What Means These Stones

Introduction

I want to express my gratitude to you for the opportunity to speak with you this morning. As was expressed a few moments ago, Brother Tony gave up the bull pit to speak to me this morning or speak to you this morning and again this evening. That’s quite a sacrifice for those of us who are gospel preachers, and especially for Brother Tony and for the elders here, because you don’t know what I’m going to say. You’re going on the word of some folks that are good friends of mine and have been for a very long time. I appreciate their confidence in me, and I appreciate your confidence in them. It’s a wonderful thing to see young men and women that I have known for a very long time to take roles of responsibility, and Tony, I have trouble with that.

Responsibility in their service to God and to see them grow and mature and to be what God wants them to be.

I tell folks that I am from Southern California, but be that as it may, I hail from Forest Cave, Kentucky. And I want you to notice on the boys. We have on the chart this morning Jefferson Davis Monument, which is in Fairview, Kentucky. I want you, while you’re looking at that, to be turning in your Bibles to the book of Joshua. When I was a little boy, we didn’t have the privilege of going very far from home. I grew up on a farm. And those of you who know about such things know full well that you can’t go very far from home when you have a farm. And the reason for that is obvious. They’re chores and responsibilities. And furthermore, we had milk cows, and I want to call your attention to where this is located.

Fairview, Kentucky, is within about a hundred miles of where I live, and that’s about as far as you can go from home and get back in the same day when you have milk cows. But I raise this for your attention. I don’t intend to spend all of our period of time this morning talking about this monument. But I want to use it to introduce some things that were very significant to the people of God. And that is, as we study from Joshua chapters 3 and 4. We read of the people of God coming into the promised land as they cross over the Jordan River. And as they crossed over the Jordan River, of course, Joshua is leading them into the promised land. And in verse 4 of chapter 1 of the book of Joshua, the text tells us from the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

There shall not be any man able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee. I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of good courage, for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I swear unto their fathers to give them, only be strong and very courageous to observe, to do according to all the law, which Jehovah my servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left hand, that thou mayest have good success wheresoever thou goest. In the second and third chapters, we note that Joshua is making preparation to lead these people into the promised land. You know, life should be a school of instruction.

As we grow and mature, there are many very valuable lessons, and so it was. For the children of Israel, as they prepared to enter in, and thus entered into the promised land. In chapter 3, we learn in verse 2 that it came to pass after three days that the officers went through the midst of the camp, and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priest, the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you by measure. Come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go. For ye have not passed this way heretofore. Ye have not been here before.

You’ve not done these things before. This is a new place, this is a new trip for you. In verse 6, he continues, and Joshua spake unto the priest, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the temple or before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. And Jehovah said unto Joshua, this day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither and hear the words of Jehovah your God.

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you. I find it interesting that as Joshua prepares the people of God to cross over the Jordan River into the promised land, he tells them and assures them that the purpose of these things, number one, is that you may know that he is the living God and that he is among you. Later we’re going to see in verse 24 of chapter 4, that the lesson was not only to be for the children of Israel, but verse 24 says that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty, that ye may fear Jehovah your God forever. The events that are about to take place are to be a magnificent event that will impress upon the people of God and all the peoples of the earth that there is one God, and that he brings mighty things among his people.

As we read further back to the third chapter, Joshua tells them in verse 12, Now therefore tell now therefore take ye twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass when the souls of the feet of the priest that bear the ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above, and they shall stand in one heath. And it came to pass when the peoples removed from their tents and passed over the Jordan, the priests that bear the ark upon the covenant, or the ark of the covenant, being therefore the people, or being before the people, rather.

And when they that bear the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brink of the water, for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest, that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up in one heap a great way off. Now I’m going to pause just there and call your attention to verse 17, how that all Israel passed over on dry ground unto all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan. Now that impresses me, and it’s written here to impress you. For the great things that God did. He parted the Jordan during the time of the flood stage, so that the people of God could pass over on dry ground.

Now we might look at that and say, Well, that was a magnificent thing for these people to see. And indeed it was. But what about the next generation? If you’ll read further in the fourth chapter, Joshua instructs the people to pick up a stone, a stone for each tribe. And as they crossed over the Jordan River into the promised land. Read with me, beginning at verse 20 of Joshua chapter 4. It says, And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up 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.

