What Do These Stones Mean: Standing Stones In The Bible

What do you stand for? In this post, let’s explore the ancient idea of standing stones in the Bible and how they relate to our modern world.

When I was in Israel, I learned many lessons about God. In a way, they were taught by what I saw around me. Concrete object lessons are right from the very land where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus walked. The dessert told me stories about great spiritual truths as well as the rushing living water that would tumble and bubble from the base of the mountains! And everywhere I went, there were rocks and boulders and stones! Even the very stones cried out their God lessons to me!

About Israel

When I think of Israel in the summer, the color of the land immediately comes to mind. It is nothing like the rolling, green farmland where I live. Instead, Israel’s summer landscape is a study in warm, sun-bleached tones reminiscent of weathered bone exposed to the elements. Stark, yet undeniably beautiful.

Standing at Abraham’s well in Beersheba (Be’er Sheva) and gazing out over the vast, buff-colored expanse, the sheer magnitude of the land is breathtaking. The King’s Highway, a thin ribbon of road that has carried travelers for thousands of years, winds through the arid terrain like a silent witness to history. The view is ancient, impressive, and almost monochromatic—yet it tells the story of generations who have walked this land.

Israel is a land of movement—one is always going up or coming down. It is not a place of sprawling flatlands but of mountains, hills, valleys, and massive boulders, all bathed in the golden light of the summer sun.

The land itself is shaped by powerful forces. Israel sits atop the shifting boundary of two tectonic plates, where the African and Asian plates collide and press into one another like an accordion. Over time, this slow but unrelenting force has carved out steep cliffs, rugged hills, and deep valleys—a landscape as dramatic as the history that has unfolded upon it.

About God

One of the most amazing things I have learned about God is that He is a great communicator.

Throughout history, He has spoken to His people in ways they could understand, often using what was right in front of them. In Israel, where rocks cover the landscape, He used them as a powerful means of communication. Whether as memorials, symbols, or lessons woven into His Word, God took something ordinary and made it meaningful in the most beautiful way.

A True Story About Stones

When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He led them to the Promised Land, instructing them to cross the Jordan River from the east. This crossing was no ordinary event—it was a miraculous display of His power and faithfulness.

God commanded Joshua to have the priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, step into the Jordan first. As soon as their feet touched the water, the river stopped flowing, and they stood on dry ground.

“And it shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap.” — Joshua 3:13

With the waters held back, the entire nation of Israel crossed the dry riverbed into the land God had promised them. Once they had passed through, the Lord gave Joshua another instruction—to take twelve stones from the middle of the river, where the priests had stood, and carry them to their camp. These stones would serve as a lasting reminder of what God had done.

“It came about that when the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, and command them, saying, take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.” — Joshua 4:2-3

These stones were more than just a memorial; they were a testimony to future generations of God’s faithfulness and power.

Standing Stones In The Bible

These stones, which I would call big boulders, are known as standing stones. They were set up as visible reminders of God’s power and faithfulness.

“Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” — Joshua 4:6-7

The standing stones were not just historical markers, a memorial. They said, “Hey, something great has happened here!” Like the Washington Monument or a statue in a town square. Standing stones are a sign. They pointed to something important!!! It was a way for the people to remember something special. 

Standing stones were used throughout the Old Testament as memorials of God’s power, blessing, and faithfulness. It was a way to remember and praise Him. God used the ordinary things around the Ancients to keep them ever mindful of the wonderful things He had done for them.

How Standing Stones Were Used In The Bible

I can almost hear the conversations between generations of Jewish fathers and their children as they stood before the stones, retelling the story of how God brought Israel across the Jordan River on dry land. I can picture the children reaching out to touch the weathered surface, their small hands brushing against history, sealing the story in their memory to pass down to their own children.

This practice of retelling history kept the story of Israel and God’s faithfulness alive. The standing stones weren’t just markers in the landscape; they were a way of passing down truth, ensuring that each new generation knew the God who had gone before them.

What Do Standing Stones Have To Do With Us

God still uses this powerful imagery today.

In 1 Peter 2, we learn that those who believe in Jesus are called living stones. Just like the standing stones of the Old Testament, our lives are meant to be visible reminders of what God has done.

We are ordinary people, but because of God’s grace, we become extraordinary testimonies of His marvelous works. Our lives should be like those standing stones, so unmistakable in God’s presence that others take notice and ask, “What happened here?” or “Why are you different?”

And because we are living stones, we have the opportunity to share our faith, telling of God’s saving grace and how He has worked in our lives. Just as the standing stones pointed future generations to God’s faithfulness, our lives should do the same.

Are You A Living Stone

When I think of Israel, I will forever see its mountains, valleys, rocks, hills, and boulders. And in my mind, they are all standing stones!

They remind me that I am a standing stone, a living stone, connected to a long history of retelling God’s work and greatness. They remind me that I have a story to share. And oh, what a story it is!

I pray that my life will be a memorial, a lasting reminder that God took an ordinary sinful person and transformed her life. And hope that for generations to come, my family will tell of God’s greatness, grace, and salvation. I pray that my children, my grandchildren, and those who follow will hear the stories of my own living stone moments and that these stories will be sealed in their hearts, drawing them to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, too.

But I do not want to be a living stone just for my family. I want my life to reflect God’s goodness to everyone I meet.

A Verse For Your Life

Here’s what I’m meditating on this week…

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a blessed Sunday, friends…