1) What did God command Joshua to tell the priests to do? What were they carrying with them when they went into the Jordan River?

God told the priests to go into the Jordan River and for them to be a long way away from the people. They were carrying the Ark of the Covenant, the sign that God was with his people.

2) What miracle did God do? How is this similar to what Moses did in Exodus 14? How would Israel be encouraged by this?

God stopped the water of the Jordan River. This was just like the miracle that God did with Moses by parting the waters of the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds). Just as God was with Moses in defeating Egypt, God was going to be with Joshua to defeat the Canaanites in the promised land. This would have been so encouraging!

3) What did God tell Israel to do to remember this miracle?

12 men from Israel, one from each tribe, God commanded to get a massive stone out of the Jordan River. He told them to put them on top of each other so that they would remember what God did for them. They were to keep telling their kids what God did for them.

4) What does this teach us about God’s character?

God was faithful to be with his people. God will defeat his people’s enemies. God offers for all the nations that if they recognize him as King of all the earth and give their lives to him, he will show them mercy.

5) How are these stones of remembrance similar to believers in Jesus?

Just like the stones are a reminder to remember what God did for Israel, we are living stones (1 Peter 2) that show what God has done. We are a testimony or a witness what God has done in defeating Satan, Sin, and Death through Jesus on the cross and through the resurrection.