For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until ye were passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us until we were passed over. That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty, that ye may fear Jehovah your God forever. Now you remember that during the period of wilderness wandering, there was a generation of the Jews that died during that period because they did not believe God when God instructed them to go into the promised land. Certainly that generation saw the parting of the Red Sea. They saw many things that God had done to provide for his people. But these had crossed over the Red Sea on dry ground.

Now we have a new generation on the scene, do we not? And we note that this generation has crossed over the Jordan River on dry ground. And this was to be a memorial as they erected these twelve stones in Gilgal, not only to mark the place, but also to give an occasion where when their children would see this pillar of stones, that they would raise the question, what meaneth these stones? Now that’s an important question, isn’t it? What meaneth these stones? And it’s based upon that question that I want to pursue our study this morning. What meaneth these stones? It’s interesting for me to note what a memorial is. When I was a child and I went up in the Jefferson Davis memorial the memorial, I didn’t know the significance of Jefferson Davis.

1. Memorials, Because People Are Prone to Forget

I didn’t know who he was. I was a little boy. I was impressed with this monument. A great big monument. About 350 feet tall, 8.2 feet thick at the base of solid concrete. What impressed me was its height. I was a little boy. I was such a little boy when I went up in that monument, I wanted to look out and see how high I was. And you probably didn’t notice on the picture. There’s a little window at the top of that. And that’s very attractive to a little boy. To look out and see how far that is from the ground. A memorial. A memorial. Very significant. Or memorials that we read about in God’s Word. But what is a memorial? Webster defines a memorial as serving to help people remember some person or event, I dare say in the great state of Texas.

You have memorials, do you not? For various representations of events that have occurred, perhaps people that are historically significant to this state. Indeed, memorials serve a very important purpose for us. And the reason why that memorials are distinct in Scripture is because people are prone to forget. Turn, if you will, in your Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 6. In Deuteronomy chapter 6, the writer says, beginning in verse 6, and these words which I command thee this day shall be upon thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thy house and upon thy gates.

Why do you suppose that these people were to teach their children constantly when they get up when they go to bed, when they go out when they come home? The last thing that they were to think about before they went to bed was what God said. Now, why do you suppose that’s so? So they wouldn’t forget. I want to suggest to you, beloved, that we must teach our children just like they were to teach this, lest they forget. I want to suggest to you also, beloved, that if our children grow up in a home, where God’s word is taught frequently and fervently, every day. Our children may go astray. There’s no guarantee that they’ll be faithful to the Lord. But my friend, let it be in spite of you, not because of you.

You make every effort that you can to make sure they know what God says. Why? Because as you read, beginning in verse 10 of Deuteronomy 6, it says, And it shall come to pass when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land which he swear unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildest not, and houses full of all good things which thou buildest not, and cisterns hewn out, which thou hewest not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantest not, and thou shalt eat and be full, then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage. You see, when we began to enjoy prosperity, sometimes we forget things.

Things that ought to be important to us. Things that have become a very significant part of our past, a very significant part of our life, and we tend to forget those precious memories. Well, that was not unusual, was it, in the history of Israel? We’ve been talking in the Bible study period this morning about the book of Zechariah, and how that certain characteristics were present in their past that obviously they had forgotten about. The things that God had given unto them, they had forgotten about the blessings of God, and they were worshiping idols. What’s wrong with that picture, brethren? Worshiping idols. Did they know better? Well, sure they knew better. Had they been taught better? Absolutely. Turn in your Old Testament text to the book of Jeremiah.

In Jeremiah chapter 2, reading beginning in verse 32. Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 32. The text says, Can a virgin forget her ornaments or a bride, her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. In the third chapter of the book of Jeremiah, in verse 21, again the text says, A voice is heard upon the bare heights, and weeping and the supplication of the children of Israel, because they have perverted their way and have forgotten Jehovah their God. Beloved, what excuse could they offer for forgetting God? There wasn’t any excuse. God had manifested himself in so many ways. There was no excuse. The Apostle Peter, much concerned about the memory of those who would read this epistle. In 2 Peter chapter 1, begin reading, if you would, please, in verse 12.

