Summary: Joshua was aware that we often forget the blessings God has given us. Joshua was not so concerned about his generation. What they had witnessed, he felt they could never forget. He realized that it is often not so with subsequent generations.
WHAT MEAN THESE STONES?
"Then Joshua spoke to the children of Israel, saying: When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ’What are these stones?’ Then you shall let your children know, saying, ’Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever." Joshua 4:21-24
I. The early history of Israel was punctuated with one miracle after another. The parting of the waters of the Jordan was one. From the miracles of the plagues in Egypt; the parting of the Red Sea; the quail, the manna and the waters of Marah in the wilderness; and now in the parting of the Jordan…Joshua could see God’s hand in delivering, protecting and providing for the children of Israel.
II. Joshua was aware of the fact that we often forget the blessings God has given us. Joshua was not so concerned about his generation. What they had witnessed, he felt they could never forget. Joshua realized that it is often not so with subsequent generations. Parents often fail in not reminding their children how God has blessed their lives over the years.
III. Although there has been no parting of the actual waters of the geographical Jordan in our lives...…the waters of so many symbolic "Jordans" have parted enabling us to pass safely over. God has brought us safely through times of economic adversity; illness and disease; discouragement and distress; doubt and fear; physical danger; loneliness; feelings of hopelessness and despair...just to name a few.
IV. Our "twelve memorial stones" are the wonderful memories we have of the many blessings God has given us. As long as our memory does not fail us, we will tell our children and our children’s children that God never fails nor forsakes His own.