy Scout and his father who were walking on a narrow foot trail where there was a huge rock blocking their way. The Boy Scout told his father, “Father, watch me. I would move the rock out of the way using scouting techniques I learned!”
The young Boy Scout took a rope from his backpack and tied the rock. He tried but cannot move the rock. He tried what he learned from scouting but nothing happened. He was exhausted and discouraged. He sat down and started to cry. “My training is useless,” he concluded. His father smiled and pushed the rock out of the way without much effort.

Many church workers exert human efforts and trainings in church ministries. Most often they become exhausted and disappointed like the Boy Scout, why? It’s like: “Father, watch me!” Human efforts and trainings are helpful but ministry success is determined by the Lord. Ministry involvement is not about what we know or experience but how we rely upon God our Father.
If we do our best and let God do the rest, who would get the best appreciation? We who did our best, right? What would God get? God would get the rest of appreciation because we allowed Him only to do the rest. Learn to trust the Lord. Lean not on your own understanding.

Ministry involvement is expected to be joyful and easy. When the Lord said in Acts 1:8, ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… ministry involvement exhibits the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, not a witness to our ability.
Ministry discouragement is a result of dependence on human efforts. Joy and peace in the ministry testifies to the Lord’s presence. Learn from Joshua and the Israelites. They didn’t have swimming lessons but they crossed Jordan at flood stage. They simply relied upon the Lord that practically confirmed by those 12 memorial stones, a memorial to the people of Israel forever.

2. Forever

⁷tell 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.”

The Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of the Lord among Israel. Jordan River was the first hindrance to the fulfillment of God’s promise yet the Israelites were instructed to cross the river at flood stage. The Israelites learned that nothing can hinder the Lord to accomplish His purposes. Learn to trust the Lord. Learn not to lean on you own understanding.

⁸So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. ⁹Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

The 12 men carried stones from where the priests stood, right from the middle of the Jordan River not from the riverbank. Those 12 stones were reminders of the power and presence of the Lord when the Israelites hurdle the first challenge to their conquest of the promise land.
Not only that! The 12 stones exhibit Israel’s obedience to the Lord and his chosen leader Joshua. The Bible says that the Israelites obeyed just as Joshua had commanded them.

Ministry leadership is difficult but for Joshua, it seemed like it was very easy, why? Was it because Joshua had been trained under Moses or had experienced leading Israel against the Amalekites? Did the Lord choose Joshua as Israel’s leader because of those qualifications?
Joshua’s experiences were actually designed by the Lord to prepare him as a leader. The Israelites saw the wonders of God when they obeyed Joshua, the Lord’s chosen leader.

Interestingly, the name Joshua means “the LORD is salvation.” Joshua is the Hebrew form of Jesus. Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua. God’s people obeyed Joshua when they crossed Jordan into the promise land. That is a typology, a picture of believers obeying Jesus as they cross from old life into God’s promise of eternal life. Lean not on you own understanding.
The Israelites experienced the Lord’s wonders when they obey the instructions of Joshua. Similarly, believers experience the Lord’s great wonders, when we act according to the instructions of the Lord and not according to our best effort. Lean not on you own understanding.

When we sense hardship, struggle, and frustration in the ministry or even in our individual Christian life, it reminds us to rely upon the Lord. The Israelites did not do their best effort to cross the river at flood stage. They trust the Lord. Lean not on you own understanding.

We experience struggle and disappointment in the ministry or in our Christian life when we are pressured by what others might say. We want others to appreciate us, what we do.

It says in John 3:30, ³⁰He must become greater; I must become less.”

Let Christ be exalted in our life not us. Lean not on you own understanding.

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