It says there, wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and are established in the truth which is with you. And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me. Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may after my decease call these things to remembrance. Peter was concerned that after he died, they might forget the things that he had taught them. So he writes these things down. So that after he’s dead, they can remember the things that he has taught them. Now, when the people of Israel erected this pillar of stones, twelve stones in the city of Gilgal, or in the place Gilgal.

The purpose was so that when their children would come to this place, they would ask the question, what meaneth these stones? Now that’s very interesting to me. Because some commentators tell us in authorities that this may be a sign among you. That is the erection of huge piles of stones as monuments of remarkable incidences, has been common among all peoples, especially in the early and rude periods of their history, and it is practiced by the Arabs still. What does that tell us, beloved? They knew what this meant. When they came to this pillar of stones, this was not an unusual practice. Then what does it mean? You see, monuments have significance, and these children would ask the question, what meaneth these stones? I want to suggest to you, my friends.

We have a Bible class teacher there in Lancaster who is teaching of a group of very young children. And as she was teaching these children, she had evidently picked up out of her driveway twelve smooth stones. What did she do with them? She began to stack them. And help them to understand what the significance of stones were in this text. Strangely enough, there was a little girl that was not present during that Bible class. The next time that little girl came to the Bible class and she saw that on the corner of the table, do you know what she asked? What’s that mean? What’s that mean? Now you see that gave that teacher an opportunity to answer that question again. Did it not? What does that mean?

Well, why do you suppose this pillar of stones was erected in Gilgal? We say, well, that marks the place where they crossed over the Jordan River. I understand that. But it was a very significant place. If you turn to 1 Samuel chapter 11, you’ll notice that this was the place where Saul was made the first king of Israel. You’ll also notice in 2 Samuel chapter 19. You recall the rebellion of Absalom against his father David, and how that Absalom was determined to take the kingdom away from his father. And how that David had to flee from the city of Jerusalem. When Absalom and those who were following him were finally defeated. King David was brought back to the city of Jerusalem. And guess where he crossed?

2. Children Are Very Special

He came across at this place called Gilgal. I want you to see that this was a place where people would travel. It was not in some obscure place that would be hidden from the eyes of these children. It would be a place where people would travel and they would see this pillar of stones. This pillar of stones would attract the attention of young people. What does this mean? And it would give an opportunity for that question to be answered. Beloved children are very special, aren’t they? When we see a child, we make over the child, don’t we? How many of you who are grandparents don’t carry in your cell phone about 2,000 pictures of your grandchildren. Well, why do you do that? Well, because children are very special, aren’t they?

And your children are especially special. They’re special to you. The wisdom writer wrote from Psalms chapter 127. Beginning in verse 3, Lord, children are a heritage of Jehovah. And the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Again in Proverbs chapter 17 and in verse 6. Children’s children are the crown of old men. And the glory of children are their fathers. Does that get your attention? Children’s children are the crown of old men. That’s why you carry your grandbaby’s pictures. That’s why you’re anxious when you visit with somebody that hasn’t seen your children in a long time.

3. Children Ask Questions

You say, look at this, I want you to see my children. You know what my children are doing? You know what the educational accomplishments are for my children? You know what my children are doing as far as their job is concerned? Why do you do that? You see, it’s your children. You don’t carry around photographs. At least not 2,000 of somebody else’s children. They’re your children. They’re important to you. They’re the crown of old men, this text tells us. Why are children so important? Well, you see, children are so important because they ask questions. They ask questions. Have you ever had children ask you the question, why? Why? And you will answer that question, and they say, why? And you answer that question. And the next question is, why?

And you get so tired of hearing that question. Sometimes my mother would say, Because chicken ain’t right. She got tired of hearing the question. But I want to suggest to you, beloved, children ask questions. Questions are to be answered. This question, what meaneth these stones? Was an important question. But friend, that was not the only important question that was ever asked in scripture. Turn back in your Bible. To the book of Genesis. Genesis chapter 22. You’re familiar with this passage. In Genesis chapter 22. God said unto Abraham, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac. And take him upon one of the mountains that I will show thee of, and offer him there as a sacrifice. Would you do it? I’ve asked that question.

I’ve asked that question of myself. And it makes you shake your head and wonder what you would do, don’t it? But you look, if you would, please, at verse 3. It says, And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his ass and took two of his young men with him. And Isaac his son. And he clayed the wood for the burnt offering and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him. And on the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder, and we will come worship, or we will worship and come again unto you.

