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In Joshua 4
● notice that a “nation” (1) crossed over the Jordan, not merely a roaming horde, but an ordered and organized people, a people, as Rahab knew, under the authority of God who is “God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath” (2:11),
● register the specificity of the Lord’s instructions, including the number of stones, who should take the stones, the place from where the stones were to come [“from the very place where the priests’ feet had stood firmly” (3)], and the place where the stones were taken [“the place where you lodge tonight” (3)],
● understand the purpose for taking the stones: to be a “sign” (6) and a “memorial” (7) of the work of God as he, through the action of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord, “cut off” (7, 7) the waters of the Jordan,
● see also that “in time to come” (7) the stones would serve a teaching function for “your children” (7) when they ask “What do these stones mean to you?” (7)- notice especially that “to you,”
● see if I am right to recognize that Joshua set another group of twelve stones in the midst of the river where the “feet” (9) of the ark-bearing priests stood,
● notice that with his actions “on that day” (14) reminiscent of his actions with Moses at the Red Sea the Lord “exalted” (14) Joshua,
● register a third time for God to mention the priests’ feet, here the “soles of their feet were lifted up on dry ground” (18), serving as markers for God’s display of power to accomplish his work and to Joshua’s authority,
● follow the stones again from the river, to the first place of lodging, and then to Gilgal where they are “set up” (20) by Joshua and where Joshua rehearses the teaching function of the stones “in time to come” (20), and
● hear God’s declaration of his purpose as the chapter closes: “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty [as Rahab did], that you may fear the Lord your God forever” (24).

Thank you,

Randy Tumlinson