It is good to memorialize the great acts of the Lord, provided that the memorials do not become idols. Each new generation must learn what God has done for His people so that they will obey His Word and trust Him for the future (Ps. 78:1–8). When you have living faith in a living God, the past is not “dead history.” It throbs with living reality.
以事物纪念主伟大的作为是好，但它不能成为我们的偶像。每一代都必须学习神为祂子民所行的一切，叫他们遵行神的话并信靠祂带领未来（诗78:1-8）。当你对永生之神有活泼的信心时，过去不再是“死硬的历史”，而是舞动的事实。
“Crossing the Jordan” is not a picture of dying and going to heaven despite what some songs say. It illustrates the teaching of Romans 6: death to the old self-life and identification with Christ in resurrection power. Nobody but God can see the stones in the middle of the Jordan, but the record bears witness that they are there. So it is with the death and resurrection of Christ: we believe the record and thus experience the miracle.
“渡约旦河”并非某些歌曲所述，是死亡升天的写照。它说明的是罗马书6章的教导：老我已死，并在基督复活的大能中共生。除了神以外，无人能看到约但河中的石头，但圣经见证这些石头的存在。这与基督的死和复活一样：我们相信圣经的记载，从而体验了这神迹。
The stones on the shore reminded the people that the old life was buried and they should “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1ff.). Have you crossed the Jordan and set up your memorial of faith?
岸边的石头提醒百姓：旧我已被埋葬了，而他们应当“有新生的样式”（罗6:4；西3:1）。你是否已过约旦河，立起自己信心的纪念碑？
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- During most of the year, the Jordan River was about a hundred feet wide; but at the spring flood season, the river overflowed its banks and became a mile wide. However, as soon as the priests bearing the ark put their feet into the river, the water stopped flowing and stood like a wall about twenty miles away upstream, near a city called Adam. It was a miracle of God in response to the faith of the people. Unless we step out by faith (1:3) and “get our feet wet,” we’re not likely to make much progress in living for Christ and serving Him. Each step that the priests took opened the water before them until they were standing in the midst of the river on dry ground. They stood there as the people passed by; and when the whole nation had crossed, the priests walked to the shore and the flow of the water resumed. When Israel crossed the Jordan River, it was not only the priests but also the people stepping out in faith. God can never open the way for us if we do not step out in faith. Let’s pray that we are willing to step out in faith and obey God.
约旦河多数时间约有一百英尺宽（30.5米），唯独在春汛期时，河水涌出河岸成一英里宽（1600米）。然而，当抬着约柜祭司的脚一踏入河，河水就停流，立起成墙长达上游约二十英里远，在附近一座叫亚当的城市。这是神以奇迹响应百姓的信心。除非我们凭信心迈步（1:3）并“让脚入水”，我们是不会在基督徒的生活和服侍上有进展。祭司所跨出的每一步将河水掀开，直到他们在约但河中的干地上站定。当百姓过河时，祭司们仍站在那里；只等全以色列到对岸后，祭司方才走上岸，使河水恢复流动。当以色列人越过约旦河时，祭司与众百姓都是以信心跨步的。如果我们不以信心而行，神永远也无法为我们打开道路。让我们祈祷，愿意以信心踏出并顺服神。
- With the 12 stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up a monument at Gilgal (Jos 4:20). Why? The answer is given in Jos 4:24, “So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” Let’s pray that we remind ourselves of the omnipotence of the Lord and fear Him in all our lives.
约书亚在吉甲将人民从约但河中取来的那十二块石头立一个纪念碑（书4:20）。为什么呢？4:24告诉我们：“要使地上万民都知道，耶和华的手大有能力，也要使你们永远敬畏耶和华─你们的神。”让我们祈祷能常常记念得那无所不能的神，一生敬畏祂。