Well, that’s a lesson in itself. Abraham’s faith and confidence that he and the boy would come down off of that mountain. He didn’t know how it was going to be, how that was going to occur. But the Hebrew writer tells us in Hebrews chapter 11 that he knew that God would do what he promised, even if it meant raising the boy from the dead. He had faith in what God had promised. But that’s not our point just here. Our point just here is that Abraham took the wood. He took the fire, and he took his son. And if you’ll drop down in that text to verse 7. It says, and Isaac spake unto Abraham his father. And he said, My father. And he said, Here am I, my son.

And he said, Behold the fire and the wood. But where’s the lamb? And you think about it, beloved. This boy asked a question. And it was a question that demanded an answer. Do you think Abraham was uninterested at all in trying to help this boy understand what God had done and what God had commanded. And what he was about to do. Here’s the wood. Here’s the fire. Where’s the lamb? This boy observed some things. It prompted a question. It was a question, obviously, that was soon to be answered. Turn your Bible to Exodus chapter 12. The early chapters of the book of Exodus record the plagues that came upon the nation of Egypt. That would eventually result in the people of God coming out with great substance.

But the last plague that was pronounced upon these people was the death of the firstborn of each household that did not have the blood of the Lamb over at the door and the post by the door. God had instituted among these people a feast. In Exodus chapter 12, beginning in verse 14. Regarding this, it was to be a memorial. And he said, You shall keep this feast throughout your generations. Ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. Drop down to verse 24. It says, And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever. And it shall come to pass when you are coming to the land which Jehovah will give you according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service, and it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses. And the people bowed their head and worshiped, and the children of Israel went and did so as Jehovah had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. What mean you by this service? Well, friend, there would be children that would be born generations from this, who would be responsible to observe the Passover. And to observe this feast would be to recognize the memorial of God and the things that He did in bringing these people out of Egypt. What mean you by this service? What’s this all about? You see, children. They ask questions. And these questions are very significant, and they deserve an answer.

Turn the page, if you will, to Exodus, excuse me, chapter 13. Regarding the feast of unleavened bread, drop down to verse 8. Again it says, And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me when I came forth out of Egypt. What does this mean? It has a history, beloved. It has something that you need to know. Something you must understand. In the 13th chapter, beginning in verse 14, regarding the consecration of the firstborn. It says, And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? That thou shalt say unto him, by strength of hand, Jehovah brought us out from Egypt from the house of bondage, and it came to pass when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast.

Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb being males, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeemed. And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand and for frontless between thine eyes, for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt. What does this mean? You see, that question just keeps coming up, doesn’t it? What does it mean? And it provided occasion for these to be taught about the great thanks of God. Now why is that so important? What is this? What does it mean? Children are very inquisitive little creatures, aren’t they? And they grow up into adults. And their questions need some answers. Now I want to call this to your attention. As we noted a few moments ago, the question was asked in Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Turn to it again, if you would, please. Deuteronomy. Excuse me, Deuteronomy chapter 6. And note with me, verse 20. When these children would ask, what mean these testimonies and the statutes and the ordinances which Jehovah our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, we were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt. And Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And Jehovah showed signs and wonders great and sore upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his house before our eyes. And he brought us out from thence that he might bring us in to give us the land which he swear unto our fathers. And Jehovah commanded us to do all these statutes to fear our Jehovah our God for our good always, that he might preserve us alive as at this day.

4. Children Are the Future

And it shall be righteousness unto us if we observe to do all this commandment before Jehovah our God as He hath commanded us. Why do we do these things? You’re ever children, your children ever ask you that. Why do we do these things? Why can’t I do this like everybody else is doing? And you study with them what the Bible says, and you say, Well, why? Why? Children need an answer. There’s a reason for such things. Why? Number one. They’re the future. As we mentioned a moment ago, they grow up into real people. And they make decisions. And they become the leadership of the next generation, do they not? The next generation in the home. Children raise questions. Why are there different roles in the home?

