Joshua Worksheet - Chapter 4

JOSHUA 4     Review: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 really go together for it is the complete account of Israel crossing over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. God does a miracle as the priest step into the edge of the river and the waters stand up in a heap as they walk out to the center of the Jordan River on dry ground holding the Ark of the Covenant! The entire nation gets across and then 12 men that have been chosen, one from each tribe is told to go back to the priests in the center of the Jordan to get a stone to carry back on their shoulder to the camp of Gilgal where they set up for the first camp in the Promised Land. These are not small stones, but ones that were to be set up for a memorial; so the children would ask about them in the future times and be told again and again what the Lord had done for them when He cleared the way for them to walk across the Jordan on dry ground.  After the entire nation of Israel had crossed over the dry ground in the Jordan river, the Lord spoke to Joshua in regard to the 12 men that had been chosen, one from every tribe of Israel. (vs.1-3).  What was each man suppose to do as they came back out to the priests in the middle of the Jordan river? vs.3 Where were they to take the stones? vs. 3 What was the purpose for having each of these men come and take a stone from the middle of the floor of the Jordan river to set up where they were lodging? vs.4-6 What were they to tell the children when they asked about them? vs. 7 The 12 men did as Joshua had asked them to. (vs.8) ... What did Joshua do at that time in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests had stood? vs. 9 When did the priests finally cross over with the ark before the people? vs.10,11 What happened as soon as Joshua gave the command for the priests to come up out of the water? vs.15-18 What did the Lord do for Joshua that day in the eyes of all the people? vs. 14 What tribes were the first ones to cross over to the desert plains of Jericho for battle to begin to possess the promised land? vs. 12,13 - Name 3: Note: Remember these will be the ones who will go back across the Jordan to their families and possessions to settle after they have helped their brethren to conquer their inherited lands. When did the people come up from the Jordan? vs. 19 Where did they camp at? vs. 19 What did Joshua set up at Gilgal? vs. 20 What were the memorial stones to be? vs. 21-23 What would the peoples of the earth know from this miracle? vs. 24 What was this to cause in the hearts of the people of Israel forever? vs. 24 Applications: The crossing of the Jordan was to be remembered, both in a public manner and a personal one for Joshua, as he built an altar on the floor of the Jordan river just between himself and the Lord. The 12 men, one from each tribe, brought back a stone from the dry river bed to have there in Gilgal where they first camped upon arriving in the Promised Land. The children would ask later "what do they mean?" and they would tell them the great things the Lord did to make a way for them to cross over to the promised land; a new life; full of God's blessings.  In the same way, we have public celebrations where we can tell our children the great things that the Lord has done through the cross and through our personal lives. Some examples are "communion" where we remember the Lord's body and blood with the bread and the juice as well as public "baptisms" where the person is expressing the burial of Christ, dying with Him, and then being "raised up" to walk in newness of life. Comment on the verses below: Luke 22:17-20 - 1 Corinthians 11:24,25 Romans 6:3-11 There was also a private memorial involved in this glorious Jordan crossing.  Joshua was alone with the priests who had carried the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan. The people had passed on to the camp; the 12 men had carried the stones away to camp. Before the Ark was taken out of the water, Joshua took time to put 12 stones together in a heap as an altar between himself and the Lord. Soon the waters of the Jordan would cover those rocks, but Joshua was forever marked in his own heart with the worship he would give to the Lord at that moment. How thankful he must have been to see the mighty hand of God provide the way for them to cross over the Jordan. How humbled he must have felt to have been chosen to lead in the place of Moses and to lead this nation into the warfare that laid ahead of them. What have your private altars been?  I can remember the rock I knelt by when I gave my heart to the Lord at youth camp in Texas in 1969.   I have journals and scrapbooks marking the awesome times and sad times of giving birth to my first son, losing my second son and yet having the peace of the Lord, adopting our 3rd son and being so thrilled at the gift he was and is to us. So many times I have written in journals and prayed in my closet at home. What are some of your private memorials with the Lord? Share if you would like. Summarize this lesson and post a prayer if you would like. Prayer Father God, I pray ...