Lesson 3: Memorials of Grace

[Chief]

Lesson 3: Memorials of Grace

Memory Text:
“ ‘For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever’ ” (Joshua 4:23, 24, ESV).

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[Chief]

Joshua 4:23–24 – The Jordan crossing becomes a memorial, testifying to God’s power so "all peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord is mighty."
Core Theme: God establishes physical memorials (like the Jordan stones) to combat spiritual forgetfulness, anchoring faith in His past miracles while pointing to future hope.

Key Insights by Day:​

1. Sunday: Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1–5)
   • Israel consecrates itself before following the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan.
   • Divine Leadership: God’s presence (via the Ark) directs the conquest, requiring human cooperation through purification and trust.
   • Modern Parallel: Spiritual preparedness - through repentance and surrender - precedes God’s interventions.
2. Monday: The Living God of Wonders (Joshua 3:6–17)
   • The Jordan parting (niphla’ot - "wonders") echoes the Red Sea miracle, revealing God’s limitless power over creation.
   • Contrast: Unlike dead idols (Psalm 96:5), Yahweh actively saves His people.
   • Hope in Impossibility: Jesus affirms that "what is impossible with man is possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
3. Tuesday: Remember (Joshua 4)
   • Memorial Stones: 12 stones from the Jordan bed become a tangible zikkaron ("memorial") to provoke questions and faith transmission across generations.
   • Active Remembrance: Biblical memory (zakar) demands action - each generation must personally internalize God’s deeds to avoid dead traditionalism.
4. Wednesday: Forgetfulness (Joshua 4:20–24; Deuteronomy 8:2, 18)
   • Spiritual amnesia leads to idolatry and mission drift (Judges 8:34).
   • Ellen White: "We have nothing to fear... except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us" (Life Sketches, p. 196).
   • Antidote: Daily communion with God reinforces past faithfulness in present experience.
5. Thursday: Beyond the Jordan (Psalm 66:6; Matthew 3:16–17)
   • Jordan crossings symbolize transition:
     • Old Testament: Slavery → freedom (Red Sea); wandering → nationhood (Jordan).
     • New Testament: Jesus’ baptism inaugurates His ministry; prefigures Christian "rest" (Hebrews 3–4).
   • Eschatological Link: Sabbath rest points to eternal Canaan (Hebrews 4:8–11).

Final Thoughts (Friday):​

• Memorials as Guardians: Stones, Sabbath, and Communion (1 Corinthians 11:24–25) combat forgetfulness by making grace tangible.
• Idolatry Warning: Modern "idols" (career, comfort, tradition) threaten more subtly than ancient paganism.
• Sabbath’s Dual Role:
  • Remembrance: Recalls Creation and redemption.
  • Hope: Foretells eternal rest in God’s kingdom.

"Stones cried out at Jordan; the Sabbath sings each week. God stacks memorials against our forgetfulness, that we might fear Him - not fate."