Who’s obligated to teach them these lessons? And Ephesians chapter 5 was mentioned earlier in the Bible class. In Ephesians chapter 5 in verse 22, the text tells us, wives be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the Savior of the body. And you’re familiar with this text. There are different roles in the home. And our children will be those who lead in those roles and teach their children what that’s all about. In Titus chapter 2, this preacher is instructing in Titus chapter 2 in verse 3, that the aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine. Teachers of that which is good, that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blaspheme.

Further instruction given unto the young men. Why do you suppose these attributes were to be taught, beloved? Because our children don’t just grow up knowing these things. They have to be taught. They have to be taught. And whose responsibility is it to teach them? We see that’s yours. Paul giving instructions regarding the qualifications of the elders in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and in Titus chapter 1. We sometimes think, well, don’t these qualifications just happen? No, they don’t. These are taught. And men understand these qualities and begin to acquire them and develop them to the extent that others see their leadership qualifications and appoint them to serve in that role among God’s people. You ever thought about that might be your son? What if he’s not taught?

What if the questions that he’s asking, do not receive a sufficient answer? What do you suppose his generation is going to be as he leads God’s people? What about the next generation? Somebody has often said that it only takes one untaught generation to result in apostasy. And you know that’s so.

And what about teaching our children? Teaching them about what it means to develop these qualities. What about gospel preachers? Sometimes it is said that we need more gospel preachers because look at all the problems that the church is having. I’m determined that many of the problems the church is having is because of gospel preachers. It is lacking when we think of godly elders. There’s the problem. But you see, they don’t just happen. What if your son is a gospel preacher? Your grandson is a gospel preacher. But the things that he’s preaching are not right. What’s happened somewhere along the way? He’s preaching error. He’s leading God’s people in the wrong direction. We ever reflect on that and say it might very well be because I didn’t teach my son or daughter.

You see, children are the future. That’s where our elders come from. Deacons, preachers, Bible class teachers, and song leaders. Our children are important. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Galatians, said that when he came to the city of Jerusalem, he was received by those who were reputed to be pillars in the church. Suppose your son is not an elder. Suppose he is not a gospel preacher. Suppose he’s a part of a congregation that does not have elders. Could it be said that he has become a pillar in the church? Could it be said that he’s not because you didn’t teach him? Children have questions. What mean these stones? Who’s obligated to answer them? Well, turn back, if you will, to Joshua chapter 4, the text that we began with.

5. Who's Obligated to Answer Them?

In Joshua chapter 4 in verse 6, it says that this may be a sign among you that when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? There’s your question. In verse 20 it says, those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal, and he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers. Well, now I understand that mothers have a role. But fathers, whose primary responsibility is it to teach children? That’s your job, isn’t it? That’s your job. You’re to be the leader in that role. To teach your children who they are, what they’ve become and what God has done for them. We often look at 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 8, and quote it, if a man provideth not for his own, especially they of his own household, he’s denied the faith and worse than an infidel or an unbeliever.

Do you think all that a father is to provide for his own is bread and water? To teach him the things that he needs to know, to answer the questions that he has. As Paul said to bring him up and to nurture him the admonition of the Lord. Again, we know mother’s role. We know that Timothy’s father was a Greek. But Timothy’s mother and his grandmother had taught him the sacred writings since a babe. You see, teaching our children is important. We must answer their questions. Let us tell our children the things that they need to know. Turn, if you will, to Psalms chapter 78. In Psalms chapter 78, beginning in verse 1, the writer said, Give ear, O my people, to my law. Incline your ears to the word of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known. And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from our children or from their children. Telling to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah and His strength and his wondrous works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children that shall be born, who shall arise and tell them to their children. Makes a mark on your mind, don’t it? You’ve got a job. Tell your children so that they can tell their children, so that they can tell their children about these great things that God has done.

6. Many Memorials Described in the Bible

There are many memorials that are described in the Bible. How many of you after a rain? And you see this beautiful bowl in the sky. And your children ask. What does that mean? Do you begin to tell them about how the sun shines through the atmosphere and it creates a prism effect that results in all these beautiful colors? Is that what you tell them? Is it? Maybe what the science teacher tells them, and academically, certainly that’s correct. But that’s not why the rainbow is there, is it? Why is it there? Well, you can read about that in Genesis chapter 9. God put it there. So that when you see that, you’ll be reminded of what God said. That he will never destroy the world again by means of a flood.

