Because today is the 18th of April I've chosen to talk some about the topic of "memorials." If you're wondering why this date has any bearing on my subject matter, I am going to relate a story to you that will show you the tie in. I'd like to refresh your memory first about just what a "memorial" is and the purpose it serves.
It is exactly what I just said: something that "refreshes your memory." That causes one to remember something special. A particular person, or an event that should not be forgotten. And, since God made us, He knows just how fallible our minds and memories are and because of that He ordered many "memorials" into being and we'll take a quick look at some of them in a moment. Just keep in mind that a "memorial" means a "commemoration", a "record" or a "reminder." And both the Hebrew and the Greek words in the Bible have that meaning.
Ok, back to why this particular date has a special relation to our lesson today - here's how: On this date in 1942 a memorable event took place. There's probably very few of my readers who might recall this event when it happened, but most everyone certainly knows about it. In the early morning hours of this date, 80 men, a great example of America's "Greatest Generation," took off in their B-25 bombers from the carrier Hornet, being led by Col. Jimmy Dolittle, and proceeded to bomb Tokyo, Japan. And recall, this was only about 4 months after Pearl Harbor.
All of them knew that this was a one-way mission. They could not return to the carrier, they just had to drop their bombs and continue on to China and if everything was perfect, they might make it. They did bomb Tokyo, but everything wasn't perfect. Just about all of the planes either crash-landed or they bailed out of them and they crashed. If I remember right, one landed in Korea and the crew became prisoners.
Three members of this group were killed in the crash of their airplane, three were captured and executed by the Japanese and one died in a prison camp. All of them were injured, some severely, and all suffered in various ways. Mostly from inhumane treatment as prisoners.
Now here is "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say: since the end of the war, every year on this date, the surviving members of this group hold a reunion somewhere in the U.S. At a certain point of the reunion, they gather in one room, no one else is allowed to be there, and they "call the roll." When the name of a "departed" member is called, the ranking member of that crew will answer "HERE." Because the memory of that person is still with them. They will not forget them.
Yes, we need "memorials," don't we? We need something to remind us of what others have sacrificed that we can be here today. I once read a quotation about those WW2 veterans that did not survive the war that speaks very eloquently to my thoughts here. It simply read: "They gave their tomorrow's for our today's." If we did not have the "memorials" I'm quite sure that, after two or three generations, we'd have forgotten all about them. That's a sad commentary on man's remembrance abilities, isn't it?
But, this fallibility of man isn't anything of a recent nature. Oh no, when we look at Exo. 3:13 we see a surprising thing. Moses tells God that Israel has forgotten who God is. Doesn't even remember His name. God told Moses to go back and tell them that I am the "Lord God" of their fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob. Then He says My name is a "memorial" to be remembered "forever." He is reminding them that He is eternal and not to be forgotten. (Vs. 15)
Then in Exo. 30:16 we read about the law regarding the offering of "atonement." This was to occur every year and part of the ceremony was that a certain amount of money was to be given by everyone over the age of 20 years and it was to be used for the temple/tabernacle expenses. In giving this law, God said that this money was to serve as a "memorial" for Israel to remind them of their dependence upon God for the atonement of their sins. Or, as He otherwise said, "a ransom for their souls."
There are many other things designated in the scriptures as "memorials" with all of them serving to commemorate a miraculous event or something that God wanted them to always be reminded of. Such as the 12 rocks Joshua was told to erect at the site of the crossing of the Jordan River when they actually entered Canaan. Israel was directed to make "memorials" for numerous things, all of which were designed to counteract the forgetfulness of man.
When we look at these past examples left for us to study and thereby understand that God, knowing man's propensity to forget things, set "memorials" so that we don't forget. That is, if we keep the "memorials" as directed. Doesn't it make total sense why we are instructed to "commemorate" the death, burial and resurrection of Christ every first day of the week.
We know that when man doesn't keep "memorials," it's not long before the "record," the cause for the "remembrance," is gone from our memory. And here is the sad conclusion when that happens - the significance of the event is lost. It ceases to have any meaning to anyone. Whatever occurred at the event would have been done in vain.
Without adherence to the "memorial" of the Lord's Supper, which we observe every Sunday, the one in which Christ said, "This do in remembrance of Me" I fear that we'd soon be "treating the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy." (Heb. 10:29 NLT) Well, I guess that I do more than "fear" that would happen, I'll just go right out on a limb here and say for a fact - that is exactly what would happen.
When Israel, under the law of Moses, was to contribute some money during the "atonement offering" as a "memorial" to remind them of what they owed God, wouldn't you say that the same principle is involved when we're told to "commemorate" the sacrifice of His Son? So that we're never to forget what we "owe God?" That's the way I see it.
Ron Covey
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