Today’s meditation is taken form Joshua 4:5-8, “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.” And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the LORD told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there.” (ESV)
The twelve stones as a memorial
These are the instructions that Joshua received from the Lord as the Israelites stood before the Jordan which was full and overflowing. The people were to carry twelve stones, each stone represented the twelve tribes of Israel, from the place where the priest stood carrying the Covenant Box. Each of these stones were to be kept on the other side of the River Jordan as a memorial. God wanted this to be done so that the generations to come would be reminded about the wonders that God performed especially in parting the Jordan, to help the Israelites reach the Promised Land. The Lord had parted the Jordan, and made a way for the people to pass through. Nonetheless, God also knew that the future generations would certainly forget all that He had done for their fore-fathers, and hence decided that it was necessary for them to carry these stones as a memorial to teach their children about the wonderful signs God had performed on their behalf.
We as parents motivate our children to excel in their education, and also take much effort to help them develop other skills like music, sport, art etc., but we lack in our enthusiasm to teach our children about who God is, and about walking in His ways. If our children refuse to go to school, we coax and encourage them to do so because we realize that this is important for their future. However, when it comes to attending church or Sunday school we don’t insist, but give in to the excuses that they make. Often we think that our children should be well-educated, should secure good jobs, build a healthy family, and have a great future. Sadly, if we fail to teach our children to love the Lord and follow Him, the world will surely teach them to follow their ways.
Let me give you an example of how the world is in total conflict with God’s word. The word of God teaches us to wait for Him. God’s word reminds us that they who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. However, the world teaches us to possess things immediately. This creates a huge divide between God’s ways, and the ways of the world. Here are some examples to help drive home this point. As per the government orders in India, an individual can apply for their driver’s license when they turn 18. Oftentimes, parents will allow their children to drive their vehicles even before that stipulated age, though they may have some sort of apprehension about the same. Sometimes, parents even feel proud that their children are able to drive from a very young age, not realizing that they are actually encouraging them to break the law from a young age. It is good for us to teach our children to live the way God’s word exhorts us to live right from their childhood. Another example is of those who have been caught in the debt trap because of the allurement that says that they could clear their debts with easy instalments. The world is enticing us with the thought that there is no need to wait for anything, and that everything can be got immediately.
Our God is a God of order and discipline, whereas the ways of the world are disorderly and disruptive. We may notice that our children are being beguiled to live the ways of the world from things as simple as a hair-styles, and the clothes they wear. Our society has become so accommodating that what seemed unacceptable in yester years is now considered fashionable today. We must teach our children to dress modestly, and live in a way that is pleasing to God. It is our duty to teach our children about God, about faith, and about who God is for only then the generations to come will be blessed by the Lord.
The twelve stones that the people carried across the Jordan River were a witness to the generations to come of the wonders that God performed for the Israelites. This was a memorial not only for Joshua’s generation, but for all those generations that were to follow after him.
The twelve stones that got submerged
We also read in Joshua 4:9, “And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.” (ESV)
There were two sets of stones that are mentioned in this passage. One set of twelve stones were carried by the people as they crossed the Jordan, and were kept at the bank of the river as a memorial. The other set of twelve stones as mentioned in the above verse were kept at the place where the feet of the priests who stood bearing the Covenant Box had stood. The former twelve stones were carried away as a memorial, but these twelve stones were covered by the waters of the river Jordan, and symbolized God’s judgement.
These twenty four stones represented all of the Israelites who had been delivered from the bondage in Egypt. On that night when the Lord delivered them all of them, they had to stay indoors, slay a lamb without blemish, and smear its blood on the door-posts and lintels. They were all under God’s protection, all of them crossed the Red Sea, all of them ate the manna that God rained down from heaven, and drank of the water that gushed out of the rock. However, only some of them reached the Promised Land. The twelve stones that got across the Jordan represented those who made it to the Promised Land, while the twelve stones that were submerged signified those who couldn’t make it. There were two major hurdles that the Israelites had to cross before entering the Promised Land.
One of the hurdles we have to cross is sin. God the Father through His Son Jesus broke this bondage in our lives by the death of Jesus on the cross on our behalf. Everyone who believes in Jesus is free from their sins. The Lord who then leads us through this life which is a wilderness like experience, expects that our sinful nature should be destroyed. There are many who claim that they have been forgiven of their sins and curses, that the blood of Jesus has cleansed them, have received the gift of salvation, and also believe that they will inherit heaven, but are still struggling to break free from some of their sinful desires. The outcome is that instead of them destroying these fleshly desires, those fleshly desires are destroying them.
The people God was not pleased with
We read about this in 1 Corinthians 10:5, “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (ESV)
The above mentioned verse emphasizes that though all of the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, all of them had been fed with manna, and provided with water in the wilderness. Nonetheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and hence were destroyed in the wilderness. God had delivered them from cruel bondage, but sadly most of them were unable to enter the Promised Land.
So many people are trying hard to be rid of their sins, and no one can do it in their own strength. Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, and believe that the blood of Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sins are saved by their faith in Jesus, and are set free from their sins. Those who have been saved go through the waters of baptism just as the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and enter into this new covenant with the Lord Jesus.
