Memorial Day, 2008, 2023

Building a Memorial of Remembrance

CIT: A milestone is a very simple concept. It is a memorial of remembrance.
SO:
Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:7-12

INTRODUCTION
I. We have many opportunities to have milestones in our lives. Graduation is a milestone. For
many, our 18th birthday is a milestone. (For many our 21st birthday was the one we looked
forward to.) Milestones mark a special place in our lives. Every mile-stone along our life’s
journey ought to be to us an Ebenezer, and will be if we have been walking in His ways. There
were no Ebenezer stones raised in the far country by the prodigal.
II. A milestone is a very simple concept. It is a memorial of remembrance. It is also a rite of
passage.
III. Setting up memorial stones, that is, celebrating milestones, can be an important part of the
Christian’s life. With these memorial stones, these Ebenezers, we remember God’s
faithfulness. We can also use them to point to the future promises, esp. of heaven.
IV. We want, therefore to look at building a memorial of Remembrance. This way we can use
them to teach our children of the faithfulness of God. We can also use them to build
confidence in our dealings in this life and to express the hope that we have for the future. This
is nothing new. Many OT stones were setup to allow the Israelites to remember where they
come from, where they are and where they are going. Let’s look at one Memorial Stone, the
one named “Ebenezer.”

1 Samuel 7:7-12 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered
to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel
heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, "Do
not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the
Philistines." 9 Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to
the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him. 10
Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle
against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the
Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. 11 The men of
Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as
below Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and
named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."

