Joshua 4:9-16
Jos 4:9
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan,
in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant
stood: and they are there unto this day.
Then Joshua took the twelve stones back into the Jordan
River, the place where the priests stood firm bearing the Ark and set them up as
a memorial. Since the river was
running very high, Joshua would have to place those stones in such a way that
they would be seen above the waters of Jordan.
This would also have been another miracle since water running that fast
and hard would dislodge the stones but it must have been a miracle of God that
he kept the stones in that place and the water would not have affected it.
The stones remained in place even after the writing of the book of Joshua
which would have been between 1406-1386 BC.
So these stones were still in place after 20 years.
This means they would have withstood 20 harvest times and seasonal rising
of the river.
Jos 4:10
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of
Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak
unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people
hasted and passed over.
The priests had stood in the midst of the Jordan river
which was dry ground at that time.
Joshua was very meticulous in following every bit of command which the LORD gave
him. Then all that Moses commanded
Joshua to do was also followed very closely by him.
And Moses called unto Joshua, and
said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for
thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their
fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. (Deuteronomy
31:7) The people then followed
Joshua and went swiftly across the dry Jordan river and were all on the shores
of Canaan.
Jos 4:11
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean
passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the
presence of the people.
Then finally all the people were now on the other side
and they saw the priests bearing the Ark of the LORD coming out of the Jordan.
The priests now brought the Ark of the Covenant after all the people had
gone to land and now saw the Ark safely on the brink of the Promised Land.
Jos 4:12
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and
half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as
Moses spake unto them:
Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh were allowed
to remain on the east side of Jordan but as agreed, they would send all those
who could bear the sword with the children of Israel until the land was subdued.
But we ourselves will go ready
armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their
place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the
inhabitants of the land. (Numbers 32:17)
Jos 4:13
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before
the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
So out of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh, they mustered an army
of about 40,000 who were ready to fight for the other nine tribes until all the
land was subdued and the heathen nations were removed.
According to some historians, there were approximately 130,000 men but
Joshua took only 40,000 leaving the other 90,000 to attend to the flocks, herds,
and the land on the east side of Jordan with their families.
Jos 4:14
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.
On that day when the fighting men joined the army of
Joshua, who was its commander, all of Israel had now known that Joshua was the
LORD’s choice to be his commander of the forces and as a result they feared him
which means they respected and honored him just as the people had honored Moses
during the Egyptian exodus and the forty years of wandering.
And Israel saw that great work
which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and
believed the LORD, and his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31)
Joshua held the respect of all Israel all the days of his life which was
about 20 years total after he took over for Moses.
Joshua was about 90 years old when he took the leadership of Israel after
the death of Moses. Moses was 80
when he led the children of Israel out of Egypt.
In your old age, if the LORD gives you strength, don’t relegate your life
to an easy chair and television.
Every morning you wake up, it means the LORD still has work for you to do.
Jos 4:15
And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Then just as the word of the LORD will come to the
prophets in the future of Israel and Judah, the words and commandments now come
to Joshua.
Jos 4:16
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony,
that they come up out of Jordan.