Josué 4
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Josué 4
Guzik - Israel was now on the other side of the Jordan—in the Promised Land. But what is life in the Promised Land like? Is it one glorious vacation time after another? No; for Israel it was a place of battle, but most of all, it was a place of trust—they knew they had to trust God with every thing they had, because the challenges only got bigger in the Promised Land—but so did the blessings.. Most of us would have wanted to rush on through and take care of Jericho—why not take advantage of the time when they are all afraid of you? But God is never in a hurry; and He knows that beyond us doing something, we must be something for Him—so He takes time out to conquer Israel spiritually before they can conquer Jericho under His guidance. (Joshua 4 Commentary) Twelve is repeated 6x in 6v in Joshua 4 (2x of men and 4x of stones) - Josh 4:2 Josh 4:3 Josh 4:4 Josh 4:8 Josh 4:9 Josh 4:20 George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 4 2. Take you twelve men, &c. Heb. קחו לכם kehu lâkem, take ye for yourselves, pl., though addressed to Joshua; an usage of speech founded upon the union between a leader or ruler, and his people. Nothing would appear from the phraseology itself to intimate that any such command had been before given, but as we know there had, ch. 3:12, the twelve men here spoken of are to be understood of those already chosen to this service. Joshua 4:3 and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.'" the priests feet: Jos 3:13 twelve stones: Jos 24:27 Ge 28:22 De 27:1-26 1Sa 7:12 Ps 103:2 11:4 Lu 19:40 lay them down: Jos 4:8,19,20 Joshua 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries 12 STONES FROM JORDAN RIVER BED And command (imperative) them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight - The twelve stones were to taken to their first place of encampment in the Promised Land at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19-20) which was about 1.25 to 2 miles west of the Jordan River. Cyril
Josué 4
Guzik - We don’t remember the past great works of God so that we can live in a dreamland of the past, thinking that the best days of our Christian experience are behind us. We remember them as a point of faith, so we can trust God for greater and greater works in the future, because we have seen and experienced His past faithfulness. (Joshua 4 Commentary) Joshua 4:1-6,20-24 Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty. —Joshua 4:24 Recently I realized that all of the photos and mementos in my office represent the past. I considered removing them, but wondered if those reminders of people, places, and events might serve some purpose beyond nostalgia. To avoid being mired in the “yesterdays” of life, I needed to discover the value of those items for today and tomorrow. When God’s people crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, He told their leader, Joshua, to choose 12 men, have each one take a stone from the middle of the river, and carry it to their campsite that night (Josh. 4:1-5). Joshua set up the stones as a memorial so that when future generations asked, “What do these stones mean to you?” they could tell them about God’s faithfulness in holding back the water while they crossed (Josh. 4:6-7). As followers of Christ, it’s good for us to have tangible evidence of God’s help in the past. Those mementos remind us that His faithfulness continues today, and we can follow Him confidently into the future. Our “stones” may also help others know that God’s hand is mighty, as they encourage us to fear the Lord our God forever (Josh. 4:24). Thinking It Over How has God shown Himself to be faithful to you and your family? What would help you to remember? Is there someone you can talk to about it today? Precious memories of yesterday can strengthen our faith today and tomorrow. TODAY IN THE WORD The words of Robert Louis Stevenson apply to Joshua's leadership style: “Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.” Joshua made every effort not only to be courageous himself, but also to use object lessons to instill courage in his people and, as we read today, their descendants. Joshua commanded the tribes of Israel to make a memorial so that future generations would know that God was with Israel. And that's the overriding purpose of Israel that we see repeated over and over: so that all people in the world would know about God. In the first half of this passage, the focus is on bearing witness to future generations (v. 7). And at the end of the chapter, the focus expands to show that the end result of the miraculous crossing of the Jordan is to deliver the message of the glory of God to all people (v. 24). The comparison between crossing the Jordan and the earlier crossing of the Red Sea indicates a parallel between the two events. After the Red Sea, God had given Israel the opportunity to enter the land of promise, but they failed to take hold of it. After crossing the Jordan, the opportunity once again arose, and Joshua got it right this time. This miracle would give him no excuse for failure, because he was now exalted in the eyes of Israel, and he had their full respect (v. 14). He had a devoted army of Israelites, including 40,000 from the tribes whose land had already been acquired east of the Jordan, and we'll soon read that he had an even greater, more powerful force at his disposal, as long as he remained faithful to the purpose God gave him. Again, it's important to keep these battles in context, so that we never view God in the Old Testament as simply angry as compared to the graciousness shown in the New Testament. Joshua is a story of God's faithfulness and steadfast grace even in judgment. God doesn't change like fashions or cultural ideology. Israel is an instrument of God's grace, and their upcoming military victories aren't cold displays of an uncaring god. This is God showing His holy, eternal love for the prize of His creation, humanity. TODAY ALONG THE WAY - Will the generations that follow know how God has worked in your life? We often look at evangelism as a ministry across cultural or geographical distances, but today's passage shows the importance of faith transcending the generational gap as well. You don't have to build a monument to tell your story, but you should foster relationships with children in your church and family. Tell them your story of faith, so that they might know the power of God. Joshua 4:1-24 The Stones When your children ask . . . “What are these stones?” then you shall let [them] know, saying, “Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land.” —Joshua 4:21-22 Not long ago, our friends had a gathering at their house and invited