EXPOSITION
This stone set up by Samuel is a memorial of many things:
I. A Memorial of Redemption, Thus far v. 12
a. Exp
i. For the Israelites, they could look back to Egypt, the Passover and the Exodus.
The memorial stretches back as far as we can remember. Our Ebenezer goes back
to the cross. We celebrate the cross at communion.
b. App
i. How do you celebrate your salvation? How do you remember the sacrifice that
Jesus made on the cross for you?
c. Ill
i. In a city on the shore of a great lake lived a small boy who loved the water and
sailing. So deep was his fascination that he, with the help of his father, spent
months making a beautiful model boat, which he began to sail at the water’s edge.
One day a sudden gust of wind caught the tiny boat and carried it far out into the
 lake and out of sight. Distraught, the boy returned home inconsolable. Day after
day he would walk the shores in search of his treasure, but always in vain. Then
one day as he was walking through town he saw his beautiful boat—in a store
window! He approached the proprietor and announced his ownership, only to be
told that it was not his, for the owner had paid a local fisherman good money for
the boat. If the boy wanted the boat, he would have to pay the price. And so the
lad set himself to work doing anything and everything until finally he returned to
the store with the money. At last, holding his precious boat in his arms, he said
with great joy, “You are twice mine now—because I made you, and because I
bought you.”
ii. Total forgiveness is something to celebrate. It is beyond anything positive
thinking, therapy, or hypnosis can provide. It is complete, extending to the
conscious and unconscious sins in our lives, because God knows all things and
because Jesus’ blood is infinite. I remember my fist experience of God’s
forgiveness and how his Holy Spirit gave me the assurance that my sins were
totally forgiven. The burden was son consciously lifted that I felt as if I could
float. And anyone can be forgiven, no matter what their sin is, whether they are
the commandant of Auschwitz or John Wayne Gacy or the most immoral (or even
the most moral) person in America. Total forgiveness is possible through Christ.
II. A Memorial of Preservation, Thus far the LORD has, v. 12
a. Exp
i. There were many dangers and temptations on the way from Egypt to the Promised
Land. At each step of the way God was there. When they got hungry, God
provided manna and quail. Thirsty? Water from a rock. When there was a sea in
the way, God parted it. The Lord has helped the whole way. What the Ebenezer
does it document this help for later encouragement and passing on the heritage.
b. App
i. Create a Memorial Book for your family. In this book put the memories of your
family’s journey of faith. Le this book be an encouragement for you, your
children and their children.
c. Ill
i. The funerals that I had in the PNW almost all had some sort of memorial
presentation whether a table with pictures or a slide show or maybe even a DVD
presentation. Each of these sought to celebrate the life of the person who had
passed on. They presented snap shot memories of that life so that those of us who
watched it could remember. I many times thought that we should start earlier
than the funeral for such things. We take photos and build scrap books of our
lives. Why not a memorial book to remind us of God’s amazing works among
us?
III. A Memorial of Answered Prayer, Samuel cried to the LORD, v. 9; the LORD thundered with a
great thunder on that day against the Philistines, v. 10
a. Exp
i. When Samuel cried unto the Lord, the Lord answered with thunder. When
Hannah cried, the Lord answered with a baby. For Daniel, it was a personal visit
from an angel. When we cry out to God, He answers. He can answer anywhere
we are at. He can answer us no matter what we’re going through. His answers
can range from small defenseless babies to loud thunder. Nothing stops him.
ii. The Scriptures are filled with men and women crying out to God and God
answering.
iii. Psalm 50:15, Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will
honor Me.
 iv. Psalm 91:15, He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in
trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
v. Psalm 107:6, Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them
out of their distresses.
vi. Psalm 81:7, You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding
place of thunder; I proved you at the waters of Meribah.
b. App
i. Do your find yourself crying out to God in those times of emotional or physical
need? Do you feel like He didn’t answer you? Is it possible that the answer was
not what you wanted? Sometimes we can miss the answer, too.
c. Ill
i.
What these verses show us is that when we are troubled, we know Who to go to.
We don’t have to flounder around, weeping and wailing. It is in these times of
troubles that we tend to loose focus. Keeping focused on God gives us the
foundation we need when the times get tough. “When the going gets tough, the
godly go to God.”
ii. One day a man was kayaking of southern England off the Isle of Wight. Mark
Ashton-Smith, a 33-year-old lecturer at Cambridge U. capsized in treacherous
waters. Clinging to his craft and reaching for his cell phone, Ashton-Smith’s first
inclination was to call his father. It didn’t matter to the desperate son that his dad,
Alan Pimm-Smith, was at work training British troops in Dubai 3,500 miles away.
Without delay, the father relayed his son’s mayday to the Coast Guard installation
nearest to his son’s location. Ironically, it was less than a mile away. Within 12
