REMEMBER GOD’S ACTIONS
Study: Joshua 4: 14 – 24
Background: Joshua 4
Devotional: Luke 8: 35 – 39
Lesson 2 September 12, 2026
Key Verse
When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. Joshua 4:21b–22
INTRODUCTION
Milestone, watershed moments in the lives of individuals, societies, …. nations are invariably memorialized, typically by monument or solemn occasion. Israel’s crossing of the Jordan River was one such event in the storied history of that nation.
God bound Himself by covenant to the nation over four-hundred years earlier (Genesis ??) and one plank in that covenant was He would give them a land.
It is therefore most important as we look at this Study Scripture to ask yourself what it is that causes a generation to abandon the love and passion that their forefathers had.
Accordingly, and for our benefit, we have to make this a personal matter and ask ourselves how our generation can stay motivated and passionate about the things of God and pass our passions to our children.
How do we pass our passion to our children? What are the foundational truths that will help us to do this as well as help us to remain faithful to God?
We are often reminded that children have many endearing qualities among them about them and one of the most important qualities among them is their tendency to ask questions that no one can answer.
We are sure you know very well that children have a lot of questions and though we think we have a lot of answers, somehow our answers rarely seem to coincide with our children’s questions.
For example, children have been known to ask the question, “How high is up?” or “How far is there? Or they might even ask you, “Why is Friday Friday or the easier question for some of us, “Why is Saturday Sabbath?
Some of us know very well that children are naturally inquisitive. But we should remember that that is how they learn. Their natural inquisitiveness is good.
Us parents like to forget that the naturally inquisitive spirit in children is designed by God to lead them into a knowledge of the truth.
So parents are given the opportunity to point their children to the view that Scripture takes. And that is what we will see underlined in Joshua Chapter 4.
God knows very well how forgetful we are and how unconcerned we often are about teaching our children the truth, and so God puts this Study Scripture in front of us to shake us up and have us read this account and tell it to our children so that we do not lose sight of the great achievement that is being discussed.
Remember that the achievement that we are reading about in the conquest of Jordan is absolutely unparalleled in history and there has been never anything like it before.
We know that the Canaanites who lived in the land formed city states which were laid out geographically in patterns designed to optimize their ability to support one another militarily, and so they had proven the way they structured things to make them absolutely impregnable. So one writer reminds us,
“They had stood against all the powers of the ancient Near East. Yet when Joshua and his group of ex-slaves invaded the land, within one generation they had displaced almost the entire population! That is something unique in history. It never happened before, and has has not happened since.
But those of us who know the Lord know that he is always doing highly improbable things—things he has never done before.
If you are facing a week in which you have some difficult decisions to make, or you are facing a situation you have never faced before, and you are casting about for a way of solving the problem or meeting the demand, remember that the Lord is always doing things which exceed our expectations, which are absolutely unparalleled in our experience or in anyone else’s.
If we let our lives be styled by the view of the Lord’s ability, he will do totally unique things in our lives—just as he did in the history of Israel. In a very brief time—22 25 years—this motley group of former slaves drove out a very powerful, deeply entrenched people”.
Our Study Scripture therefore calls the people of God, which we say we are, to remember to remember how good God is and how He maintains His purposes and how He keeps His promises.
We must admit that human beings by nature are very good at forgetting. And whether we like to admit it or not we as a people of God are very good at forgetting.
But we should remember that forgetfulness is the cause of all kinds of trouble and we find this out in our interpersonal relationships, marriage relationships, community relationships, and most troubling in our relationship with God.
It is not that the people of Israel did not know the need to remember for at various times in their history of redemption God had placed markers as memorials to remind the people of Israel of His mighty deeds. So after His mighty work of rescuing the people from Egypt and the institution of Passover God had told them “When your children ask you what this means, tell them this..”
We therefore have seen this call to remember at the time of the Passover and in Deuteronomy, in Ecclesiastes, and here in Joshua we find a repetition of this call to remember.
Now let us look at some definitions here. The word “remember” doesn’t simply mean ‘to bring to mind’. It means to focus on and reflect on a matter with love and devotion.
