Declare them to one and all. Joshua 4.1-9
Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Joshua, Judges, Ruth (2)
Pray Psalm 78.1-5
Give ear, O my people, to my law;
Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
For He established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers,
That they should make them known to their children…
Sing Psalm 78.1-5.
(Foundation: How Firm a Foundation)
Give ear, O my people, attend to my word,
dark sayings and parables sent from the LORD,
things we have before by our Fathers been told,
which we would not dare from our children withhold.
The glorious deeds of our God in His might,
and all of the works He has done in our sight,
together with all of the words of His Law,
would we on ourselves and our children bestow.
Read Joshua 4.1-9; meditation on verses 6, 7.
Preparation
1. What did God command His people to do?
2. Why were they to do this?
Meditation
This is my favorite story in the book of Joshua. To help the people remember His great work on their behalf, the LORD instructed them to create a work of art. Abstract art. Concept art. Community art. But He didn’t leave them guessing about what that artwork meant; He gave them the interpretation.
The purpose of this stone sculpture was to help the people remember the great work God had done on their behalf. Travelers would have seen it. Perhaps, for a time, parents would take their children on pilgrimage to see the heap of stones and tell them the story of it (vv. 6-8).
But notice that Joshua set up two heaps of stone, one on the west bank of the Jordan and one in the middle of the dry river bed (v. 9). Once the waters returned to their proper place, the one in the river would disappear. No one would see it then—except God. God never forgets His promises or His works. Nor should we.
And here’s where the foreshadowing of Jesus comes in: Jesus instituted a work of abstract art and drama to help us remember what He had done for us. The Lord’s Supper is, next to His Word and Spirit, Jesus’ most precious gift to us. And He is present in it each time we take it, though only by His Spirit. The Supper is a work of abstract art and drama and \community art, in that we all participate in it. It has power to refresh our soul, renew our commitment, and strengthen the bonds that unite us in Jesus.
Let us never allow the Supper to be neglected or trivialized. For by it we remember the great and gracious work of Jesus, and we are nurtured by our participation in Him.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
Those two sets of twelve stones are indeed, both beautiful works of art, for our edification and for the edification of others. The set I find most precious is the work that Joshua created all on his own. It was for him to ponder and for him to rejoice in. His treasure to cherish. To meditate on. To bring him a smile. His relationship of deep fellowship with his Savior.
We, too, have two piles of stones—our outward ministry of good words and works, and our inner relationship of joy and rejoicing with our Savior in His Word, in prayer, and in remembering Him through His Supper.
“Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119.11).
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward…rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet. 3.3, 4).
“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.
This cup is the covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11.24, 25).
“If then you were raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ is,
sitting at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.
For you died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life appears,
then you also will appear with Him in glory…
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…
let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…
And whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3.1-4, 15-17).
Cherish both works of art—both piles of stones—
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2.13).
Both call us to remember and rejoice in the works of the LORD—inwardly and outwardly—but embracing and pondering the wonder that “His secret counsel is with the upright” (Prov. 3.32). Our very own hidden pile of stones.
Reflection
1. What are the primary works of God that you need to remember? How will you remember them?
2. In what sense should your life be a “memorial stone” for the Lord?
3. Does art have a place in the life of faith? What can we learn from today’s study about this?
The works of the Lord are so worthy of remembrance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial. Matthew Henry (1642-1714), Commentary on Joshua 4.1-9
Pray Psalm 78.56-72.
Prayer should be a time for remembering the works of the Lord in our lives. What will you remember of His grace to you today? Of His kindness? His long-suffering love? His extraordinary generosity?
Sing Psalm 78.56-72.
(Foundation: How Firm a Foundation)
Yet over and over they turned from His love
and scorned Him Who ruled them from heaven above.
His glory departed, they fell to their foes
and suffered His wrath in uncountable woes.
While they were still suff’ring, He rose in His strength
and fought for His people and saved them at length.
From Judah a king He set for Israel,
a temple He built with His people to dwell.
Now Jesus, God’s servant, is King evermore,
and we are His people, and He is our Lord.
His heart is upright as He leads by His hand
and causes us ever before Him to stand.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Our Scriptorium study on the book of Ruth, Ruth: Redeeming Grace, is now available in a free PDF. Download your copy by clicking here, then share it freely with friends and start your own Scriptorium study group.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
