Connect Joshua 22:28 with other biblical examples of memorials or witnesses. The altar at the Jordan: a living reminder “Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will reply: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’” (Joshua 22:28) The eastern tribes feared future generations might question their share in the worship of the LORD. A visible, tangible structure—an altar they never meant to use for sacrifice—would testify forever that they too belonged to the covenant people. God’s pattern: visible witnesses to invisible truths Scripture repeatedly shows the LORD directing His people to set up memorials. Each one says, “Look—and remember what God has done.” Notice the consistency: • They are concrete: stones, meals, staffs, festivals. • They look backward—celebrating past deliverance. • They look forward—warning against forgetfulness and rebellion. • They unite generations around shared faith. Stone witnesses that still speak • Genesis 31:44-48—Jacob and Laban’s heap of stones, Galeed: “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” • Joshua 4:6-7—Twelve stones from the Jordan: “When your children ask… you are to tell them.” • Joshua 24:26-27—A large stone under the oak near the sanctuary: “It will be a witness against us.” • 1 Samuel 7:12—Samuel’s Ebenezer: “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” Sacred objects preserved for later generations • Exodus 16:32-34—A jar of manna “kept for the generations to come.” • Numbers 17:10—Aaron’s rod “kept as a sign for the rebellious.” • Deuteronomy 6:8-9—Words of the Law bound on hands, foreheads, and doorposts so every glance becomes a sermon. Festivals that engrave memory into the calendar • Exodus 12:14—Passover “a memorial… a permanent statute.” • Leviticus 23—Annual feasts marking redemption, provision, and atonement. Each celebration retells the story with taste, sight, and sound, much like the altar of Joshua 22 retold covenant unity with every glance. The altar’s warning function Memorials do more than inspire—they caution. Joshua’s stone (24:27) would “be a witness… so that you do not deny your God.” The Jordan altar carried the same warning: if future Israelites tried to exclude their eastern brothers, the silent stones would protest. From shadows to fulfillment: “Do this in remembrance of Me” Jesus continued the pattern. • Luke 22:19—“This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” • 1 Corinthians 11:24-25—The bread and cup proclaim the Lord’s death “until He comes.” The Supper is the ultimate memorial: a tangible witness of the new covenant, uniting believers across time and space just as the Jordan altar united tribes across the river. Living lessons for believers today • Treasure visible reminders of God’s faithfulness—baptism certificates, family Bibles, or even a stone on a shelf can spark conversation and praise. • Let every memorial point to Scripture; objects have value only because God’s Word anchors their meaning. • Teach the next generation the stories behind the symbols. A memorial forgotten is a witness silenced. • Remember that the Lord’s Table gathers redeemed sinners into one body—our weekly “altar of witness” to the world that we belong to Christ and to each other. |
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