So when we look at salvation history we see in the New Testament Paul saying to Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ”.
Then we see the apostle Peter saying in his epistles, “It is right to refresh your memory….”.
And of course we know that at the last Passover and the first Lord’s Supper the Lord Jesus Christ Himself broke the bread and gave it to His disciples and when He did this He said,
“Do this in remembrance of me…”.
Now, let us give you a warning. In our modern culture we have adopted the idea that every question is important, especially if I am the one asking it. But do you not forget that in our fallen-ness we want to dictate both the questions that are really important and the answers that please us.
But in fact it is the Word of God that tells us the important questions.
And furthermore when God asks the question He provides the answers. So when you see the question in this Text, “What does it mean” it does not mean, “Whatever you want it to mean”.
This might be our practice in the modern world, but remember this our answers are not a biblical answer to any question in Scripture and it certainly isn’t the answer we are given in the Word of God.
So as we look at this Study Lesson we will have to examine what the “stones” mean for they mean something.
So we come back to this case of remembering, for we as Christians must remember that we have a biblical worldview, which as one writer states is
“One that begins with God in His holy majesty with power in creation, recognize that when God intervenes in his world he does so purposely.
So Joshua says the answer to the question is that, ‘God dried up the river Jordan before you until you had crossed over.
In the same way that he dried up the Red sea when he rescued his people from Egypt, God enabled the people to cross the river Jordan’.
So the people of God are to tell their children what God has done and the uniqueness of what God has done”.
The likelihood of fulfilment must have seemed more and more remote as the centuries slipped by especially now; what with the nation being slaves to the most power nation in that part of the world. But they arrived at the ‘Promised Land’ after a very eventful departure from Egypt and forty years wandering in the wilderness. Surely, the Covenant continued!
Memorials and monuments help people remember influential people or significant events. Some memorials serve a distinctly spiritual purpose in reminding people of God’s faithfulness and work. As the ancient Israelites entered the Promised Land, they commemorated their history and the mighty acts of the Lord for just such a purpose.
It is important that we look at the meaning of the Hebrew word for memorial given in Verse 7 for it means “to remember”.
Given the fact that we like to forget, memorials have frequently played an important role in biblical history. So we remember that at the foot of Mount Sinai Moses built an altar of stones to commemorate God’s covenant with Israel. We read of this in Exodus 12:14.
So we are not surprised when God commands most of the people to erect a memorial to what He has done for them.
So in our Study Lesson we will look at what ‘some stones’ mean before we have to learn to pay attention to God’s work on our behalf.
It is not so much a question as to whether we are working well for God, but whether we can see Him at work for us, says one Bible scholar.
And of course we all know that that the ultimate blessing for the people in the land was that God will be with them.
The fact that God is with us thus raises the question of our memorial stones, which we might need so that we can celebrate God’s blessing for us.
God took the descendants of Abraham out of bondage in Egypt and through the wilderness for the purgation of His people. Now the new generation stood on the threshold of inheriting the promises to the patriarchs. The focus of the Joshua narrative now shifts from the highlighting of the saving faith of Rahab the Canaanite woman to that of the ‘face’ of the nation.
The purged nation came to the Jordan River, which was at its flood stage at this time of harvest and faced a crisis similar to that of the previous generation, when Israel came to the Red Sea after leaving bondage in Egypt.
Entrance into the ‘land’ was an extremely important event, for it was the fulfillment of the promise of Yahweh who had miraculously brought His people to the Land.
This passage is a picture of faith and shows what happens when the people of God trust and obey Him.
All the succeeding events show that Yahweh regarded Israel as His possession. They were His people. Yahweh would now give certain commands to Joshua and he would communicate these commands to the people, who would be expected to faithfully follow the commands to the letter.
The River Jordan was another barrier that the children of Israel had to cross before they could actually begin to claim the blessings which God had in store for them. It was a moment that held tremendous importance, as the nation moved from being a loose association of tribes to becoming a nation.
The dealing of God with Israel over the centuries has many lessons for our individual lives and in the life of the church. God would have His people trust Him in all circumstances.
