Another feature that is peculiar to the Jordan crossing:

'And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee

in the sight of all Israel'.

'On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel'

(Josh. 3:7 and 4:14).

It will be remembered that the Father 'began' to magnify His Son Jesus

(the Greek spelling of the Hebrew Joshua) at the banks of the Jordan (Matt.

3:16,17), an anticipation of His high exaltation in the future (Phil. 2:9-

11), where the Greek of this passage uses a similar word to that used in the

LXX of Joshua 3:7, which is translated 'exalted' elsewhere.

One more typical feature, and we must leave this wonderful type to do

its own illuminating work.

The Twelve Stones.-- The testimony to Israel in this miracle of the

crossing of Jordan is contained in the twelve memorial stones that were set

up in Gilgal and in the midst of Jordan itself.  We naturally associate the

number 12 with Israel, and we are right in doing so here:

'Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of

every tribe a man' (Josh. 3:12).

'Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man'

(Josh. 4:2)

'Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the

children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: and Joshua said unto

them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of

Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder,

according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel'

(Josh. 4:4,5).

'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' (Josh. 4:8).

The above passages reiterate the association of the twelve stones with

the twelve tribes.  Two other passages complete the record, making six

references to the number twelve in this section:

'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' (Josh. 4:3).

'And Joshua set up twelve stones ("other twelve stones" LXX) 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' (Josh.