立石為記
1國民盡都過了約旦河，耶和華就對約書亞說： 2「你從民中要揀選十二個人，每支派一人， 3吩咐他們說：『你們從這裏，從約旦河中、祭司腳站定的地方，取十二塊石頭帶過去，放在你們今夜要住宿的地方。』」 4於是，約書亞將他從以色列人中所預備的那十二個人，每支派一人，都召了來。 5對他們說：「你們下約旦河中，過到耶和華－你們神的約櫃前頭，按着以色列人十二支派的數目，每人取一塊石頭扛在肩上。 6這些石頭在你們中間可以作為證據。日後，你們的子孫問你們說：『這些石頭是甚麼意思？』 7你們就對他們說：『這是因為約旦河的水在耶和華的約櫃前斷絕；約櫃過約旦河的時候，約旦河的水就斷絕了。這些石頭要作以色列人永遠的紀念。』」
8 以色列人就照約書亞所吩咐的，按着以色列人支派的數目，從約旦河中取了十二塊石頭，都遵耶和華所吩咐約書亞的行了。他們把石頭帶過去，到他們所住宿的地方，就放在那裏。 9約書亞另把十二塊石頭立在約旦河中，在擡約櫃的祭司腳站立的地方；直到今日，那石頭還在那裏。 10擡約櫃的祭司站在約旦河中，等到耶和華曉諭約書亞吩咐百姓的事辦完了，是照摩西所吩咐約書亞的一切話。
於是百姓急速過去了。 11眾百姓盡都過了河，耶和華的約櫃和祭司就在百姓面前過去。 12呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人都照摩西所吩咐他們的，帶着兵器在以色列人前頭過去。 13約有四萬人都準備打仗，在耶和華面前過去，到耶利哥的平原，等候上陣。 14當那日，耶和華使約書亞在以色列眾人眼前尊大。在他平生的日子，百姓敬畏他，像從前敬畏摩西一樣。
15耶和華曉諭約書亞說： 16「你吩咐擡法櫃的祭司從約旦河裏上來。」 17約書亞就吩咐祭司說：「你們從約旦河裏上來。」 18擡耶和華約櫃的祭司從約旦河裏上來，腳掌剛落旱地，約旦河的水就流到原處，仍舊漲過兩岸。
19正月初十日，百姓從約旦河裏上來，就在吉甲，在耶利哥的東邊安營。 20他們從約旦河中取來的那十二塊石頭，約書亞就立在吉甲， 21對以色列人說：「日後你們的子孫問他們的父親說：『這些石頭是甚麼意思？』 22你們就告訴他們說：『以色列人曾走乾地過這約旦河； 23因為耶和華－你們的神在你們前面使約旦河的水乾了，等着你們過來，就如耶和華－你們的神從前在我們前面使紅海乾了，等着我們過來一樣， 24要使地上萬民都知道，耶和華的手大有能力，也要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華－你們的神。』」
各位弟兄姊妹平安，我們今天讀的是《約書亞記》第四章，記載了以色列人過約旦河時，約書亞吩咐百姓帶了 12塊石頭，作為這件事的紀念。如昨天所說，這次過約旦河，情況與摩西帶以色列人過紅海有所不同。當年，過紅海是迫在眉睫的救命之舉，前有大海，後有追兵，緊急需要超自然的神蹟拯救。而這次的約旦河雖然是重要的邊界，但本身並不是難以跨越的阻礙。然而，上帝透過這件事，帶來了兩個重要目的：
讓新一代以色列人經歷神蹟：
這一代以色列人並不是當初從埃及出來的那批人，他們是在曠野中出生的新世代。他們沒有親身經歷過摩西分紅海的壯舉，只是聽說過這件事的傳說。現在，上帝讓他們親眼目睹約旦河水分開，這樣的神蹟顯明，上帝與他們同在，並確立約書亞作為新領袖的權威。
讓以色列人永遠記念上帝的作為：
如同當年的逾越節被設立來紀念出埃及的神蹟一樣，這次過約旦河，約書亞吩咐百姓從河中帶出12塊石頭，作為世世代代的記號。當後代的子孫問起時，這些石頭將成為傳遞神蹟故事的重要象徵。
我們在經文中看到，上帝的同在永遠走在以色列人之前。在曠野時，上帝以雲柱、火柱帶領百姓；而在這裡，則是透過約櫃的形式，代表祂的臨在。當利未人抬著約櫃站在約旦河中，水就停止流動，露出乾地，讓百姓可以安全通過。注意，特別是等到利未人 “先” 踏進河裡，這順序不能更換，必須是他們先踏入河中，河水就被分開。而且這時候的河水是收割時候的河水，比平常的約旦河要更大的水流。所以這一次的分開必然是神蹟的彰顯。
這提醒我們，上帝永遠是走在我們前面，為我們預備道路。 祂的帶領充滿智慧，祂的安排從未延遲。最後一節特別重要：「讓地上的萬民都知道耶和華的手大有能力，也使你們永遠敬畏耶和華你們的神。」這節經文清楚指出，這個神蹟的最終目的是讓全地認識上帝的大能，也讓以色列人對祂心存敬畏。這段經文不僅僅是一個歷史故事，更教導我們：
上帝會親自確立我們的帶領者，並與祂的百姓同在。
我們需要記念上帝的恩典，因為祂的作為會成為我們信心的基石。
上帝的帶領是超越時間的，祂走在我們前面，為我們鋪平道路。
我們明天將繼續分享《約書亞記》第五章，感謝各位的聆聽！
Joshua Chapter 4
Memorials to the Jordan Crossing
1When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2“Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’”
4So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”
8So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.
9Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.
10The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the Lord’s commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed. 11And when everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the Lord as the people watched.
12The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed. 13These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the Lord was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.
14That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
15The Lord had said to Joshua, 16“Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up out of the riverbed.” 17So Joshua gave the command. 18As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.
19The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho. 20It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.
21Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. 24He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”
Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you.
Today, we are reading Joshua Chapter 4, which records the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and Joshua commanding the people to take twelve stones as a memorial for this event. As we mentioned yesterday, this crossing of the Jordan differs from Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea. Back then, the crossing of the Red Sea was an urgent rescue mission — with the sea in front and the enemy behind, requiring a supernatural miracle for deliverance. In contrast, while the Jordan River is an important boundary, it wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle. Yet, through this event, God accomplished two significant purposes:
Allowing the new generation of Israelites to experience a miracle:
This generation of Israelites was not the same group that had left Egypt. They were born in the wilderness and had not witnessed the awe-inspiring parting of the Red Sea by Moses. They had only heard of it through stories. Now, God let them personally witness the parting of the Jordan River, demonstrating His presence among them and establishing Joshua’s authority as their new leader.
Ensuring that the Israelites would always remember God’s works:
Just as the Passover was instituted to commemorate the miracle of the Exodus, this crossing of the Jordan was marked by Joshua commanding the people to bring twelve stones from the riverbed as a perpetual memorial. These stones were meant to serve as a symbol, allowing future generations to ask and learn about God’s miraculous deeds.
In this passage, we see that God’s presence always goes before the Israelites. In the wilderness, God led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Here, His presence is symbolized through the Ark of the Covenant. When the Levitical priests carried the Ark and stood in the Jordan River, the waters stopped flowing, exposing dry ground for the people to cross safely. Notably, it was only after the priests first stepped into the river that the waters parted. This order was intentional — the priests had to step into the water in faith, and then the miracle occurred. Additionally, this happened during the harvest season when the Jordan River’s flow was at its peak, making the parting of the river an undeniable display of divine power.
This reminds us that God always goes ahead of us, preparing the way. His guidance is full of wisdom, and His timing is never delayed. The final verse of this chapter is especially significant: “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” This verse highlights the ultimate purpose of the miracle: to reveal God’s power to all nations and to instill reverence for Him among the Israelites.
This passage is not just a historical account but also a lesson for us today:
God personally establishes our leaders and remains present with His people.
We must remember God’s grace, for His deeds serve as the foundation of our faith.
God’s guidance transcends time — He goes before us, preparing the way.
Tomorrow, we will continue with Joshua Chapter 5. Thank you for listening!
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