Joshua called for the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one man per tribe. Joshua said to them, “Cross over into the middle of the Jordan, up to the LORD your God’s chest. Each of you, lift up a stone on his shoulder to match the number of the tribes of the Israelites. This will be a symbol among you. In the future your children may ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the LORD’s covenant chest. When it crossed over the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. These stones will be an enduring memorial for the Israelites…”
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood while carrying the covenant chest. They are still there today.
~ Joshua 4:4-7, 9
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We often think of ourselves as walking forward into the future, though if we are honest, we cannot really see what is in front of us. The future is unknown, and that can feel like walking blind. The Hebrew people viewed time differently. They saw themselves not as walking forward but as walking backward.
It sounds strange, but it makes sense. Walking forward into the darkness of the unknown is just as risky as walking backward. At least when walking backward we can see where we have been, and memory gives us wisdom.
That is why the stones were so important to Joshua. The river had stopped flowing, but for how long? At any moment the priests, along with the Ark of God’s Presence, could have been swept away. Still, Joshua insisted on gathering stones. And not small river rocks, but massive standing stones like the ones that still rise up in places such as Stonehenge.
These “Ebenezer Stones” can still be found across Israel, marking the places where God showed up in mighty ways. Joshua even set some in the middle of the river itself, whether anyone would ever see them or not. He wanted the exact spot where God’s presence held back the waters remembered forever.
Joshua knew the people would need reminders. Fear and uncertainty have a way of clouding our memory, making us forget how far we have already come. The stones were not just about marking the miracle of that day, but about anchoring the people in a story bigger than their fear.
This is the value of walking backward. The future is uncertain either way, but looking back we can see where God has brought us through before. These standing stones remind us that impossible situations have been overcome, and by faith they will be again. It is not nostalgia. It is hope in the God who has carried us and who still leads us into the unknown.
What stones of remembrance mark God’s presence in your life, and how might they give you courage for the next step?