Text:
Joshua 4:19-22:
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
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?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Joshua 5:6-10:
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
Theme:
The Old Landmark
Introduction:
- The Book of Joshua is the 6th book of the Bible, of the Old Testament, and of the books of history. The Book of Joshua documents the historical accounts from the death of Moses to the death of Joshua. It is believed that Joshua, which is another Hebrew form of the name Jesus, authors this book except for the last five verses, 24:29-33, which were authored by another unknown author.
- The book is divided into three primary sections:
- The first section accounts the history of the conquering of the land of Canaan.
- The second section accounts the division of the land among the twelve tribes as well as the establishment of the Levites and the homes of the eastern tribes.
- The third section accounts the farewell addresses of Joshua and his death.
- The Book of Joshua is believed to be a derivation of both written and oral sources of information compiled into a seemingly disjointed conglomeration of literary jewels in 24 chapters.
- Typical of how God took the motley crew of Israelites and put them together in a land flowing with milk and honey
- Typical of how God has taken us, some black some white, some tall some short, some mean some nice, some loud some quiet, some studious some sensuous, some strong some weak, and allowed us all to make up His Kingdom of God community in the glory of His Holiness.
- The book is divided into three primary sections:
- The text from within the Book of Joshua alludes to a critical and crucial time in the history of the Israeli people, God’s chosen people. The crossing of the river Jordan.
- God told Joshua to direct the priest to carry the Ark of the Covenant into the river Jordan
- When the feet of the priests touched the bottom of the river, the Jordan river “rolled up” in the same way as did the Red Sea for Moses.
- God intentionally worked this miracle so that Joshua would impress the people and follow him.
- The people passed through the river on dry land.
- One man from each of the tribes was instructed to take a rock from the river bed where the priests stood and carry it on their shoulders to the place where the would camp on the other side of the River Jordan.
- The text in chapter 4 continues this story by describing how the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal first.
- Here the twelve stones carried by the twelve men were “pitched”, placed to erect an altar.
- This was ordered by God that the children of the children of Israel would always remember that they were able to cross the River Jordan on dry land under the leadership of Joshua and the power of God.
- The text in chapter 5 explains other points of significance of the land of Gilgal for the children of Israel.
- Since all with Joshua were the children of those who had left Egypt and had not been circumcised, Joshua had the people circumcised, and they remained in Gilgal until they were whole (healed) once again.
- The ritual of circumcision signified the people’s consecration to God à Restoration through the Law of God
- Although their parents had been in relationship with God, they themselves had not experienced oneness with God through the ritual of circumcision.
- They were able to once again celebrate Passover à the first time since being in captivity
- Gilgal represented the institutional and spiritual restoration of the people of Israel to God!
Body:
- Therefore, we can see that Gilgal was a special place, a landmark even, for the children of Israel:
- “Marked” the place where the tabernacle remained until it was moved to Shiloh in Joshua 18:1.
- “Marked” the rectification of the past broken relationship with God.
- “Marked” the celebration of God’s present miracle to bring them across the River Jordan on dry land.
- “Marked” the affirmation of God’s prophetic (future) statement when He said in Exodus 29:45, “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.”
- The twelve stones serve as a typical “landmark” for the children of Israel and their children in the future.
- A landmark is defined as “an object on land that serves as a guide”
- The gospel song as sung by Aretha Franklin says with celebration, “Now let us all go back to the old landmark.”
- As the old saying goes, “If you don’t know where you been, then you can’t know where you are going”
- We must go back to:
- When God first delivered us
- When the Salvation of God first was received
- When the Holy Ghost was first received
- When we first found a church family
- When we first heard the voice of God in our lives
- When we first saw the fruit, the overflow, of our efforts in Jesus
- When we first had a shout or even a tear
- We must go back to that Old Landmark!
Conclusion:
- Let us look at Joshua 4:22 which says, “Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.”
- The second part of that chorus of the Aretha Franklin gospel song says, “and let us stay in the service of the Lord”
- The Old Landmark that Aretha sings of has been erected for the purpose of helping God’s children to STAY IN THE SERVICE!!
- When I was growing up on the farm, there was a star that my father had made of iron rods. This star had lights to illuminate the shape of the star at night in the darkness of the country. This star was critical to the country community that I lived in because everyone knew of the Powell’s star that shone bright from the top of The Hill” around Christmas time.
- Those enjoying the holiday season were reminded of what God had done through His Son, Jesus.
- Those who were abusing the holiday season had a light that gave them light and a source of direction to find their way home on an inebriated, festive night.
- The “Old Time Way” was the “star” for Aretha Franklin
- Preach the Word
- Kneel in prayer
- Blend our voices
- Gilgal was Joshua’s “star” for the children of Israel.
- The children would always know the power of God and their relationship with the Divine as His Chosen People.
- Jesus is our Star in a troubled time!
- Jesus is the light. He is the Light of the World!
- Jesus is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
- He is my reminder
- He is my guide
- He is my waymaker when I need to be restored!!!!
- When I was growing up on the farm, there was a star that my father had made of iron rods. This star had lights to illuminate the shape of the star at night in the darkness of the country. This star was critical to the country community that I lived in because everyone knew of the Powell’s star that shone bright from the top of The Hill” around Christmas time.
- Let us all go back to
The Old Landmark
!!!!
#235
