The Twelve Stones in the Midst of Jordan

IF the twelve stones in Gilgal spoke to Israel's conscience, there was another monument set up in the midst of Jordan which spoke seriously to their hearts. Who could see the stones which the overflowing waters had covered? They could only be known to faith. They were not typical of a resurrection-life which had passed through death and bore its impress and character; they were essentially the sign of death. The stones in Gilgal are the monument of our introduction by Christ into our privileges, and into which we only enter after having passed through death with Him; but when I think of the stones in Jordan, my heart is in communion with Him in death.
I return to sit, so to speak, on the banks of the river of death, and I say: That is my place; it is there that I was; it is there that He has been for me; He has delivered me from my old man; He has left it with all that belonged to it in the depths of Jordan; I am buried beneath its waters in the Person of Christ. What led Thee, blessed Savior, to take this place? Thou alone couldst claim exemption from it, and having laid down Thy life, Thou alone hadst the power to take it again. But it was Thy love to us which led Thee down to death; no other motive, save the glory of God which I had dishonored, could have led Thee there. Thou past not only fought the fight alone, and victoriously stayed the waters of Jordan " until everything was finished that the Lord commanded," (ver. 10) but those waters -themselves passed over Thee. I see in this monument what death was for Thy holy soul; I recognize the memorial of the exquisite bitterness of the cup which Thou' didst drink.
The twelve stones "are there unto this day." (Ver. 9.) The monument remains, the cross remains, eternal witness of a love I have there learned to know, testimony too of the only place where God could put all that belonged to my old man.
In connection with these things, notice also what we find in verse 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 the 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." The sentence is executed, the old man -condemned, the judgment is passed, death is conquered, but death remains. What was formerly an obstacle to entrance, an obstacle removed by the ark which opened the pathway for us, separates us when we are once across, not only from Egypt and the desert of Sinai, but from ourselves. If it were otherwise, we could have no lasting enjoyment in the land of Canaan.
The two and a half tribes (vers. 12, 13) truly crossed the Jordan with their brethren, armed for war and prepared to fight, but there were two things of which they remained in ignorance: the value of the land of Canaan, and the value of death. The river did not arrest them when they turned to rejoin their wives, their little ones, and their cattle, who were awaiting them on the opposite shore. The country " on this side " had its attractions for them, whilst the people, who were peacefully in the enjoyment of Canaan, saw with joy that the Jordan was a barrier to separate them from all that which formerly was, of any value to them.
" 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.' (Ver. 14.) It is thus with Christ. He is highly exalted as Savior by the glory of the Father before our eyes, in virtue of His finished work, and, as the result of this work, the saints are introduced with Him into the present enjoyment, and future possession of the glory. This will be to His everlasting glory and honor.
But the Lord will also have other crowns. The day will come for Him, which Solomon enjoyed in type, and of which it is said: " Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. And all the princes and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel." (1 Chron. 29:23-25.) He will reign; His people Israel will be subject unto Him, and even those whom He deigned to call His brethren will bow the knee before Him, happily and joyfully acknowledging openly in His presence that He is Lord, even as they have owned Him on earth in the days of His absence and rejection.
We find another future glory of Christ in 2 Chron. 32:23. In the time of Hezekiah, after the deliverance of Israel by the judgment of the nations in the person of the Assyrian, it is said " And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was recognized in the sight of all nations from thenceforth." The nations will be subject unto Him.
Finally, it is said in Phil. 2:9-10: ` Wherefore God also hath highly exalted- him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.", Heaven, earth, and hell will bow before Him who humbled. Himself even unto the death of the cross.