LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Scripture Joshua 4:1–24, the people of Israel crossed the Jordan River because God held back the waters for them. God told Joshua to have twelve men pick up twelve stones from the river to build a memorial. These stones were to remind future generations of God’s mighty power and His faithfulness to His people.
In this passage, God emphasizes the importance of remembering His works. When children or grandchildren asked, “What do these stones mean?” parents were to tell the story of God’s deliverance. This teaches us that honoring the lessons of the past strengthens faith for the future.
OPENING ACTIVITY 10:15–10:30 (Rock Tower Challenge)
Items Needed:
- Smooth stones or large Jenga blocks
Description: Children try stacking stones or blocks as high as they can without them falling, introducing the idea of memorial stones.
BIBLE STORY GAME 10:30–10:40 (Remembering Game)
Items Needed:
- Tray
- 5–6 small items
- Cloth
Description: Show the tray, cover it, remove one item, then ask children what is missing. Explain that God wanted His people to remember what He did.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 10:40–10:50
Items Needed:
- Large Feather
- Music
- Scripture poster
Description: Play music as the kids pass a feather around the circle they are sitting in. When the music stops, the kid holding the feather reads the memory verse (assisted by an adult) from the poster.
Verse: Let the wise listen and add to their learning, Proverbs 1:5a
BIBLE STORY 10:50–11:00
Questions to begin:
- Where is this found in the Bible? Joshua
- Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? Old Testament
God told Joshua and His people to cross the Jordan River. The priests carried the Ark of the Covenant, and as soon as their feet touched the water, the river stopped flowing. All the people walked across on dry ground. Then God told Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, to take a stone from the river. They stacked them together as a reminder that God is powerful and always keeps His promises.
Object Lesson: Show a jar filled with small stones. Explain that each stone helps us remember something God has done, just like the people remembered God when they saw the stone memorial.
Questions:
Theological: Who made the river stop? Why did God want the people to remember?
Life Application: What is something God has done for you? How can you remember God every day?
Prayer:
“Lord, thank You for showing Your mighty hand. Help us remember Your goodness every day.”
BIBLE CRAFT 11:00–11:15 Rock Painting
Items Needed
- Rocks
- Paint (acrylic)
- Paint brushes
- Smocks
- Cups with water
- Paper towels
- Wet wipes
Give each child a smooth stone to paint with to remind them of God’s power.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (KJV)
Joshua 4:1–24
1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: Learn from Lessons of the Past
What I learned today:
- God helped His people cross the Jordan River.
- He told them to build a stone memorial.
- We can remember God’s power too.
Questions to ask me:
- Who stopped the Jordan River? (God)
- Why did the people build a stone pile? (To remember what God did)
- What did the priests carry? (The Ark of the Covenant)
- How many stones did they take? (Twelve)
- Who was the leader of God’s people? (Joshua)
- What is something God has done for you? (Open-ended)
- How can we remember God each day? (Pray, read Bible, sing songs)
- Who can you tell about God’s power? (Family, friends, others)
- When can you thank God? (Anytime)
- How does it make you feel to know God is strong? (Safe, happy, loved)