Nonetheless, as we journey through this wilderness, the Lord expects us to do something in order to enter heaven.
Put to death the desires of the flesh
We read in Romans 8:13, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (ESV)
There are two points that we need to take note of in the above mentioned verse, one is about death, and the other about life. The ones who live according to the flesh, and those who do not destroy the deeds of the flesh are sure to die. These deeds include pride, jealousy, anger and the list goes on. God will not destroy these for us, but He strengthens us so we can destroy the same.
Let me give you some examples from the bible and you will understand this point better.
We looked at two sets of twelve stones, one that reached the other shore, and ones that got submerged in the waters. We are trying to understand why these twelve stones got submerged and did not reach the other side. These twelve stones that got submerged symbolize those who failed to destroy the deeds of their flesh.
Aaron- the people pleaser
We read in Exodus 32:23-24, For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (ESV)
As the people of Israel journey through the wilderness, Moses was on the mountain communing with God. Under those circumstances, when Moses was delayed in returning the Israelites sought Aaron to make gods that could go before them. We do not know what came over Aaron who was a man called, chosen and sent by God, who had stood before Pharaoh, and had crossed the Red Sea. However, when the people asked for gods instead of dissuading them, and teaching them that what they sought after was against God, he took all the gold that they brought and cast it into an idol, which all the people worshipped.
When Moses descended from the mountain and questioned Aaron the above mentioned verses were his reply. The problem was the Aaron wanted to please the people.
I am not sure how many live a life that seeks to please others though they may be aware that they are doing wrong. We are called to take a stand to follow what is right no matter what, and if we do not do so, we can be sure that this habit of pleasing people will destroy us. This people pleasing nature must be discarded from our lives, and we must be those who seek to please God alone. There are those who are believers who at some point have become people-pleasers, and this will become harmful for us. This is one of the deeds of the flesh that we need to overcome failing which this will overcome and destroy us.
Pleasing God no matter what
Paul says it this way in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (ESV)
There are those who will be walking strong with the Lord, but sometimes they will allow some friendships to divert them from the path. This is why we have to put aside this nature to please people, and seek to be God-pleasers at all times.
Saul – jealous and insecure
Recently I saw a video where a person parked a very expensive car in front of a shop. A person who came by that way made a long scratch with their key all along the side of that car. This was captured by cameras. The reason for such a behavior is jealousy which literally changes the nature of a human being into something that it’s not supposed to be.
An apt example of this is King Saul, who was an ordinary man whom God elevated to be King over Israel. Saul was accompanied by David to battle, and every time they went together the Lord gave them victory. After one such victory when they returned home there was a jubilant welcome, and the women who came in procession sang, and danced saying the Saul killed thousands, but David tens of thousands. This song irked Saul so much that he lost the joy of the victory in battle, and as jealousy filled his heart, Saul’s only aim was to kill David. Not wanting David to obtain the throne, Saul spent the rest of his life in hunting down David.
Jealousy is a dangerous thing, and if not dealt with and destroyed, you can be sure it will destroy you.
God was with David
We read in 1 Samuel 23:14, “And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.” (ESV)
There are many who are fighting hard to maintain their position or status, and are willing to do anything to acquire or maintain the same. This attitude is the result of the seed of jealousy and hatred that Satan has subtly sown in their hearts. Let us ask God for strength to overcome jealousy failing which we will be destroyed by it.
Judas Iscariot – unfaithful in money matters
We read in Luke 6:12-13, “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:” (ESV)
Think about the blessed privilege that was Judas’ to be part of the chosen twelve disciples of Jesus who were closest to Him. However, Judas had a weakness for money, and lacked integrity in handling finances.
We read in John 12:6, “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (ESV)
Isn’t it sad that this kind of greed was found in a disciple who walked closely with Jesus, whose heart was not for the poor, but was a thief who helped himself from the money bag? Jesus could have changed Judas’ heart if He wanted to, but that is not so, as God wanted him to make the right choice.
Here’s an important principle we need to keep in mind. God is willing to help us when we want to change, but for the changes to happen, we are expected to do our part. If we want the lusts of the flesh to be crucified in our lives, we have to take the effort to do so. Without doing so, even if we are the most regular to attend church, or have even been one who has built a church, all of this is to no avail if we have not dealt with our fleshly desires. We may take pride in our accomplishments or even may receive praise from men, but it means nothing to God. Let us ask the Lord to help us deal with hatred, anger, jealousy and every other fleshly desire that rules over our lives.
Judas was so obsessed with money that he got into wrong company.
We read about this in Luke 22:4, “He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.” (ESV)
This love for money made Judas Iscariot plot with the chief priests and officers to betray the Lord Jesus. Judas’ life had a tragic end.
As children of God only if we destroy all those fleshly desires can we be like those stones that reached the Promised Land. Ask God for strength to overcome every sinful desire or else we too will become like those twelve stones that got submerged in the waters of the Jordan. God desires that we be those stones that will stand as a memorial, and a testimony for God, and it is up to us to make the right decision.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
