Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-10-20
STONES OF MEMORIAL.
LESSON III, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, OCT. 81.

StcarnS.
(Condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly. by
permission OF ii. S. Hoffman. Philadelphia,
publisher
In the first chapter of this book We saw
Joshua encouraged; in the second, the two
spies received and protected by Rahab, and
bringing to Joshua further encouragement;
in the third, the preparations for the cross
ing of the Jordan and the actual passing
over; and now in the fourth we have a more
full account of tho passing over, with the
details concerning the twelve stones. In some
of our hymns we sing about Jordan as if it
were a symbol of death, and as if Canaan
represented heaven; but very title thought
would show us that the fact that in Canaan
there were many enemies to be subdued and
much fighting to be done, proves that it was
not a symbol of heaven, nor the Jordan O
symbol of 'eath.
10. ''The priests which bore the ark stood
in the midst Of Jordan until everything was
finished that the Lord commanded joshua"
Anything unfinished is impossible with God,
and all that he has purposed shall in due time
be fully accomplished. Jesus said before he
was crucifed: II have finished the work
which thou gavest me to do" and one of his
last words on the cross was: at is finished"
John xvii, A; xix, 30.) All that the Father
has given Him shall come to Him. all Israel
shall be saved; all the earth shall be filed
with His glory; the works of the devil shall
oil be destroyed; the Kingdom shall come
and the will of God be done on earth as in
heaven.
"The people hasted and passed over" The
commands of God ought to be obeyed cheer
fully and very promptly; it is not for us to
say tomorrow, or time enough, but today is
tho word hoth for ci,unY. a,,d int
IL. Gan the people were clean passed over"
Three times do we find the last three words
of this expression Tvs. 1, IL, and CHI. iii, ~,
and the word "clean" is precisely the same as
tho word finished" in verse 10, so that the
thought of n complete work is kept constantly
before us. What rest it should give our souls
when we remember that though now so inn
perfect lie will perfect that which concerneth
all His people and present us faultless before
tho presence of His glory with exceeding Joy,
and not one thing shall fail of all 10 has
undertaken to do; all shall be accomplished.
IL, 13. Forty thousand prepared for war
passed over before the Lord unto battle"
These were of the two and half tribes who
received their inheritance in tho days OF
Moses on tho east of Jordan; but they had
agreed not to enjoy their inheritance till they
had helped their brethren to cast out the
enemies on tho west sido (Num. xxi, 90
23, and only when the land was possessed
and the enemy subdued did thcy return to
enjoy their possessions. Josh. xxi, 1-9) As
believers VIC are expected to DO ono with oil
our brethren in Christ, armed with tho whole
armor of God, resisting and conquering our
common adversaries, the world, the flesh and
tho devil.
II. Tho Lord magnified Joshua in the
sight Of all Israel" Ho was the Lords repre-
sentative, and rs tho people moved forward
at his command and saw the mighty power
of tho Lord through him, they had to con-
fess that the God OF Moses was with Joshua,
and SO they feared or reverenced him as they
did Moses, and the Lord magnified Joshua by
working through him. God has magnified
His son Jesus, and will magnify Him before
all nations, for "all kings shall fall down be-
fore Him, ell nations shall serve Him. If
we determine that Christ shall be magniRed
in US and yield ourselves to Him accordingly,
lie win magnify us here by working in US
His mighty works, and at His coming by
making us just like Himself.
II, lG. Command tho priests that they
como up out OF Jordan, /" and this of the com
mand Of the Lord to Joshua How strange
it seems that they werc not left to their own
| Judgment as to when and how to do some
things, but no. everything must be at tho
command of the Lord. One of the stranGest
things to mo in al tho Biblc is that the Lord
Jesus himself was commanded by the Father
what to say and the Father who dwelt in
Him did His works. John xii, 80; xiv, 10.)
| IL. Is 1.-THE waters OF Jordan returned
unto their place, and flowed over all his
banks, as before" Not until the feet of the
priests were up on the dry land did tho waters
return to their place. Most thoroughly and
perfectly does God do all things, and at the
right time and in the best way; it is just
/ glorious to trust and obey Him.
| 10. "The people came up out of Jordan on
the tenth day of the first month"; This was
the day on which the passover Lamb was
chosen (lsx. xii, 81, and as they kept the pass
over on the fourteenth day ". To-, they
must bave selected the lambs on the very day
on which they camc up out of Jordan, their
first day in the promised land. This is> the
| third passover of which we have any accouSt.
| Note the truths for the believer: Redemption
from bondage by the Lamb lex. xiii; the
only joy in the wilderness is in the Lamb
| (Num. ix), and the rest of the promised land
/ is in tie Lamb, all things in Christ, nothing
apart from Him; Jesus our wisdom, right
eousness, sanctiication and redemption.
90 Those twelve stonesn These stones
shall be for a memorial unto the children Of
Israel forever ". a. a nation chosen to
make God a name, chosen TO be His people
forever Il Chr xvii, 81, 22), that through
them His name may be magnified They
werc in themselves weak and sinful and the
fewest of all people, but God redeemed them,
led them. fed them, clothed them, fought for
them, forgave them when they sinned against
Him, and gave them this land that they
might honor Him and magnify His name,
keeping in memory all His dealings with
them. In addition TO the lessons from tho
twelve stones, to which we have already re-
ferred, the faithful among them would often
think OF ''the Shepherd. the stone of Israeli
Gen. xix, "a; and the twelve precious
stones ever borne upon the shoulders and
breast Of the High Priest would constantly
speak to them of their nearness to God, and
His love for, and care OF them
2I-23 STek vour children knows These