It might help us to keep track in some way of the things that God has done for us while being cautious in understanding that the attention to our testimonies should not lead us to think how great we are and how God has taken care of us rather than other people
The dramatic event at the river Jordan was an important chapter in the record. It indicates what God wants us to do and what will happen to those who trust Him and who are open to His leading.
Obedience and trust bring glory to God. God’s faithfulness to His promises was again dramatically demonstrated but the erection of a memorial to the occasion is a subtle that Christians tend to forget God’s pass mercies. Christians should habitually recall God’s mercies with grateful hearts as at the first.
Hopefully our Study will remove the mistaken idea that many Christians have: that once saved from the bondage of sin, that’s the end of their worry.
But here it is clearly pointed out that salvation is a beginning; for after that comes the matter of personal spiritual growth in service to the Lord. This involves going forward by faith. Faithlessness and unbelief must be rejected. The journey from Egypt to Canaan the promise land, should have only lasted a matter of days, however, as a result of their faithlessness and unbelief the Israelites endured forty years of discipline in the wilderness.
Like Israel, Christians have to go forward under the direction of God. They have to be people of faith and they have to believe God’s promises and obey His commands. The principle of faith has not changed. God’s promises have never and will never fail. God requires trust and belief and moving forward like soldiers in His army.
At this time, Joshua and the people of Israel did not know how they were to execute God’s plan in claiming the land, but they believed that the land was theirs. The Jordan River was clearly a formidable barrier, at least humanly speaking. It would take some sort of action on God’s part to provide the children of Israel a safe crossing.
What followed was the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River. Every miracle was intended to highlight the presence of the Lord with Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 3:7).
Priests carrying the ark went ahead of the people and entered the flood stage River. At that moment, the waters upstream stopped flowing, just as Joshua had promised (Joshua 3:14–16). As long as the priests and the ark remained in the riverbed, the Israelites could cross over on dry ground.
Joshua then selected twelve men, one from each tribe, and instructed them to each choose a stone from the middle of the temporarily dry riverbed (4:1–3). These stones are obviously very large and heavy. These stones were arranged in such a way as to serve as a sign or memory device to following generations regarding the Lord’s deliverance at that very location (4:6–7).
As today’s Lesson begins, almost all the Israelites have crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. Those who had not completed the crossing, namely, the priests with the Ark of the Covenant exit last (Joshua 4:10–13).
THE TEXT
Verses 1-13 detail the miraculous crossing of the flooded Jordan River and the erection of two memorials; one at the place of the west side encampment and the other curiously in the now dry Jordan riverbed!
Notably we read that warriors from tribes of Rueben and Gad along with the half-tribe of Manasseh cross with the rest of the tribes. Moses had granted these tribes inheritance on the east side of the Jordan conditioned on their joining their brothers in the conquest of the west side.
14. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel. And they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
Here the Lord fulfilled an earlier promise “magnify Joshua in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee”
(Joshua 3:7). The Hebrew word translated magnified carries the idea of becoming in some way “greater” (Genesis 12:2; 1 Kings 1:37). The Lord’s exaltation of this newly installed leader gives complete confidence to all Israel. Although the Israelites belong to distinct tribes, they are united as one nation; they all put their trust in Joshua as their leader.
… And they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
This was the Lord’s doing! ‘Feared’ can mean either feelings of terror (Joshua 8:1; 10:8, 25) or reverential respect (Psalm 111:9). Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea and into the wilderness, and the people showed him reverential respect (Exodus 14:31).
Now, Joshua is something of a “new Moses”, someone in the vein of Moses who would lead the Israelites. At this point, Joshua has only led the people across the Jordan River and barely into the Promised Land but he was a seasoned military leader. Still, awed by the miracle just witnessed, they obey and respect him as they did Moses (Joshua 1:16–18). Their future as a nation depends on their obedience to Joshua, the Lord’s appointed leader.
Not all leaders of ancient Israel received the same level of respect and support from the people. God chose other leaders, only for those leaders to falter. The examples of Saul, David, and Solomon come to mind (1 Samuel 15:23–24;
2 Samuel 12:7–9; 1 Kings 11:9–10). Although Joshua would later act imperfectly (Joshua 7:2–5; 9:14–15), he served God and Moses faithfully throughout his life.
