The account of crossing the Jordan and the twelve stones of memorial is a powerful moment in the Bible, found in Joshua 3-4. It marks the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership after the death of Moses. In Joshua 4:1-9, God commands Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, take a stone from the Jordan River where the Israelites had crossed on dry ground, and set up a memorial at their camp in Gilgal.
These twelve stones served as a physical reminder for future generations of God’s faithfulness in bringing them through the river. As Joshua said, when children ask, “What do these stones mean?” the story of God’s miraculous intervention in parting the Jordan would be passed down. The stones were a testament to God’s power and His promise keeping.
In Joshua 5, after the crossing, God commanded the Israelites to renew the covenant by circumcising their sons who had been born during the wilderness wanderings, and then they celebrated the first Passover in the land. This moment of crossing the Jordan was symbolic of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to the Israelites, bringing them to a new chapter in their journey.
The stones also represent an invitation for believers to look back at moments where God’s faithfulness has been evident in their lives and use those reminders as sources of encouragement in future challenges. Just as God was faithful to the Israelites, He continues to be faithful to His people today.
