Joshua’s Stone in the Jordan river

 

What do the 12 stones in the Jordan River mean?

Shortly before crossing the Jordan River, God commanded Joshua to take one representative for each tribe of Israel and take a stone in the middle of the Jordan River, a fully dried river, and assemble it at the riverbank, as a Memorial stone. 

The Memorial stones of Joshua

Let’s explore why it became a memorial

The story can be read from the biblical account in the book of Joshua, chapter 4. 

Verses 1-9 

“When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and 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.” 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.” So 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. Joshua 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.”

Joshua‬ ‭4:1-9‬ ‭NIV  ‬‬https://joshua.bible/joshua-4-9

The instruction of God to Joshua

The miracle of God signifies the memorial. A memorial that will be known throughout the ages. First from this generation God had chosen, and passed on to their children. 

We can see a very clear instruction from God to Joshua about the collection of stones in the middle of the Jordan River. Why? Because for the second time, God is performing another miracle. This time, The parting of the Jordan River! 

The most popular miracle of God in the life of the Old Testament Israel is the parting of the Red Sea, the second miracle is often neglected. To mature believers, for sure, they know this fact and the meaning behind it.

Today, we will know better if you encounter this for the first time. 

God told Joshua to gather men, one in each of the tribes of Israel. Then the high priests that carry the Ark of the Covenant walked on the Jordan River, while stepping in the river paved the way and made a dry path for the whole nation to pass over the river Jordan. In the middle, where the high priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, they stopped and let the 12 men with the whole nation cross, each took stones as God instructed them to do. 

People passing through the dry ground

This is the final moment, the miracle of God’s protection and provision. 

Verses 10-19

“Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. The men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war. That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. On the tenth day of the first month, the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4:10-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/jos.4.10-19.NIV

The Ark of the Covenant was the first to stop in the middle

The high priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went first and stood in the middle. While passing through, the river was cut off and made a clear way for the people of Israel to walk again on very dry ground.  

 

Then God’s God’s 40,000 armies, led by the 12 leaders representing the twelve tribes of Israel, each took a stone on their shoulder and carried them over to the riverbank at Gil gal. 

Up until all the people of Israel crossed, the high priests then walked toward the other side, where everyone stayed. Immediately, the Jordan River was closed, and the water returned to its normal flow. 

Finally, the twelve stones were laid at Gilgal

God told Joshua to lay those stones at the edge of the river. A place called Gil gal which literally means “gal as round, gilgal, rounded twice”, can signify God’s second round of miracle turning or rolling away. 

Verses 20-24

“And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘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 what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.”Joshua‬ ‭4:20-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/jos.4.20-23.NIV

 A Remembrance that Israel crossed Jordan on dry ground

What an amazing God! I'm in awe of what just happened! The same God telling them to remember this thing, the stones will be your sign to remember what He has done. 

This will be told by grandparents to their grandchildren, passing on to generations. 

To summarize, the story is one particular event that was highlighted in detail. As if watching a movie that shows the main attraction or the action. It shows the crossing, before and after, but what signifies the story are the stones that were taken in the middle of the Jordan River. Stones that were under the water finally got exposed and were taken out as well to stand on dry ground at the other side where the whole of Israel crossed. These stones now became a monument of the memorial. 

Another significant highlight is the high priest carrying the Ark of the Covenant. While crossing, the Jordan River opened and gave way to the high priests, who stayed at the center. A stationary point where the Ark of the Covenant was with them, a heavy load that was carried a long time till all were able to cross. 

And lastly, the twelve stones. Not just the stone, but the number 12, representing each of the tribes of Israel. 

Conclusion

3 significant elements depict the typology of Jesus Christ and the believers. 

1. The stone that was taken out of the deep waters of Jordan, first the river where they are hid, was cut off and became dry so that the 12 leaders Joshua assigned could see them and pick them to transfer to a permanent dry ground. 

A temporary drying of the water, exposing them, taking them out, and transferring to a dry ground on the other side to a permanent dry ground. Mo more water that can hide them, instead become a remembrance for people seeing them over there.

Does that speak to you as to how God picked you up from the midst of your sinfulness? As the Ark of the Covenant stood in the midst, carried by the high priest, the stone was finally set free from the covering of deep water. 

2. The High priest, carrying the Ark of the covenant, stepped on center bearing the heavy loads, till all crossed. 

Does this speak to you about Jesus Christ, in the middle of the Day, was hanging on the cross? When he had to bear the sins of the world. Not until all passed, did he die but rose again on the third day. 

This is a typology of Christ in the Old Testament story. 

All that passed, will no longer go back to the other side because it is totally closed, a “gulf fixed” that only Jesus Christ could let you pass from “life to death”.

3. The third is the word Remembrance or Memorial. Above all, the work of God is on display. This will be set to stand for us to remember. What will signify the monument's standing? The Cross of Christ! This will remind us of the Love of God for us, He made a way to bring us out of the bondage of our sinfulness, making our High Priest stand bearing God’s covenant, and giving us the assurance and promise of eternity in Heaven with Him on “dry ground”

We have now “passed over”, to the other side of the river. 

John 5:24

““Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://john.bible/john-5-24

Have a blessed day!

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