The record of that service describes him as a “young” assistant to Moses (Numbers 11:28). Moses trusted him implicitly with important tasks. (Exodus 17:8–14; 24:13; 33:11; Numbers 13:16).
Moses gently rebuked Joshua on one occasion (11:28–30), but such is the relationship between mentor and protégé. By the time of the death of Moses, Joshua already had years of experience and servant leadership with the people.
15. Now the Lord said to Joshua,
As the era of Joshua’s leadership continues, the Lord is again communicating His will for the new leader of the Israelites. Indeed, the Lord continues to do so throughout the book (Joshua 1:1–9; 3:7–8; 4:1–3; 5:2, 9; 6:2). Joshua cannot claim ignorance regarding his knowledge of the Lord’s commands. Christians have the Lord’s commands at their fingertips!
16–17. Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan. Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
The Ark was a rectangular wooden box, overlaid with gold, that contained the stone tablets of the law given to Moses (Exodus 25:10–22; 37:1–9). It served as the focal point of tabernacle worship because it was the symbolic location for God’s presence and revelation for the Israelites. As they travelled through the wilderness toward the Promised Land, the Ark led them (Numbers 10:33–36; Joshua 3:3, 6, 15–16). Levitical priests had the responsibility to carry the Ark through the wilderness and the care of the various vessels of the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9; Numbers 3:30–32; Joshua 3:3).
The Ark is referred to by several names in Scripture, including “the Ark of God”
(1 Samuel 3:3) and “the Ark of the covenant” (Joshua 3:3; etc.). The designation, the Ark of the testimony, emphasizes the testimony of God’s covenant promises to His people. The testimony can refer to the actual stone tablets inscribed by God, given to Moses, and housed in the ark. The Ark and its contents symbolized the relationship between God and the Israelites, reminding the people of His presence.
As Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and entered the land of Canaan, it was crucial that they remembered God’s promises and prioritize their obedience to His word.
18. And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
The priests in charge of carrying the Ark were both the first ones to set foot on the Jordan River’s dry riverbed and the last to finish the crossing (Joshua 3:14, 17).
The detail that the waters of Jordan … flowed over all his banks, as they did before indicates the river was at the flood stage in the spring These details and others confirm God’s power created the pathway.
Several decades earlier, the Lord made a way for the Hebrews to escape slavery by parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–22). That miraculous event instilled fear in the inhabitants of Canaan (Joshua 2:9–10). Now the Lord miraculously made a way for the people to pass through another body of water unharmed; this resulted in additional fear on the part of the land’s inhabitants (5:1).
19. And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
The detail that it was the tenth day of the first month recalls that the Lord instructed the enslaved Israelites to prepare for Passover observance on that day (Exodus 12:3).
The name of the month under consideration is given as “Abib” in Exodus 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; and Deuteronomy 16:1. This month corresponds with late March and early April. Considering 1 Chronicles 12:15 allows us to see the connection between the exact month and day of the year, the river’s water level (Joshua 4:18) and the fact that this was the time of a harvest (3:14–15). The name of this month became “Nisan” during the Babylonian exile centuries later (Esther 3:7).
The month of Abib/Nisan marks the beginning of the “religious year” for the Israelites.
There is more than one town named Gilgal in the Old Testament. One such town is about twenty miles northwest of Jericho. That is the Gilgal of 1 Samuel 7:16 and 2 Kings 2:1, so it is not the one mentioned here. The name Gilgal comes from a Hebrew word meaning “circle” or “rolling.” The Lord designated this site on the east border of Jericho with this name because “this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you” (Joshua 5:9).
20. And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Joshua commanded twelve Israelites to collect twelve stones, one for each tribe, from the Jordan riverbed as they passed over (Joshua 4:1–8). Now, having crossed to the other side of the river, Joshua erects the stones as a monument to commemorate God’s provision to cross the river. The exact arrangement of the stones is unknown. But it was built in such a way that it would be visible so passersby would see and remember the Lord’s mighty act of deliverance.
