Our country celebrated Memorial Day in May. For some, it was just another day—one for picnic, cookouts, family gatherings, and a day off work. For others, it was a time to remember family and friends that gave their lives for our country.
The purpose of Memorial Day is to remind us of a sacrifice. It is more than tradition. It is a look to the past and to the future. It actually links our past and our future in a meaningful way.
I want us to look at some memorials found in scripture. Through these memorials, we can see how history forms a part of our spiritual heritage.
The first is found in the book of Exodus. Moses stood before King Pharaoh and asked for the release of God’s people. Pharaoh refused; ten plagues later, after the death of every firstborn in Egypt, Pharaoh was ready to send the Children of Israel out of the land.
Moses prepared the people for the departure. He told the people what food to prepare for this special occasion. They were to take a lamb, without blemish, a male one year old, and kill it at twilight. They were to eat the flesh that night, having roasted it on the fire; and they were to eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exodus 12).
There were other instructions, one of which was that they were to observe this as the Feast of the Passover every year. Moses said, “And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ You shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses” (Exodus 12:24-27).
We read over and over again through the stories of the kings of the divided kingdom (First and Second Kings and First and Second Chronicles) that the people failed to keep the Passover Feast. They worshipped idols, forgot the Sabbath, failed to observe other feasts, and intermarried with other nations, all of which were violations of God’s laws.
The second example is found in Joshua 4. The Children of Israel finally reached the land God promised them. As they started across the Jordan River, God spoke to Joshua with instructions for their crossing. “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight’’ (Joshua 4:2-3).
Joshua took the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River and set them up as God instructed. He told the people, “…that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever” (Joshua 4:6-7).
This is first an indication to fathers that their children would ask about the stones. God wanted them to be prepared to answer their children and grandchildren. He wanted the significance of this event to connect to their spiritual heritage. The stones represented encouragement. They told a story, a fulfillment of a promise, a blessing for every generation, and an example of God’s mercy.
The third memorial is found in the New Testament. Jesus was about to be crucified. He and His disciples were together to celebrate the Passover Feast. Remember, that was the first memorial we read about.
The disciples could still not comprehend all the things Jesus had told them concerning His death. He knew that He would not be with them much longer, and He took this opportunity to give them and us something by which to remember Him.
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Matthew 26:26-29).
The same is true for us today. How often are Christians to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ? Luke tells us in Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight”. Paul was there for worship. On that “first day of the week,” Sunday, they gathered to take the Lord’s Supper.
People can corrupt this special memorial. In First Corinthians 11:18-34, Paul talked to the Corinthians about how they had corrupted the Lord’s Supper. “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not” (First Corinthians 11:20-22).
Just as the people of Israel perverted the Passover with idol worship, the Corinthians perverted the Lord’s Supper. Paul condemned the Corinthians because they did not celebrate the Lord’s death in the proper way. When you continue reading in chapter 11, you find that Paul instructs the people again in the proper way to celebrate this memorial feast.
Memorials are important. They keep memories alive and strengthen our faith. They help us remember those things we value. Nothing is more valuable than the death of our Lord for the purpose of saving us. For Christians, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (First Corinthians 11:26).
Sandra Oliver