And 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.
When everything was said and done, there were three piles of stones.
There were the stones Israel set up in the midst of the river.
These were a testimony—a memorial that could never be reproduced because they were placed there while God held the waters of Jordan in a heap. I suppose there were times when the waters receded enough to glimpse them, but I imagine most of the time they were invisible to the human eye—a testimony more to God than to man, marking where they had once been.
Then there were the stones Israel set up where they lodged on the Promised side of Jordan.
This was at the command of God and was specifically meant as a memorial. In this case, it was for their children—a teaching tool and a reminder of what God had done for them.
Finally, there were the stones the two-and-a-half tribes set up on the other side of Jordan.
At first, these were misunderstood. But their intent was to serve as a symbol of relationship. The two-and-a-half tribes wanted both themselves and their brethren to remember that they too had crossed over, fought the enemies of God, and witnessed His victory.
Salvation is a one-time event, performed only by the Lord—seen truly only by Him—and it can never, nor does it ever need to be, reproduced.
The ordinances of the local church are memorials seen regularly and meant as both teaching moments for our children and reminders for ourselves of what God has done in our lives.
Churches of like faith and practice are the signs of relationship between one another. While those whose faith and practice differ often misunderstand or even take offense, those churches of like faith and practice find fellowship, camaraderie, and shared purpose together.
#FaithfulMemorials #CrossingJordanLessons #RememberWhatGodHasDone #VisibleAndInvisibleTestimonies #UnityInFaithAndPractice
“Remember This”: Lessons in Faith from the River Stones
When God told Israel to set up memorial stones, He was teaching them—and us—to remember His mighty works.
Every believer should have reminders of God’s faithfulness.
🪨 The stones in the Jordan remind us that salvation is God’s work alone.
🏕️ The stones at camp remind us to teach our children.
🤝 The stones across the river remind us to stay united in faith and fellowship.
👉 Question: What “memorials” in your life remind you of God’s faithfulness? Share one in the comments!
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