It’s another miracle!

Performed, maybe “worked” is a better verb, by our great God!

The Jews, under Joshua’s leadership, were ready to cross the River Jordan and enter the Promised Land. And just like God “parted” the waters of the Red Sea for them to escape Egypt … He did it again! Except this time He parted the waters of the Jordan River, leaving the wilderness behind!

A River that was overflowing, in fact, out of its banks!

And once the transit was completed, God had the people collect “12 stones” (each retrieved from the middle of the temporarily “dry” river bed). Large stones, apparently, to be carried on the shoulders of 12 strong men! And these were (under command of God) piled in the middle of Israel’s first “other-side-of-Jordan” encampment, a place named Gilgal.

12 stones?

Yes, for a reason, too.

God explains to Joshua, and to us.

“And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. And those TWELVE STONES, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, WHAT MEAN THESE STONES? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Joshua 4:19-22

A collection of rocks, God’s Idea, as a reminder of this great episode of Grace and Mercy and Deliverance … from the Hand of the Almighty!

“Object Lessons” … we might call them.

So that when others ask “What does this mean?” we can answer … with specificity, our loving Heavenly Father in His Power and Wisdom did such and such, another act of His great Faithfulness!

Examples?

Grandma’s Bible, the one from which she read and studied and memorized all those years!

That picture frame enclosing a favorite Scripture Verse of some giant in the faith! (My Mom had one, displaying one of her favorite verses, Isaiah 26:3.)

Even the pulpit of some great preacher of yesteryear! (I personally have seen two of these, gleaning further determination to stay true to the Word of God, to my calling in life.)

Maybe even the baptistry where new believers follow Christ into the “watery grave.” A picture of Jesus’ Death and Burial and Resurrection!

I’ve even known a few adventuresome Christians to travel to some out-of-the-way place where great Revival once occurred, praying for some specific need in their lives, their family’s life! Or asking God to “do it again” in America!

I’ve even ridden through once strong-in-the-faith college campuses, pleading for God to rise up another institution to stand boldly for the Word of God!

The possibilities are limitless!

What mean these “stones,” or anything else of spiritual “significance?”

Yes … use the young folk’s curiosity to teach them about our great, powerful God in Heaven!

“Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.”

Praise the Lord!

Dear readers here today, this Lesson can be practiced … by us all.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today I am placing several photos of last Saturday’s 4 hour Bible Class (Ephesians 6:10-18, the Whole Armour of God Paragraph) on the “Standing with the Bagwell’s” Page. Intensive Study of God’s Word, I love the idea.