| Author | Message | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
What do the stones represent in the miraculous crossing of the Jordan? Joshua replaces Moses and is comissioned by God. Joshua's name in Hebrew is Jeshua, which is the same name of Jesus. Jeshua la Messiah, forgive my Hebrew spelling. Joshua was a direct parralel to Jesus. Right? Looking at Joshua chapter 3, the miraculous crossing of the Jordan. This is the same spot where Jesus was baptized. I notice that in Joshua 3:16 when the waters were parted v16 "that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho" This is symbolic to Christ's first coming in that through Him the sins from Adam were cast into the dead sea, never to be remembered. I know I am missing the significance of the stones that were placed there. Any insight? | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Since each tribe had one representative who collected a stone and carried it to the place Joshua built the monument, I think the stones represent the twelve tribesóthe twelve names of Jacob's sons that represent the foundation of God's people, Israel. That twelve-stone altar was a reminder that God brought his people into the land of Canaan. They didn't take the land themselves; God miraculously provided for them. Since Joshua also represents Jesus, I think we can safely see those stones also as foreshadowing the twelve apostles, the foundation of God's church. The meaning of the altar is the same, basically, whether we see the stones as the tribes or the apostles: God fights his people's battles; He brings them into his kingdom; He gives them their territory and their work; He provides ALL their needs. It's also interesting to think of the stones as symbolic of God's people in light of 1 Peter 2:5: "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthoodÖ" Thanks for bringing up this interesting passage, Sabra. I'd never thought about the water flowing into the Dead Sea representing our sins. That's really a wonderful image! Colleen | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Colleen, I think you're right! The ones placed on the other side of the river represent the church! (on the other side of the cross!) Thank you! I don't really know why stuff like this bugs me, it doesn't seem to bother anyone else-lol-(check out Isaiah 28:16-19) But,... what about the ones placed in the midst of the river? (Joshua 4:9) "Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and there they are to this very day." No one sees these, they are hidden in the water, what is that about? | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
Sabra, maybe it was just a visual aid for those who walked thru the water to remember that the Lord was the one who made it possible. No, they couldn't see it years later, but certainly they could think back on it. Likely at the time they would have walked passed it wondering "now what is that for?" I could see them for a long time afterwards pondering on it. It just makes me think of the interesting little things God will do in our lives sometimes. Maybe it is something he prompts someone to say to us, a word of knowledge, a prophetic word. Or some small thing He does in the midst of our own "walking thru the water"....a small thing that appears unneccessary at the time....but it just sticks in our mind and keeps us thinking back to it and therefore thinking about Him. | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Sometimes we can "overwork" metaphors so their meanings break down. I suspect that those stones in the Jordan were for Israel to remember that God miraculously took them into the Promised Land, and their "footsteps", in a sense, are still there under the water that should have overwhelmed them. One interesting thing about the crossing of the Jordan was that the Canaanites considered the river to be a god. The water was powerful and deadly, and they considered any god who could overwhelm the water to be the chief among gods. Jehovah was the only God who could control the water; He even stopped its flow so His people could cross over. The Canaanites knew that the Israelites' God out-powered their own because of how He controlled the river. The Canaanites feared Israel as they came into the land because of God's control over the Jordan. Praising God for his sovereignty, Colleen | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Maybe they represent our "old man" buried in the blood of Jesus or our sins covered by it. Sorry to "overwork" |
