These Twelve Stones
Part 1
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)
The twelve stones of Jordan have a long history and a great impact on the nation of Israel, and on the faith of the faithful. We begin at the river Jordan, Moses is dead, forty years of wandering in the wilderness are over. All those who did not believe and who had rebelled against God fell in the wilderness.
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. (Hebrews 3:9, 10,11)
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3: 16-19)
Joshua was now given command of the nation. He was instructed by God concerning the length and breadth of the land. He was to be of good courage, and the book of the law was not to depart out of his mouth. Every word of God is sacred to the Almighty. When we speak, it should be the truth of God, without adding or taking away. Joshua did not wish to divert from the word of God, like so many today. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8) All his life was to be in the book of the law of God. So much so, that all his prosperity and success would be determined by the word of God. He is to walk within it’s boundaries, his heart is to be fixed on the horizon of the law of God. We have another example of this with the blessed man of Psalm 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1,2) Should not this law be precious to us knowing that it was a schoolmaster leading us to Christ. The entire history of the law taught us that we are unworthy, and unfit to be in the presence of God. How great is the grace of Christ that He has freed us from the bondage of the law to be free in Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Over and over, Paul in his epistle made it so personal in his writing, when he would take the pen like a voice of God and say, “he loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Oh, what grace comes out to us from our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Returning now to the Jordan, Joshua sends out two spies to Jericho, and by their report Joshua readies the camp. In three days, they will cross over Jordan, they are not to build rafts or boats, but they will cross through it. Faith answers to trust in God, so much so, by the words, “you have not been this way, hither tofore,”(Joshua 3:4) they knew that God was about to do a new thing; with the ark of God before them, they would pass through the river of death to the other side of life. The priests were to bear the ark, and when their feet reached the brick of the water, they were to stand still. You may have observed in scripture that many times when the children of Israel were delivered by God, that they were to stand still and see their salvation. Many times we have this witness to the great saving power of the Almighty God through His grace. Even at times in Israel’s history when they should have been denied deliverance, because of their cries to God through His grace, He delivered them; whether it be a Jehoshaphat, or a Uzziah, or a Hezekiah, He listened to their prayers, and helped them, and delivered them even if they had no power.
This was at the time of year, when the Jordan overflowed it’s banks, the time of harvest. God had prepared this time for their crossing, the time of harvest. This new land was prepared for them. God had set the table before them, they would pass over into a land of plenty from a desert in the wilderness. This was to be their land. The land that God had promised to Abraham, and that God would raise up seed unto Abraham to possess this land. This was the nation of Israel. She was to be born by crossing through the river of death, her leader was Joshua (which means “saviour”). God had promised Joshua that “as I was with Moses, so shall I be with thee.” The people rose up to this great day, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little; over and over, God speaks in sundry times to the heart of man. The ark is ready, and the priests carry it before the people. The people follow it 2,000 cubits behind; with the ark of God before them, their feet touch the brick of the water, and God parts the waters in a heap to the north, and a heap to the south that they may go over on dry ground. This was no small company — for just out of the tribe of Gad and the ½ tribe of Manasseh there were 40,000 men of war. Think of this great company that was to cross this river. The priests now walk down into the midst of this river on dry ground. Each step by the divine ordinance of God. All twelve tribes pass over as one nation, being baptized into this river of death; so that they should come into a land of life more abundantly. The young, the old, all to a new beginning. So too, with us, who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are placed in heavenly places, our home is one of glory in His presence. We are baptized into the Saviour’s death, so that we can walk in newness of life in Christ.
Much of the history of Israel at various times, resemble parables or allegories; and we, as Christians should learn from these truths from their history. As Christians, we are born by the Spirit of God in a moment of time. That does not say that He does not woo us for a considerable amount of time through His witness to us. But at the moment of our new birth, we are new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new. We are brought into a new place called heaven, our hearts and our desires are there with Christ. What has brought us to our new home? It is Christ, who died, yea, and rose again for our justification. We are a new people, a peculiar people, a people that the scriptures calls us “lively stone.” We have all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and have the fullness of the unsearchable riches of Christ. We have followed the ark of our soul down into the Jordan of death— to live with Christ Jesus our Lord.
