Bible Talks

From: Messages of God's Love: 1953

Joshua 4:8-19⁸And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake 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. ⁹And 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. ¹⁰For 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. ¹¹And 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. ¹²And 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: ¹³About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho. ¹⁴On 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. ¹⁵And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying, ¹⁶Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan. ¹⁷Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹And 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. (Joshua 4:8‑19)

Let us apply these things in a practical way. If the stone from the bottom of Jordon the river of death, comes in then those things which we night have in our homes to gratify our fallen nature must go out. This alas is why some do not lay hold of the truth of our death with Christ. If we died with Christ, then we are as dead to those things as He, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 6:11¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11). The practical side of this will cost us something, as we can readily see. It is a blessed truth, all will confess, but it is also a searching one, and yet we can confidently say that all who have laid hold of it will testify that it has brought true deliverance, liberty, and joy to them.

After this it is most precious to find Joshua setting of twelve stones in the midst of Jordan where the priests’ feet stood firm, “and they are there unto this day.” Here we have God’s side of the truth brought before us. Placed there by Joshua, the stones remain unto this day, and so, again we would say, whether we have laid hold of the truth of being dead and risen with Christ or not, it is blessedly true as to our standing before God. God is faithful, even though we are so often unfaithful, therefore “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.” Heb. 10:23²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23).

When all had been fulfilled as God had spoken, then the ark of the covenant passed over in the presence of the people, and so Christ died and risen is what makes all our blessings sure to us. “On that day,” we read, “the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel.” and so when we delight to exalt Christ, and Christ alone. We learn more of the riches of God’s grace, and also of the glory of His grace. The riches of His grace tells us of the pit from which He lifted us and the glory of His grace tells us of the place unto which He has brought us. (Ephesians 1:6,7⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:6‑7).)

After the priests had come out of Jordan with the ark, and all was fully accomplished as God had spoken, then the waters of Jordan returned and overflowed till the banks as they had before. Thus we know that those who are not redeemed, and made children of God by faith in Christ, will find the “waters of judgment” overflowing them in a coming day, and there will be no escape. For the ungodly, unbelieving part of Israel, too, what a solemn day it will be in the tribulation period when judgement falls upon thorn, sweeping them into a lost eternity. Dear reader, there is no refuge or safety for you, or for anyone else outside of Christ. “Flee from the wrath to come,” Matthew 3:7⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7).

The people then came to Gilgal and encamped there on the tenth day of the first month. This, we will remember, was the very day in which a passover lamb was taken in the land of Egypt forty years before. How it reminds us that the work of Calvary is the ground of all blessing, and even the typos of the Old Testament are all linked together, bearing witness to this blessed fact. Surely the truth of the divine inspiration or Scriptures is seen wherever we turn, and only blind unbelief can fail to observe it. “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable ... .that the man of God may be ... ..thoroughly furnished.” 2 Tim. 4:16,17¹⁶At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. ¹⁷Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (2 Timothy 4:16‑17).

ML 01/25/1953

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.