minutes, a helicopter retrieved the grateful Ashton-Smith. Like this kayaker,
when we are in peril, our first impulse should be to call our Father—the one we
trust to help us.
IV. A Memorial of Victory, Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it, v. 9
a. Exp
i. I don’t want to overly spiritualize this point, but did you notice that the victory
wasn’t until after the offering of the lamb? Two things that gives me pause:
1. Samuel was doing things God’s way.
2. Jesus is our Lamb, and “I can do all things through Him who strengthens
me” (Phil. 4:13).
b. App
i. There are those times when you know, you just know that it was God. You
prayed and He answered. You felt weak and He gave you strength. When you do
it His way, you are doing it the right way.
c. Ill
i. A young boy was trying to move a large stone out of his sandbox. His father
watched him as he got frustrated wrestling with this heavy object. He just
couldn’t get enough leverage on the rock to lift it over the side. Finally the boy
gave up and sat down dejectedly on the edge of the sandbox with his head in his
hands. The father went outside and asked, “What’s wrong, Son? Can’t you lift
that rock out?” “No, sir,” the boy said, “I can’t do it.” “Have you used all the
strength that’s available to you?” the father asked. “Yes, sir,” the boy replied.
“No, you haven’t,” the father said. “You haven’t asked me to help you.”
V. A Memorial of Divine Faithfulness, "Thus far the LORD has helped us.", v 12
a. Exp
i. 2 Timothy 2:13, If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny
Himself
ii. He can always be counted on. God never fails.
b. App
 i. The idea that God cannot deny himself refers to God making a promise and
keeping it. Not matter how hard life gets, not matter the problems that build and
gnaw at you, know that God is faithful and has promised to deliver you. The
ultimate deliverance is heaven and the hope that you have in going there. Let this
eternal perspective be the guiding light through the days of troubles.
c. Ill
i. A young man was award a couple of trophies during high school: Most improved
player and co-captain of the basketball team. These two trophies were given to
him at an assembly one day and he kept these trophies for the next 30 years.
During a class reunion, he wandered down a hall to look at how the school had
changed in the intervening decades. As he was reading the plaques that had the
names of award winners over the years, he noticed that someone else’s names
were in the spots that should have been his. These were spots that he had the
trophies for and remembered the assembly where he received the trophies. But
someone else was getting the glory. But isn’t that how it is with the world? We
are foolish to place our ultimate hope on any worldly promise of reward. Only
our Father in heaven can be trusted to deliver on his promises.
VI. A Memorial of Present Testimony, Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 13:5-6
a. Exp
i. God didn’t just help in the OT. He is a very present help in a time of need.
ii. Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
iii. Hebrews 13:5-6, for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR
WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY
HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"
b. App
i. What can man do to you that God cannot take care of? How has God shown
Himself to be bigger than you problems? As He has shown Himself to be faithful,
write it down. Fill you memorial book up with God’s faithfulness.
c. Ill
i. Many cultures have coming of age rituals for their young people. One Native
American tribe would send their young men on their thirteenth birthday out in the
dense forest to spend the night alone. Away from the security of the family, tribe
and village, this young boy needed to survive this night. Led blindfolded miles
away from home, the dark quickly overtook his imagination. At every gust of
wind or snap of a twig, terror led the mind of this young man away. After what
seemed like an eternity, the firs rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest.
Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then to
his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet
away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was the boy’s father. He had been there
all nightlong. God will never desert us, not will he forsake us.
VII. A Memorial of Encouragement for the Future, Thus far v. 12
a. Exp
i. The first point brings up another point. “Thus far” God has proven He is faithful.
“Thus far” our redemption, promised by God through the sacrifice of His son on
the cross has been done. “Thus far” God answers prayer.
ii. That is looking back. We can also look forward. God has promised to be with
us, to deliver us from temptations and to take us home to be with Him. God’s
faithfulness in the past, which we can set up Memorial stones (Ebenezers), is
testifying that God will continue to be faithful. His promises are sure.
iii. In addition to looking back and looking forward, we can look at today.
iv. And we can live like we believe God, or we can live like we don’t believe Him.
We can live like we are citizens of Heaven, or we can live like we’re still citizens
 of this world. We can live as an ambassador of the kingdom of God, or we can
live as ambassadors of this present age. We can live a life of worry about today’s
problems or live with the promise of eternity’s hope and security.
b. App
i. How do you want to live? With an eye to the future or with your sights on today?
CONCLUSION

