another stones memorial

After the twelve stones memorial in Joshua 4 we only need to read a few more chapters to find another stones memorial in chapter 7.

When the Israelites conquered Jericho, God gave them specific orders to NOT loot the city. We learn that a man named Achan disobeyed this command, leading to Israel's defeat in the battle against Ai and creating great anger from the Lord.

God told Joshua to identify the sinner in the camp before they would be allowed to continue in victory. Achan and his family were identified as the culprits and were immediately put to death.

Joshua 7:26 reads: "They raised over him (Achan) a great heap of stones that stands to this day and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger."

Those stones were a memorial - they created a lasting reminder of God's hatred of sin and disobedience among His people.

May we be a picture of the stones memorial of obedience rather than the stones memorial of disobedience!

Isaac to Rebekah: "He loved her"

Our teaching at Twelve Stones will begin in Genesis 24: "The Family of Isaac and Rebekah". It is extraordinary to ponder the steps to marriage in these early days; that is, the father had the responsibility to choose a bride for his son (think of the gospel implications here). Countless cultures still set up marriage in this same way while we in the west cannot grasp the concept - isn't it comical how we westerners condemn this style of marriage as dangerous to marital success?

On the first day of Isaac and Rebekah's meeting, Genesis 24:67 reads: "she became his wife and he loved her."
Think about these questions:

Why did Isaac love Rebekah?
How could Isaac love Rebekah without ever meeting her?
How should this define our definition of 'love'?
What does this have to do with Jesus and the cross and the church?