21–22. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
These verses repeat Joshua’s earlier words in Joshua 4:6–7, though the phrasing is slightly different here. These stones stand as a memorial for the benefit of future generations, symbolizing God’s provision that enabled the people of Israel to cross the Jordan River on dry land. Additionally, this memorial would remind future generations that it was the one true God of Israel, not the fictitious pagan gods Baal or Asherah, who brought the people into the promised land.
The stone monument on the banks of the Jordan River was one such physical reminder for the Israelites. The people could see the stones and be reminded of God’s faithfulness, guidance and direction. God had done a great work in the midst and they were there to make sure they did not forget it.
23. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the [j]Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
This verse highlights some important points regarding the crossing of the Jordan. First, it emphasizes that it was made possible by the power of the Lord, not simply the result of a natural phenomenon. The Law of Moses sharply contrasts allegiance to your God with allegiance to “their gods” (Deuteronomy 7:16, 25; 12:31; 20:18).
It is the one true God who created a path through the river for the people to cross, not the fictitious gods of the peoples the Israelites came to conquer.
The absolute power of the one true God has been—and will be—demonstrated time and again (1 Kings 18:16–38). During the creation of the world, God separated the waters from dry land (Genesis 1:9). He has total control over the waters, the winds, and all parts of creation (Matthew 8:23–27). No body of water can oppose Him!
Second, this verse notes the parallel between the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River and their ancestors’ crossing of the Red sea some forty years earlier. The Lord gave this new generation of Israelites a way through the waters, as He did for the previous generation. This new generation experienced a “new Exodus” also marked by the crossing of waters—theirs was an exodus out of wilderness wanderings into the promised “land flowing with milk and honey”,
(Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3).
24. so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may [k]fear the Lord your God [l]forever.”
This verse reveals God’s plans and purposes for the memorial of stones. One purpose was to communicate to all the people of the earth what the Lord did for the Israelites. The hand of the Lord brought the Israelites out of enslavement and guided them to the land (Exodus 13:3, 9, 14; Deuteronomy 6:21; 7:8; 9:26; Jeremiah 32:21).
The phrase the hand of the Lord is anthropomorphic, which means attributing human characteristics to God. Scripture often refers to the Lord in terms of human features (Deuteronomy 8:3; Judges 2:11; Psalm 18:15; Isaiah 53:1). These are to be taken figuratively since God does not have a physical body
(John 4:24).
Second, the memorial is to be a tangible reminder for the Israelites to live in honor and obedience to the Lord. To ‘fear the Lord’ means to live in reverence of the Lord and His will. This fear is not a sense of dread or terror; rather, it is respect and reverence based on the Lord’s identity and faithfulness. Reverent fear forms the foundation for obedience to the Lord. This kind of fear is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). On the other hand, to have no fear of God is to invite dire consequences (Psalms 36:1–4; 55:19).
Therefore, as the Israelites entered the land, they constructed a memorial recognizing the Lord’s sovereign strength—His mighty hand that had brought them thus far. Everyone in the land, whether Israelite or not, will come to know His strength firsthand.
CONCLUSION
We create monuments of various sorts to commemorate significant leaders, historical events, and consequential actions. But how often do we build memorials to celebrate God’s work?
Scripture provides several examples of God’s people constructing memorials to remember and celebrate God’s work. These memorials come in different forms, including physical structures (example: Genesis 28:18–22), sacred ceremonies (example: Exodus 12:14), and specific days of observance (example: 20:8–11). Despite such differences, these memorials serve a common purpose: to remember and celebrate God’s faithfulness.
One of Joshua’s first actions as leader was to institute the memorial at Gilgal. Before the people went further into the land, they collectively paused to ensure remembrance of the Lord’s providing a way to cross the Jordan River.
Think about that sequence: (1) God provides, then (2) the people ensure remembrance, then (3) the people move on. Do we follow that same pattern, or do we skip step 2?
If we pay attention to God’s work, we will find moments where He has provided for us. When we notice God’s work, we can build our own memorials to God’s work in our hearts!
