Joshua, plies of rocks, and a Kickstarter campaign.
Deut. 27:4 & 8 - "And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mt. Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster...and you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly."
Last weekend our church completed a 13-week survey of Deuteronomy in one of our classes. In chapter 27 Moses told the nation that when they entered the land of Canaan, they were to go to the top of Mt. Ebal and set up a pile of white-washed stones and write the law on them. Next, they were to construct an altar to God of uncut stones. Finally, they were to organize the nation into two groups, placing one group on Mt. Ebal and another on Mt. Gerizim, very much like filling opposing sides of a modern stadium. Then the Levites would recite the blessings and curses of the law as one side of the "stadium" verbally confirmed the curses by saying "Amen" while the other side verbally confirmed the blessings. Israel kept Moses' instructions after defeating Ai in Josh. 8:30-35.
As time passed and subsequent generations walked to the top of Ebal, what do you suppose went through their minds when they came upon the pile of sun-bleached rocks and the altar of uncut stones? The truth is, the book of Joshua is nothing short of list of rock piles!
Josh 4:19-24 - The twelve stones taken from the bed of the Jordan river crossing.
Josh. 6:20 - The walls of Jericho itself became a monstrous pile of debris (some of which you can still see today).
Josh. 7:22-26 - There was a great heap of stones that marked the spot where Achan was killed for his rebellion.
Josh. 8:28-29 - Ai and it's king were covered in stones.
Josh. 8:30-35 - The covenant was renewed with a stone altar and white-washed stones.
Josh. 10:11 - God miraculously defeated some of Israel's enemies with hailstones.
Josh. 10:27 - Large stones were set against the cave where the bodies of the five Amorite kings were buried.
Josh. 22:26-27 - The tribes who lived east of the Jordan built a stone altar to serve as a witness of their covenant with God and relationship with the tribes west of the Jordan.