a group of people who were all music lovers. Kevin and Ilse, who are both gifted musicians, requested that each person or couple bring a rock for a fire pit that was often the site for their evening musical jams. But they didn’t want just plain ol’ rocks. They asked that each one be marked with a name or date or event that indicated how or when everyone had become friends. God felt that the Israelites needed a reminder of an amazing event in their lives. Although the Jordan River had been at flood stage, the Israelites had been able to cross over on dry ground because God had stopped the water from flowing (Josh. 3:13-17). Something similar had happened years before in an escape from Egypt (see Ex. 14:21-31). On this occasion, however, God instructed His people to build a memorial of stones so that in the future when children would ask about the stones, parents could remind them of the mighty hand of God (Josh. 4:23-24). God’s faithfulness we’ve known throughout the years, His oneness with us in our joys and tears; So many times the Lord has helped us through, Has answered prayer and given strength anew. —F. Hess Remembering God’s goodness is a good cure for doubt. George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 4 21. Shall ask—in time to come. Heb. מחר mâhâr, to-morrow. See v. 6, 7. From their number, size, position, &c., and from there not being any others near them of the same kind, they would naturally excite inquiries, ‘How came these stones here? What is meant by them?’ This would afford to parents an excellent opportunity to turn to account the inquisitiveness of their children, to make them early acquainted with the wonderful works of God, and to train them up in his fear. We should encourage young people to seek instruction, and should be glad of every thing that may afford us an occasion of making known to them the wonders of redeeming love. Joshua 4:22 then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' Jos 3:17 Ex 14:29 Ex 15:19 Ps 66:5,6 Isa 11:15,16 44:27 51:10 Rev 16:12 Joshua 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Joshua 4:6-7 (PURPOSE OF THE STONES) “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7+ “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. PASS ON THE TESTIMONY OF THE POWER OF GOD then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground - So what happened to the godly generation that was alive when Joshua died (Jdg 2:10,11)? Did they not tell their children about the great works of God that the children would learn to fear God forever (v24)? Or did they tell them and the children were apathetic, hearing but not caring with the result being that they did not know God or His works. Why might they have been apathetic toward the things of God? It could be that the pleasures of the Canaanite lifestyle were simply too seductive and they couldn't resist and were ensnared by the passing pleasures of the pagan licentious ways. And as Jesus said over 1000 yrs later, one cannot not serve 2 masters, for he will hold to one and despise the other, love one and hate the other (Mt 6:24). And so they forgot their God and then they forsook their God. And the downward cycle of the book of Judges began. Donald Campbell quips that "A Jewish father was not to send his inquisitive child to a Levite for answers to his questions. The father was to answer them himself." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament or Here) George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 4 22. Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. In commemoration of which remarkable fact, these stones are placed here. Joshua 4:23 "For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; He dried up before us: Ex 14:21 Ne 9:11 Ps 77:16-19 78:13 Isa 43:16 63:12-14 Joshua 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE TESTIMONY TO THE POWER OF GOD CONTINUES For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed - The psalmist describes both of these waterless crossings writing "The (RED) sea looked and fled; The Jordan turned back." (Psalm 114:3) TSK on just as the LORD your God - The parents must take that occasion to tell their children of the drying up of the Red Sea forty years before: "As the Lord your God did to the Red Sea." It greatly magnifies later mercies to compare them with those before enjoyed; for, by making the comparison, it appears that God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Later blessings should also bring to remembrance former mercies, and revive thankfulness for them. Rod Mattoon - A university professor noticed a student was about to fall asleep in class. So the teacher asked the student, “What is the greatest problem in our society … ignorance or apathy?” The student replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” Such was the case with the people of Israel. The results of these memorial stones was eventually failure (Judges 2:8–12+). They suffered from apathy and the Second Generation Syndrome. The land was partially conquered and the people became content with a partial victory. “We got some land now!” was their attitude. “Why should we bother to get anymore and risk death?” They became satisfied with second best. They failed because they neglected to fully obey the Word of God. In Joshua, obedience to God’s Word played a big role, but in Judges it was hardly mentioned. May we learn from their mistakes. (Treasures From Joshua) Cyril
Josué 4
Guzik - "There was also a purpose for the world, so they would know that there is a God in heaven who can work miracles, a God they should seek with all their heart." (Joshua 4 Commentary) Campbell observes that "As the families of Israel spent their first night in the land, their hearts may well have been filled with uncertainty and fear. The mountains rising steeply to the west looked foreboding. But then the people looked at the 12 stones taken out of the Jordan and were reminded that God had done something great for them that day. Surely they could trust Him for the days ahead." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament or Here) THOUGHT - Memorials of God's work in our lives today produce confidence in what He can do for us in the future. Do you have any personal memorials? The memorial every believer has is Jesus' sacrificial death which should give us confidence of what He is able to do for us today and the rest of our lives and throughout eternity. And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1Cor 11:24-25) Identifying with Jesus Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection is the foundation for victory over sin in our daily lives. Living in union with the indwelling Christ and His Spirit provides the way to victory. Cyril