The nation of Israel passed through Jordan, and they will eat of the new corn of the land. They will be led by the captain of the Lord’s host— and Joshua will be His servant. Joshua and Caleb are the two witnesses who God singled out to watch this mighty act of His grace. This new nation will cross over Jordan before them, they are there to remind us of the bondage of Egypt, the Exodus out of Egypt, and the wonder of the parting of the Red Sea by the mighty hand of God. This new people, all born in the wilderness, for all they who came out of Egypt have fallen in the wilderness of sin, have returned to dust from whence they were taken— only Joshua and Caleb stood to watch once again God parting the waters of death for life. And so all of Israel passed over Jordan that day. What a sight to behold; but sight is soon fading, memories grow dim, but God knows our frame. God instructed Joshua to choose a man out of every tribe and to bear up out of the river a stone for every tribe. There would be twelve stones out of the river Jordan which would be carried to Gilgal and set up for a memorial. These were not small stones for the men had to carry these stones upon their shoulders — symbol of the place of strength. These stones were to be for a memorial, so that when the children of Israel asked their fathers, “what meaneth these stones?” they would reply, “ these stones are a memorial to the day that the God of heaven and earth brought Israel through the Jordan.” Joshua also instructed them to take twelve stones from the land, and place them at the feet of the priests in the Jordan. After everyone had passed over into the land, the priest baring the ark passed over to the other side from the midst of the Jordan. So God returned the waters of the Jordan to overflow it’s banks. What a sight this must have been. The ark of God carried by the priests, this ark was veiled, it was covered with badger skins; so that the glory could not be seen — just like our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53 describes him thus For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2) As a root out of a dry ground, that He had no form nor comeliness. And when the world looked upon Him, they saw no beauty in him to be desired. The Lord, as the ark, was veiled. He had taken upon Him the seed of Abraham and had come forth— veiled in the likeness of a man. His glory was also hidden beneath the badger skin.
Now, let us go to the Gospel of Matthew; John the Baptist (like Joshua) is in the land near the Jordan — he called attention to these twelve stones of Israel that had been forgotten by Israel. The wonders of God: the parting of the Jordan, all the great events that God had performed when He brought them through the river Jordan with an outstretched arm had been forgotten. So much so, that John in his displeasure with the priests and the Levites, said “who has warned you of the wrath to come?” The heavens had been silent for 400 years since Malachi, but now heaven is about to open with a new thing— a great thing. God was walking amongst them, manifest in the flesh, His glory veiled in the midst of them. The Lord Jesus had come to the very spot that Joshua brought the people of Israel through the Jordan. In Matthew’s Gospel, the first words spoken by the Lord Jesus was And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15)
God had been setting the stage to introduce His Son to the nation of Israel. As in the days of Joshua, the Ark of God was present. He was to become the chief cornerstone of the Church. He was to be our only memorial. And like Israel, we have replaced Him with the traditions of men. John could say again, to those of this age, “Oh generation of vipers, who has warned you of the wrath to come?” Joshua had declared that these twelve stones would be a memorial to the children of Israel for ever! This includes this present day, and the day that the Lord, their Redeemer will establish them in His glorious kingdom. John the Baptist is trying to stir the hearts of the priests and the Levites by pointing to these stones. It had been 1,500 years since Joshua had brought the children of Israel through the Jordan. But Israel had forgotten that great day. The nation of Israel had become the land of the Jews. The feasts of Jehovah had become the Feast of the Jews, as it is recorded in John’s gospel, the spirit of God tells us that Jehovah was left out of the feasts and they had merely become, “the feast of the Jews.” Jehovah is left out, but God still has a witness — though silent, the stones still bear witness to that great day. As I said previously, these were large stones. This was not a small memorial. It had endured 1,500 years of rain, wind, heat, cold, and flood. Yet, God had kept it night and day. If the eyes of the Jew could not see them, then the eyes of Jehovah would look on the stones and remember, “for the eyes of the Lord go to and fro, throughout the whole earth looking for the heart that is stayed on him.“ John the Baptist, was one of these men whose heart was stayed on Jehovah, as well as his father Zechariah, and his mother Elizabeth. They were found righteous in the sight of God. They were both from the line of Aaron and could prove their genealogy; therefore, John the Baptist, according to the law of Moses, had the right under God’s eyes to be the High Priest of Israel. Instead, he appears crying out in the wilderness, “make straight the way of the Lord,” in contrast to a political Israel. For a long time there had not been a true priest in Israel. Men would choose men with no fear of God. The position of High Priest was now based only on political power and wealth. They put on a form of godliness, but denied Jehovah His place and His power. These twelve stones meant nothing to the priests and Levites who came to John. As today, men who profess to be godly outwardly lie about the Christ of God and the Word of God; trying to overthrow the faith once delivered to the saints. But as God kept these twelve stones, He also keeps our faith by the Word of God.
