There are several examples of stones used as memorials of God's work, or as promises to follow God, in the Old Testament. Here are some of them:
Genesis 27:22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (All scripture is ESV. Jacob is speaking in this verse.)
Genesis 31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
Genesis 35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.
Exodus 28:12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance.
Joshua 4 includes the story of how the Israelites brought twelve stones from the bottom of the Jordan River, and also set up twelve stones on the river bottom.
In Joshua 24, Joshua re-establishes the covenant with the Israelites, and sets up a stone as a memorial.
1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
Thanks for reading.
Musings on science, the Bible, and fantastic literature (and sometimes basketball and other stuff).
God speaks to us through the Bible and the findings of science, and we should listen to both types of revelation.
The title is from Psalm 84:11.
The Wikipedia is usually a pretty good reference. I mostly use the World English Bible (WEB), because it is public domain. I am grateful.
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The posts in this blog are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You can copy and use this material, as long as you aren't making money from it. If you give me credit, thanks. If not, OK.
4 comments:
My FAVORITE of these is the Ebenezer stone.
A while back we were singing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in a newer hymnal at church. When we came to this verse:
"Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood."
Some well intentioned person had rewritten the line to make it more "modern" and had left out the Ebenezer. I thought it was a travesty. Why not TEACH newer generations the great significance of raising an Ebenezer rather than REMOVING it.
Probably the well intentioned change artist didn't KNOW the meaning of the Ebenezer.
Or, possibly, figured that modern church-goers, especially new ones, wouldn't have a clue.
It's a great song.
Thanks.
I just stumbled on this blog when I googled "memorial stones." I LOVE come thou fount, but i always wondered what Ebenezer was. now I know. and i like the song even more! :) thanks!
Thanks, Renee Cook.
Glad to be of help.
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