As we look at the Study Scripture it will be riveted in our mind how Joshua instructed the Israelites to choose 12 stones from the Jordan River and erect them as a memorial.
Joshua short then reads the question, “When your children ask in time to come what do these stones mean” and the answer is given that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, it comes to mind immediately that the covenant is extremely important in our relationship to the Lord God.
But we must bear in mind that a pile of rocks is just a pile of rocks. But when it is placed in the context of the entrance into Canaan, right away that pile of rock becomes a deeply meaningful remembrance.
In addition to that, the presence of the rocks and the question from the children need someone who has learned the story behind the stones and is prepared to transmit the meaning of that tradition.
So we call on all parents and all adults to learn the story behind the rocks and understand it so that they can interpret it properly in biblical fashion to the children.
It is important for adults to realize that this is a living tradition and this living tradition must be communicated to the children so that they will indicate that to others when they grow up.
So what is so great about the idea of stones? Moses and Joshua used this idea to teach a lesson, a spiritual lesson to the people, and the this lesson is something that we must recognize.
And of course, it is most important that you remember why the word “stone” is frequently used in Scripture and, that Jesus is the cornerstone.
Remember that you are living stones and you are attached to Jesus’ cornerstone. One writer therefore reminds us and we repeat it for our benefit and your benefit,
“Each believer in Jesus is a living stone attached to his cornerstone with the testimony written forever on it.
“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 2: 5.
So the lesson for you? Worship God with Reverend fear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge according to Proverbs 1:7, 2:5 and Psalm 111:10.
So let us recap what these stones mean.
- These stones mean that God has a purpose.
- These stones means there has to be a leader with vision. If there is no vision the people will perish. We do not want you to perish so be careful that you have a vision and that your leaders have a vision.
- These stones mean there is a people who follow and who know what God intends to do. Of course when we apply it to the modern church we must understand that this means that the church has to have a mission.
- Teach the miracles of God to your children in order to keep them faithful.
- Teach your children to trust in God’s power. To do this you memorize and teach them to memorize God’s word for this is what will guide them and you in the time of trial. Keep God’s word hidden in your heart and in the heart of your children.
- These stones remind you to the Lord Jesus Christ by telling others to follow His route to the Promised Land.
- And of course you must remember what God has done in your life in order to avoid evil.
So what can you have for yourself as Memorial stones? They do not have necessarily to be physical items or physical times of direct physical action.
We should of course not forget to remind you there are different kinds of memorials and that different people will make for themselves different kinds of memorials so that they will remember God and His power and faithfulness.
So we note that memorial stones are a reminder of the people personal experience and that whatever memorial you have in your life, to you the memories that you have must focus you on the Lord Jesus Christ
Sometimes these memories can be of places that trigger memories just as the memorial stones did in Gilgal. There might be significant places in your life that bring out memories, for those places will be a special place for you to remind you of the things that God has done in your life.
Then there might be memories of people, people that God has used in your life and encouraged you. Do not forget them, but think about them from time to time.
And then of course there are the memories of your experience where God answered prayer and did all kind of marvellous things for you. These are also likely to be memories of the past but they are also likely to be memories of the present.
So we remind you to use these memories as your memorial stones for they will serve as a basis for sharing faith with us and with your children.
Tell your children about your life and what God has done for you. Do not be bashful and hide things from your children for they are watching you and trying to learn from your life so that they will improve their life.
When you think about these memories or memorial stones it will be a time of renewing your personal commitment to God.
It will also be a time of rolling away old defeats so that when you cross the river Jordan you will not remember the past but you will focus on the future. Remember Gilgal means, ‘The reproach has been rolled away”.
So now that you have left the edge of the river after 40 years or more of spiritual defeat and failures, remember that they have been rolled away when you come to Christ and you are at the dawn of a great new beginning in a new land.
So respond to God positively, and the complaining, and the hopeless wandering in the wilderness for that is behind you.
You are now called by God to be a people with a powerful new sense of purpose, determined as one writer says to take the new territory with God for God has changed your direction and given you a new hope and a new sense of purpose.
So act with bold faith and decide to abandon yourself to God and step out into the unknown to take new territory with Him.