Friday 6 September 2024
“When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ ... so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (vs 21-24)
Background
This chapter of the book of Joshua concerns marking the event of crossing the RIver Jordan with a stone memorial intended to last for the generations to come. Crossing the river was not itself the thing that mattered; the important thing was recognising and remembering that it was due to God’s action.
The 12 stones of the memorial represent the 12 tribes of Israel (descended from the 12 sons of Jacob). Each tribe chooses a representative to carry and place their stone. Manasseh in verse 12 is a 'half-tribe' because the descendants of Joseph also encompass the offspring of Manasseh’s brother Ephraim. The tribe of Levi formed the priesthood and did not have a land holding.
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had asked Moses (see Numbers 32) if they might be allocated land east of the Jordan rather than land yet to be conquered on the west side. That had been agreed provided their fighting men joined in the battle to conquer the rest of the land before settling in their inheritance, and that agreement is now being implemented.
Verse 14 affirms the fulfilment of God’s promise to Joshua in 3:7 that following the crossing of Jordan people will respect their new leader just as they had Moses.
That first verse of chapter 5 which concludes the reading reports the wider influence of the remarkable crossing of the Jordan in its flood season. We hear that the kings of the city states to be conquered lose heart expecting an impending defeat. The principle is being firmly established that it will not be military might that accomplishes the Israelite conquest but the power of Israel’s God. Israel’s opponents as well as Israel herself must acknowledge this.
To Ponder:
- Memorial stones of different kinds are common to many cultures. Have you discovered any that point to a story which made a profound impression on you?
- Without concrete reminders do you think we forget too easily the great things God has done? Is this why Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper?
- The stone memorial will provide a visual aid for each coming generation to teach their children. If you have children do you (or did you) teach them about God or did you rely on church staff to do that?
Prayer
We thank you Lord for the gift of memory, and the way in which it can be kept alive by retelling shared stories, giving us strength and hope in the present. We pray for those whose memories are destroyed by brain injury or diseases of ageing, that being held in your memory and the memory of loved ones they might still know themselves loved and treasured. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Stephen Mosedale
Stephen is a retired Methodist minister living near Exeter. He served in West Africa and Scotland and was a New Testament tutor at Cliff College.