From Generation to Generation
Stones of memory
Stones placed by people for people. There is a wide variety of stones. Pickled and mounted Seine.Monuments:
- Memorial: Berlin, Holocaust.
- The horrific events should never be repeated.
- Dresden, to the reformer Martin Luther
- Leipzig, to the great musician Johannes Sebastian Bach
All memorial stones are intended to commemorate their lives and deeds.
1. The consecrated stone
Insight into the life of Jacob the son of Isaac. He had to leave his hometown of Beersheba. His life was in danger. Reason: He had betrayed his brother Esau. His destination was Haran.
When the sun went down, he spent the night. He placed a stone under his head. While he was sleeping he had a dream.
And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:12-15 (ESV)
Jacob woke up in shock and looked around. In fact – the Lord lives here and I didn’t know it! Here is the dwelling place of God and the gate to heaven! He took the stone on which his head had been lying, set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil over it to dedicate it to God.
This is where God’s grace and love becomes visible. Despite the great injustice, God met him personally. This experience changed his entire life. His decision: You shall be my God! God’s love goes out to you too!
2. The monument at Gilgal
The people of Israel camped on the banks of the Jordan. When Moses died, the Lord said to Joshua, My servant Moses is dead. Now you will lead Israel. Order the people to prepare to leave. You will cross the Jordan and enter the land that I am giving you.
Personal words from the Lord to Joshua:
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Joshua 1:5+6 (ESV)
Joshua gives instructions to the people.
As soon as you see the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, break camp and follow them. Purify yourselves and prepare to meet God! Tomorrow he will perform miracles before your eyes.
Joshua further said: As soon as the feet of the priests touch the Jordan, the water will pile up downstream and a wall will remain. The water below the wall drained towards the Dead Sea. And so it happened. The priests stood on solid ground in the Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant, and the people passed them on dry ground to the other bank.
Preparation for the monument
Twelve men were given the task of fetching twelve stones from the Jordan. Exactly where the priests stand. A monument should be built from them.
The people camped at Gilgal on the border of Jericho.
Joshua built a memorial monument there. He said to the Israelites: Later, when your children ask what these stones mean, you should explain to them: The stones remind us that Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
For the Lord your God has wrought this miracle, just as he parted the Red Sea.
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. Joshua 4:24 (ESV)
3. The psalmist Asaph calls
Listen, my people, to God's instructions! Every generation shall hear of God's mighty deeds, of all the miracles the Lord has wrought. So every generation that is yet to be born should learn his instructions. They should also imprint this on their descendants.
The reason:
They should all put their trust in God and not forget his mighty deeds.
We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
That the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; Psalm 78:4+6+7 (ESV)
The stones are intended to serve as a reminder, from people for people.
Stones in God's Word are reminders of God and his great deeds for people.
Author: Edith Waechter
