Jos 4:6-7 | KingComments | STEP | Twelve men each take a stone from the Jordan to the bank. These stones are erected in Gilgal as a memorial for their offspring. Twelve other stones are erected by Joshua in the middle of the Jordan, also to serve as a memorial. The number twelve represents the whole people of God. The stones in the Jordan are on the place where the ark stood. There is, as it were, unification of the people with the ark at the place of judgment. It is the same for us. The believer is judged in Christ: “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” ( ). But the ark has also come out of the Jordan again. The twelve stones on the bank of the Jordan remind the believer that with Christ he died, is buried and raised up: “Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” ( ). The water cannot flow back yet, because twelve stones have to be taken from the depth of the Jordan. This must be done by the twelve men who have already been set apart for this ( ). They have to go to the place where the priests are still standing. From the place where the priests’ feet stand, they have to take up twelve stones and carry them into the lodging place. These stones should become a sign for them and their children. The sign speaks of the Lord Jesus for Whom death is over. If later parents and their children walk along the sign and the children ask about the meaning of the sign, the parents can say that this is the place where they entered the land. For us it means that we tell our children that the death of the Lord Jesus gave the entrance to the land. It is a reminder of the fact that He was dead, but has now risen and is in heaven. The sign is on the bank of the Jordan. The sign does not only refer to the death of the Lord Jesus. It is not just a sign that the ark has been there. The sign consists of twelve stones out of the Jordan. Twelve is the number of the tribes that together make up the whole people of God. Therefore the sign also indicates that the twelve tribes have been in the Jordan. It represents to us that Christ has been in death and that we have been there with Him. Likewise, it represents that He is risen and we with Him. We stand in Him on the shore, in the land of the living. Are we talking about this with our children? The experience of being dead and having been raised with Christ is not an experience we gain only once in our lives. Once again we have to see the sign on the bank. We will forever see the Lamb “standing, as if slain” ( ).

‏ Joshua 4:6-7

Introduction

Twelve men each take a stone from the Jordan to the bank. These stones are erected in Gilgal as a memorial for their offspring. Twelve other stones are erected by Joshua in the middle of the Jordan, also to serve as a memorial. The number twelve represents the whole people of God.

The stones in the Jordan are on the place where the ark stood. There is, as it were, unification of the people with the ark at the place of judgment. It is the same for us. The believer is judged in Christ: “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col 2:11).

But the ark has also come out of the Jordan again. The twelve stones on the bank of the Jordan remind the believer that with Christ he died, is buried and raised up: “Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col 2:12).

Twelve Stones as a Sign for the Children

The water cannot flow back yet, because twelve stones have to be taken from the depth of the Jordan. This must be done by the twelve men who have already been set apart for this (Jos 3:12). They have to go to the place where the priests are still standing. From the place where the priests’ feet stand, they have to take up twelve stones and carry them into the lodging place. These stones should become a sign for them and their children.

The sign speaks of the Lord Jesus for Whom death is over. If later parents and their children walk along the sign and the children ask about the meaning of the sign, the parents can say that this is the place where they entered the land. For us it means that we tell our children that the death of the Lord Jesus gave the entrance to the land. It is a reminder of the fact that He was dead, but has now risen and is in heaven.

The sign is on the bank of the Jordan. The sign does not only refer to the death of the Lord Jesus. It is not just a sign that the ark has been there. The sign consists of twelve stones out of the Jordan. Twelve is the number of the tribes that together make up the whole people of God. Therefore the sign also indicates that the twelve tribes have been in the Jordan. It represents to us that Christ has been in death and that we have been there with Him. Likewise, it represents that He is risen and we with Him. We stand in Him on the shore, in the land of the living.

Are we talking about this with our children? The experience of being dead and having been raised with Christ is not an experience we gain only once in our lives. Once again we have to see the sign on the bank. We will forever see the Lamb “standing, as if slain” (Rev 5:6).