I have a more interesting way to read through the Bible. My e-sword Bible has bookmarks on the right side. All I need to do is find a place to start reading and then right click a bookmark on the right sideof the page to save my place. I have made 7 bookmarks to read a chapter in 7 places from Joshua to Romans. This s a more balanced diet to eat the word. We need to hide the word in our heart so that it will be there when needed. I always see something I never saw before when reading the Bible. I had remembered that when Israel carried the ark and came to the river Jordan that the priests carrying the ark by staves were to by faith step out into the river Jordan. When they obeyed, the LORD parted the river. The ark was carried out to the middle of the river bed and all the people crossed the Jordan. How many people were they? According to the census there were over 600, 000 adult males over the age of 20. Adding in the women and children it could have been one to two million or more. It would have to be a wide shoring up of the Jordan to allow that many to cross over.
Joshua commanded the princes of the 12 tribes to each gather a stone as a memorial. Joshua then placed 12 stones in the Jordan as a memorial.
Jos 4:2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Jos 4:3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
Jos 4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
Jos 4:5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Jos 4:6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Jos 4:7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
Jos 4:8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
Jos 4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
The twelve stones would be hidden in the midst of the Jordan river. I suppose only when the river was at a very low depth could they be seen. I was thinking of this hidden memorial. It is as the word hidden in our heart. When problems come, sufferings, afflictions or some want, then the memorial is seen at these low times to remember the promises of God and his miracles. I suppose the low water times serve as a memorial to us because we have the word in our heart. When Shasta Dam in California gets low of water, then hidden things are shown. Old bridges are surfaced and other structures that remind us of the past. The low times can be for our memories. Jesus by faith resides with us by the Holy Spirit. We are to remember this at all times. We are never alone and he will take us through the Jordan to the promise land, by foot or by being carried.
A good story, but there is more. Reading on I see that the stones that the 12 princes of the 12 tribes gathered were moved to Gilgal as a memorial. There were 12 stones placed in the Jordan by Joshua and 12 stones brought to Gilgal as a memorial.
Jos 4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Jos 4:21 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?
Jos 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Proclaim the word of God where all may hear and see. Our memorials, the cross, the 10 Commandments, prayer in schools, these are being hidden by the enemies of God. We are to keep Jesus before the world to see. We may be persecuted and cast down by men, but received and rewarded by our Lord. Keep Going.
A good story, but there is more. Reading on I see that the stones that the 12 princes of the 12 tribes gathered were moved to Gilgal as a memorial. There were 12 stones placed in the Jordan by Joshua and 12 stones brought to Gilgal as a memorial.
Jos 4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Jos 4:21 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?
Jos 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Proclaim the word of God where all may hear and see. Our memorials, the cross, the 10 Commandments, prayer in schools, these are being hidden by the enemies of God. We are to keep Jesus before the world to see. We may be persecuted and cast down by men, but received and rewarded by our Lord. Keep Going.
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