The Children of Israel Obey - Joshua 4:8

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean you by these stones? Then you shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever”, and in chapter four and verse eight of the book of Joshua, we see how, “the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded” where we read,

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spoke unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

The verse reads, “And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spoke unto Joshua, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the children of Israel” which means “and the offspring and progeny belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “did so as Joshua commanded” or “fashioned, accomplished, produced and worked even like Joshua, whose name means Jehovah is salvation, ordered and charged”, “and took up twelve stones” which means “and lifted up and carried twelve large rocks” “of the midst of Jordan” or “from the middle of Jordan whose name means descender and was the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)”, “as the LORD” which means “like unto Jehovah who is ‘the existing One’ and is the proper name for the One True God” “spoke unto Joshua” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed to Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation”. Joshua or the writer shared how the offspring of “Israel” obeyed “Joshua’s” order and lifted up “twelve large rocks” from the middle of the “Jordan” river in keeping with Jehovah God’s instructions to “Joshua”. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “… according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.” Joshua continued with the words, “according to the number” or “in keeping with the tale or count” “of the tribes” which means “pertaining to the clans” “of the children of Israel” or “belonging to the offspring and progeny of Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”, “and carried them over with them” which means “and traversed, passed along and went in advance with them, the twelve large stones, alongside them, the twelve men” “unto the place where they have lodged” or “to the location and spot in which they, the people of Israel, caravanserai or encamped”, “and laid them down there” which means “and put, set and established them, the twelve stones, in that place and location”. Joshua or the writer said that in keeping the “twelve clans of Israel”, the “twelve stones” were transported across the “Jordan” river and set up as a memorial in the location where the people of Israel were to camp. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how the “twelve men” from the “twelve clans” of Israel obeyed Joshua’s order, took the “twelve stones” from the “Jordan” river, crossed the river with them and set them up as a memorial in the location of the encampment of the people of Israel. Each of these steps were important for the people of Israel to obey, and in like manner as God leads us by His Holy Spirit, we are to obey Him. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He raised Him from the dead after three days so all who believe and trust in Him will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will lead and guide them in keeping with His perfect purpose and will for their lives. Let all who read these words yield to God’s way and not another, for there is no better way to be led than by the Spirit of the Living God. 

Next time we see how, “Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".