Monuments

Isaiah 18 to 22

The Name of the LORD.

Ch 18:7 “Gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the LORD Almighty.”   

The place of the Name. We heard that in Deuteronomy 12:4&5   4” You must not worship the LORD your God in their way 5 But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all the tribes to put His Name there for His dwelling.”

And then this monument.  Remember?  From Joshua?  Ch 19:19 “In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt and a monument to the LORD at its border.  20 It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt.”    

Joshua 22:26 & 27 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar-but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings.  Then in the future your descendants will not be able to so say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD.’”

Hmmmm.  Built for the purpose of being a reminder between the people of Israel who settled on the East side of the Jordan.  To remind each other that they all had an equal share in the LORD.  This place built to remind them to tell God’s Story and how they all belonged to God.

In Isaiah’s next breath we read about a revival in Egypt.  Strange and wonderful. And we get a sense of God’s Salvation plan for all people, not just all the stars of the sky and the grains of sands on the sea shores of Israel.  The bigger picture Story.   That the monument built by the people for the people, becomes a reminder for God.

Ch 19:20 “It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt.  When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender, and He will rescue them. 21 So the LORD will make Himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day, they will acknowledge the LORD.  22 The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them and heal them.  They will turn to the LORD and He will respond to their pleas and heal them. 

23  In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria.  The Assyrians and the Egyptians will worship together.  24 In that Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.  25 The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’”

Ch 21: 17 “The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.”

Did you see that coming?  

God, the prodigal Father.  

God, scanning the horizon for all His wayward ones.  

Everyone, Israel included, reap the consequences of their actions and receive God’s mercy. 

I love how the early Words of the Story pop up here.

Like pictures in the album of all the travels of names of towns and sign posts.  

The altars and stones of commemoration were supposed to remind each generation to keep telling the Story.  

The Story of being delivered and receiving this Land of Promise.  

The Story of being brothers and sisters and being God’s Treasure, set apart and holy. 

The Story of being one in faith and worship and all having a home in the temple.

The temple in Jerusalem, the place God chose to put His Name.  To make His dwelling here on earth.

I wonder if those who erected the altars and stones of commemoration would ever have thought that the children would ask the questions as they were led out of the land in shackles.  Now a cenotaph of regret.

Are there pillars and sign posts and sacred places in our lives today?  Places that carry God’s Name?  Places that say to us “God was Here!” Places that remind us to tell our children of all the amazing things God has done and continues to do? Pieces of our Stories of God’s Story.  Or do we assume they know these places because they’ve always been there? 

Are our churches places where people from many nations gather to worship together?  Because they too are God’s people and His handiwork and inheritance.

I love that today, nestled in the midst of all the words of judgment and prophesies of punishment.  These words of God’s Plan, Places, and People.  Redemption and Salvation.