The Bible is not only the complete revelation given to man, but it is also a memorial of the greatest kind — for in it — faith is revealed and faith is answered to, every word of God is pure. For God has tried every word seven times in His furnace of love, so that man is without excuse. Faith comes from above not from the earth. John the Baptist should have been the High Priest, but instead he comes to the Jordan not as Elijah, not as one of those prophets, but as a servant sent by God — just a voice crying in the wilderness. How comely for one who should have been the High Priest. Although he professed not to be Elijah, he came in the spirit of Elijah. As the Lord said in the Gospel of John, “if you will receive it, this was Elijah.” But this day, at the Jordan, John was to warn Israel of the wrath to come. They would again be tested for 40 years from this point in time forward.
God had brought a huge mass of Israelites to the Jordan, they were to witness a great thing — it was the day the heavens would be opened once more after 400 years of silence. The voice of God would be heard and the angels of God would look on in wonder. Jesus was now 30 years old, and in 70 A.D., 40 years after His baptism, Jerusalem, the priests, and Levites would still not repent; therefore, the Romans came in and completely destroyed Herod’s great temple, one of the great wonders of that day. As the Lord Jesus said, “there would not be one stone upon another.“ The destruction was so complete that the city of Jerusalem was now considered a waste land. This matched the hearts of those who crucified the Lord of Glory. The time was at hand, all was prepared of God. At this site at the banks of the Jordan, Jerusalem and the people of Israel would receive their final call! God the Son had come to the Jordan, twelve stones for a memorial had stood for 1,500 years for the birth of the nation. The Lord Jesus and John stood as witnesses against Israel as Joshua and Caleb stood as witnesses for Israel. What a change had taken place. Prophets had been stoned, sawn asunder, made to live in caves, shunned by the people, and denied their rightful place among the people of God, imprisoned with water and bread of affliction; and still God in His mercy, lastly to His vineyard sent His Son, heir of all things. The Lord Jesus and John stood at the brink of the Jordan, a servant and a Son, sent by God the Father to fulfill all righteousness. John represents the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant, and Jesus is the true Ark of God. But they must go down into the river Jordan, the waters of death must be a symbol of His fulfilling all righteousness. The Lord Jesus knew what was before Him, that in 3 ½ years He would be at Calvary on the cross, then to the tomb, and lastly to heaven; there to be the represented man in glory, but now at the Jordan, “we must fulfill all righteousness.” Down into the Jordan till the feet of the Son of God reached those twelve stones hidden beneath the water from the eyes of man, but always open to the eyes of God. These were the same stones that each of the twelve men placed at the feet of the priest 1,500 years previously.
This day when the Lord Jesus stood upon these stones man could not see beneath the waters of the Jordan; but, God sees all and knows all. As the stones were a memorial on land for the children of Israel, the twelve stones within the Jordan were a memorial for God. 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. (Joshua 4:9) This verse ends with an ever present statement, “unto this day.” I believe in my heart, the Holy Spirit phrased it just in this way so that we would know the long-suffering of God and the future glory for Israel. One day, I believe, He will reveal those twelve stones to Israel in His kingdom as a memorial to His ever abiding grace to Israel.
The Word of God reminds us in Hebrews 4:13 that God sees all things, and all things are open and naked before Him. He sees those twelve stones today, as He stood upon them in the river Jordan. This was to start a new thing, the Lord of Glory never forgets His promises, whether in the Jordan to the nation of Israel, or to the Church in the breaking of bread. As those stones were a memorial for the Israelites, so the breaking of bread is a memorial of the Lord’s death until He comes. Then we will eat anew in the kingdom of God with Him as the Israelites ate the new corn in the land.
The Lord Jesus now comes up out of the Jordan, He is a symbol of the life and glory of God. The heavens open, the voice of God the Father declares that “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Spirit descends from heaven and rests upon the Son of God. God the Father declares, God the Son receives, and God the Holy Spirit witnesses of the Glory of God. Though veiled in the flesh, He, the Lord Jesus, would walk spotless and undefiled as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. All three in the Godhead witness at His baptism, proving the unity and the oneness of the Godhead bodily. This is the end of Part 1 of These Twelve Stones. These Twelve Stones, Part II, will follow. It is 3:30 a.m., and I must get some sleep. Good night and God bless you, and may the God of Israel shine upon you. Amen.
© Copyright, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture reference are from the King James Bible. (KJV)