S6 || What is the Importance of Telling Our Children About What God Did for Us? || Joshua 4:1-24 || Session 6 || Verse by Verse Bible Study

What memorial stones are you leaving for future generations? 

In our journey through Joshua 4, we unpack the profound symbolism of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and the twelve stones they gathered as a lasting testimony of God's faithfulness. As the priests stood firm in the middle of the dried riverbed, holding the Ark of the Covenant while the entire nation crossed over, God was creating both a miracle and a teaching moment that would echo through generations.

The command to collect these river rocks wasn't merely about commemorating a historical event—it was God's intentional design for faith transmission. When future children would inevitably ask, "What do these stones mean?" parents would have the perfect opportunity to recount God's mighty works. This pattern of intentional remembrance appears throughout Scripture, particularly in the Passover celebration, where questions prompt the retelling of God's deliverance.

We discuss practical applications for modern believers: how can we create our own "memorial stones" through journals, recorded testimonies, family rituals, or other tangible reminders that prompt spiritual conversations? In a culture where faith isn't automatically passed down, these intentional markers become crucial bridges between generations.

The repeated phrase "passed over" carries powerful theological significance—representing our journey from wandering in unbelief to embracing God's promised salvation. Once the Israelites crossed over, the waters returned, eliminating any possibility of retreat. Similarly, true believers who've experienced God's best find they cannot comfortably return to their former ways. While Christians may stumble, those who've genuinely crossed their spiritual Jordan cannot find lasting satisfaction in sin.

Finally, we marvel at God's perfect timing, as Israel entered the Promised Land precisely 40 years after leaving Egypt—down to the exact day. This remarkable detail reassures us that God's promises unfold with divine precision, even when His timetable differs from our expectations.

What stones of remembrance are you establishing today? Your testimony might become the very bridge someone else needs to cross their own Jordan River. 

Questions discussed in this session:  

• Should we remind our children about what God has done for us? 
• What if we want to let our children make up their own mind about God?
• If God has us in a ministry, when should I stay and when should I go? 
• For the Christian, how are things different after we are saved? 
• Can we trust God to do what He promises?  

Learn more about RTTB:  Reasoning Through the Bible – Straightforward with some Critical Thinking

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