Unwavering faith
The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they stayed at Gilgal on the east side of Jericho. Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. He said to the people of Israel, “Your children will ask their fathers some time in the future, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then let your children know that Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed. It was just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed. Now all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is powerful, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4:19-24 NLT
The crossing of the Jordan River was completed. Joshua explained to the Israelites the significance of the memorial stones. The stones are not there to be worshiped but to turn people to God when they are reminded of His faithfulness. The reminder should promote an attitude of serving God. The next generations should be reminded of the great victories God provided for His people so that they too will be established in their faith to God. God brought them out from the bondage of sin and now they are to live their new lives. Same image is conveyed in what Christ has done for us. He brought us out from our dead spiritual lives because of sin and brought us into the newness of life (see Romans 6:1-4). Once we identified ourselves with Christ’s death burial, and resurrection we are now in our journey towards abundant life which will culminate in His return where we will experience eternal life. Just like what He promised, Joshua was honored by God because of his faithfulness. “On that day the Lord gave Joshua honor in the eyes of all Israel. So they honored him as a great man just as they had honored Moses all the days of his life” (Joshua 4:14). It was Joshua’s unwavering faith since the first command to the Israelites where they were told to believe God and trust that they will enter the Promise Land. But because their faith wavered, they did not realize the promise instead they wandered in the wilderness until they died. On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb remained steadfast in their faith and were rewarded by God. The effect of God’s actions demonstrating His power solidified the trust of the Israelites and sent fear to those in the west of Jordan for they realized that the Israelites were formidable foe because God was with them.
Blessings,