You know what God said. How do you know that? You’re reminded because of this big memorial that he put up in the sky. The rainbow. When we think of the Passover, we’ve seen how that was to be taught to generations and generations so that they might know what God did to bring them up out of the land of Egypt. In Hebrews chapter 9, we read of the Ark of the Covenant, and you know what was in it. An omer of man. What did God do during the days when manna was fed to his people? God provided that. Aaron’s rod. What was done through Aaron’s rod that budded that was kept in the Ark of the Covenant? You recall how that during the days of the plagues that were brought upon Egypt, Aaron’s rod was instrumental in bringing many of those plagues upon those Egyptians, wasn’t it?

And when we think about the tablets of Sutton, what do these statutes mean? You see, these were given by God. And they were given for our good. Now there are lessons, beloved, as we look at these memorials. When we look at these twelve stones, when their children and their grandchildren would travel along this busy way. And they would see this pillar of stones, and they would ask the question. What meaneth these stones? A father or a grandfather might be heard to say, you know, this is where we crossed over the Jordan River. Well, like we were talking about the rainbow, is that academically correct? Well, yeah, that’s where they crossed over. That marked the place. But that’s not teaching the lesson, is it? Rather, we’ve missed the mark.

Many times, as it pertains to teaching the lessons to our children. Maybe we get too busy. Like the question, why? We’re just too busy to answer the question. Over and over. My little granddaughter, you knew that was going in there somewhere. Seven years old. She sat beside me worshiping. Sometimes she asks. Being served. What does that mean, Baba? Why do we do that? Well, I could say. That’s what Jesus said. Have I academically answered the question correctly? Yeah. We can read that, you see, in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, beginning in verse 23. How many times at the Lord’s table has that passage been read? I assume many times in this congregation. But you see what I want to talk with her about is what the Lord did for us.

This blue in remembrance.

What did he do? Well, he left the glory of heaven. He lived in the body and flesh. He subjected himself to the temptations of men. And he died one of the most horrible deaths known to men. And God raised him from the dead. And seated him on his own right hand. What’s this mean? Papa. See, questions are asked. That command and answer. Young people, one of these days you’re going to grow up. You’ll get married. You’ll have children. Eventually, I know it’s a shock to you, but you’ll have grandchildren. Lord willing, in time remains.

One of these days. Your little granddaughter. They’re going to ask a question. What does this mean? Now, if you don’t know, you need to learn. You see the point I’m trying to make this point? There are occasions when children give us an opportunity to teach them. Sometimes those occasions might be a very short window of time. And the reason why this question was to be answered was that ye may know, but that all nations of the earth may know. We look at history. And we see the history is often referred to in the New Testament. They teach lessons. We see that the history of Israel in Romans chapter 15 and 1 Corinthians chapter 10. We often teach lessons on these passages. And we know that these are written to be an example to you.

Conclusion

That you don’t do what they did. They’re written for your admonition. Friend, I want us to tell our children the things that they need to know. Answer their questions. Answer all of them. Teach them. Because if you don’t, sometimes we say nobody else will. That’s not exactly true. If we don’t, somebody else will. And what will they teach them? That little window of opportunity. What meaning these things? You’ve listened patiently to me this morning. I appreciate the opportunity and your kind attention. Perhaps I’m talking to someone in the audience this morning who needs to obey the gospel. You need to ask the question. What must I do? What must I do? In Acts chapter 2, those folks were told who they had crucified, who Jesus was.

Evidence being presented. And Peter declared, let all the house of Israel therefore know assured that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus, whom he crucified. They were pricked in their heart and said, What shall we do? They believed what Peter had told them. The evidence was indisputable. And he said, Repent ye and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. On that day, about 3,000 did that. They wanted to be forgiven. What about you this morning? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Would you turn from your sin? Would you humbly be baptized into Christ? Raised to walk in your life. Maybe you’ve done that, and you’ve not done what you should be doing.

Something wrong with that. What do you need to do? First and foremost, beloved, you need to repent of your sin. God has never promised to save anybody while they continue the practice of their sin. Turn from it, confess it to God. Ask His forgiveness. These good people would be more than willing to pray for you to that end. If you be subject to the invitation, make it known while together we stand and sing this song.