Crestwood Church Blog

Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Joshua 4:21

One of the first things Joshua did when he set foot into the Promised Land was to build a memorial, made of 12 large stones.

I guess most of us have been to or least seen some of the monuments scattered all over Britain, the most famous one is “Stonehenge”. Many historians have their own view on what its purpose was, some say a Space Observatory, others a place of worship or a burial place, but whatever the truth the world has been fascinated by them ever since. Maybe it is the mystery that intrigues people or the sheer size and ingenuity of the structure.

The big difference with Joshua’s stones, apart from the scale and location was that the Israelites knew exactly what these stones were for. They were a reminder to the faithfulness and power of God in rescuing the Children of Israel from the Egyptians, by making a dry path through the Red Sea. Every time the Israelites went past these stones in the plains of Gilgal they were reminded of the magnificence and greatness of God. It was also a point of reference to the enemies of Israel; this people are under the protection of God,

beware.!

The children when they passed by, with their inquisitive minds, would ask, “what are these stones for?” and quickly they would be reminded of the awesome things that God did.
Later on in the history of Israel, Psalms were written, some of these psalms were written to record the history of Israel’s protection under God.

2000 years on, the standing stones have gone, you can walk through Gilgal and see not even a trace of stones. And yet the truths about God are passed on, from generation to generation.

The bible is the like a preserved standing stone, standing tall and strong for all time. It tells us of the victories not only of the Israelites, but over sin, death, hell and Satan. Every day it reminds us of the unlimited, unexplainable, unbeatable God that we serve and worship. The church itself stands as a testimony to the grace and mercy of God. That's why we want to keep planting churches.

Just consider, who the church is? its you, its me, and therefore you are a living testimony of the wonder of God. Stand tall, and when people ask, what are you there for, tell them about the Lord Jesus who died to save you.

Labels: God's Word, Reminder, Stones