Meaning of Joshua 4:20

Joshua 4:20 records the deliberate action of Joshua to erect a memorial of twelve stones at Gilgal, stones that were taken from the very midst of the Jordan River. This act was not merely commemorative but profoundly symbolic, serving as a tangible reminder for future generations of God's miraculous intervention in bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land. The stones, each representing one tribe of Israel, were a physical testament to their collective journey and God's faithfulness in parting the waters of the Jordan, enabling them to cross on dry ground, just as their ancestors had crossed the Red Sea. This memorial was intended to provoke questions and facilitate storytelling, ensuring that the awe-inspiring power of God displayed on that momentous occasion would not be forgotten as the people settled into their new inheritance.

Context and Background

This event occurs immediately after the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, have successfully crossed the Jordan River into Canaan. The crossing itself was a pivotal moment, mirroring the Exodus from Egypt where God had parted the Red Sea. Prior to this, God had instructed Joshua to select one man from each of the twelve tribes to take a stone from the riverbed where the priests stood with the Ark of the Covenant. These stones were to be carried to the encampment at Gilgal, the first place they established in the Promised Land. This specific act of setting up the stones follows the divine command and serves as the culmination of the miraculous crossing.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Power and Faithfulness: The primary message is God's extraordinary power to intervene in human affairs and His unwavering faithfulness to His promises, demonstrated by the parting of the Jordan.
• Remembrance and Memorialization: The stones are a deliberate act of remembrance, a physical anchor to a significant divine act, ensuring that the event would be recalled and its lessons passed down.
• Unity and Collective Identity: The twelve stones, one for each tribe, represent the unity of Israel as a people chosen by God, and their shared experience of His deliverance.
• Generational Witness: The memorial is designed to be a catalyst for intergenerational teaching, prompting questions from children and enabling parents to recount God's mighty deeds.

Spiritual Significance and Application

For believers today, the twelve stones serve as a powerful metaphor for remembering God's past faithfulness in our lives. Just as the Israelites were to remember their physical crossing, we are called to recall the spiritual deliverance and blessings God has bestowed upon us. This can include remembering moments of answered prayer, times of profound spiritual insight, or instances where God has provided through difficult circumstances. These "stones" of remembrance should be actively cultivated and shared, strengthening our faith and equipping us to teach future generations about the God we serve. The act of setting up the stones also highlights the importance of tangible expressions of faith and communal witness.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

The crossing of the Jordan and the subsequent memorial at Gilgal are deeply interwoven with the overarching narrative of God's redemptive plan. It marks the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to give his descendants the land of Canaan. This event echoes the Exodus, signifying a new beginning and a continuation of God's work in establishing His covenant people. The encampment at Gilgal itself becomes a significant site for subsequent events in Joshua's conquest, including the circumcision of the Israelites and the celebration of Passover, reinforcing the themes of covenant and new life in the Promised Land.

Analogies

One analogy for the twelve stones is a family history book or a collection of cherished photographs. These tangible items serve as reminders of significant events, personal journeys, and the people who have shaped our lives. Similarly, the stones were meant to be touchstones for the Israelites' collective memory, prompting them to recount the story of their deliverance. Another analogy could be a national monument erected to commemorate a pivotal moment in a nation's history, designed to remind citizens of their origins and shared heritage.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 14:21-31: This passage describes God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape Egypt, paralleling the Jordan crossing and emphasizing God's consistent pattern of miraculous deliverance for His people.
• Deuteronomy 6:6-7: These verses command the Israelites to teach God's commandments diligently to their children, speaking of them "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." The memorial at Gilgal is a practical enactment of this command, providing a physical prompt for such teaching.
• Joshua 4:6-7, 21-24: These verses explicitly state the purpose of the stones: "that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in the future, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord... these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever." This reinforces the memorial's didactic purpose.