I. Literally speaking, an Ebenezer is a "stone of help," or a reminder of God’s Real, Holy

Presence and Divine aid.
II. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of
God’s presence and help: the Bible, the Communion Elements, a cross, a picture, a fellow
believer, a hymn – those things which serve as reminders of God’s love, God’s Real Presence,
and God’s assistance are "Ebenezers."
III. What these memorial stones do for us is really two fold: They can be used to teach us of the
faithfulness of God in His past dealings with His people, and they assure us of God’s
faithfulness in the future in fulfilling His promises yet to come.
IV. Allow God’s faithfulness, proven and sure, to be an encouragement to you as you travel the
difficult roads in this present life. These Ebenezers, planted in the past, point to the future.
And our future is sure and set. God has promised.
The outline for this message came from Smith, James & Robert Lee, Handfuls on Purpose, Vol. 2, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1947, 1971), 270-272.
TWOT
hwhy noun proper absolute
0510.0 !he (h¢n) behold, if, to, though. (ASV and RSV similar.)

(510a) hNEhi (hinn¢h) behold, lo, see. (ASV and RSV "if.") An interjection demanding
attention, "look!" "see!" it occurs over a thousand times. See also the shorter form, h¢n.

(510b) hNEhi (hinn¢h) hither. When used in pairs, "here and there." Derivation uncertain.

An interjection demanding attention, "look!" "see!" and sometimes in context, "if." It is used one
hundred times. It is, at least in some uses, a short form of hinn¢h (q.v.). It or hinn¢h or both are in
Ugaritic reflected in the hn of similar meaning.

h¢n is mainly used to emphasize the information which follows it, "behold, I have bought you"
(Gen 47:23), although sometimes the emphasis is on a person, "behold my servant" (Isa 42:1).
The information may be only an assumption, "Behold, they will not believe me" (Exo 4:1). When
the assumption is a condition it is translated "if," e.g. "if I shut up heaven..., or if I command the
locusts" (2Chr 7:13). In this passage h¢n is parallel to °im, meaning "if I send pestilence." The
KJV uses "though" to introduce a condition in Job 13:15, "though he slay me" (but ASV and
RSV, "behold, he will slay me"). "If" is also used in the sense of "whether," "and see if there be
such a thing" (Jer 2:10). This usage for "if" may be not the equivalent of "behold but derived from
the Aramaic h¢n which means "if" exclusively. The Ugaritic hn apparently is not used for "if.".

Over half of the instances of this word are in Isa and Job, with the others mainly confined to the
Pentateuch. This is in contrast to the use of hinn¢h which is evenly distributed throughout the
OT.

Text Notes for 510a, 510b: hinneh is sometimes used as a predicator of existence according to
T. O. Lambdin: "It differs from yesh in that it emphasizes the immediacy, the here-and-now-ness,
of the situation (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, Scribner's Sons, 1971, p. 168).

hinn¢h may be used to point out things (pillar and heap, Gen 31:51; covenant, Gen 17:4), but
more often it is used to point out people, "behold my maid" (Gen 30:3). Often pronouns are
attached as suffixes, especially the first person singular: "See me standing" (i.e. "behold I stood,"
Gen 41:17), or for emphasis the pronoun is repeated, "And I, behold I am bringing" (Gen 6:17),
and often the idiom, "Behold me!" (i.e., "here I am," 1Sam 3:4ff).

Then too, according to Lambdin, "Most hinneh clauses occur in direct speech... and serve to
introduce a fact upon which a following statement or command is based" (ibid., p. 169). Thus,
"Behold your handmaid is in your charge; do to her" is equivalent to "since your handmaid is"
(Gen 16:6). With the first person suffix followed by a particle it is used often in the prophets as a
statement of what God will do, "Behold, I am going to proclaim liberty... to the sword" (Jer
34:17). Especially with the participle it may point out what is just on the verge of happening (Exo
4:23; Exo 7:17 etc.).

In a few instances hinn¢h is used to emphasize one specific possibility and may be translated
"if," "and if... the disease is checked" (Lev 13:5; RSV).
An important fact or action may follow introductory words: "As for Ishmael..., behold I have
blessed him" (Gen 17:20), "In my dream and behold I stood" (Gen 41:17). The pronoun may be
omitted if understood, "Behold, between Kadesh and Bered," i.e. "it," referring to a well, was thus
located (Gen 16:14).

Bibliography: Labuschagne, C. J., "The Particles h¢n and hinn¢h," OTS 8: 1-14. Ward, William
A., "Comparative Studies in Egyptian and Ugaritic," JNES 20: 3140. C.P.W.

BDB
hwhy noun proper absolute
B2446 hN"hñe (page 244) (Strong 2008)
I. hN"hñe:49 adv. hither (perh. from II. !he, used deiktikw/j, with hÄ loc., prop. lo
hitherwards ! or perh. akin to <*>, <*>, <*> here) — a. of place: (a) hither Gn 15:16 %N"he
WbWvy", 42:15 45:5 that you have sold me hN"he hither, v:8; v:13 Jos 2:2 3:9 18:6 2 S
1:10 Is 57:3 hN"he Wbr>qi ~T,a;w>, Je 31:8 51:5 +; 1 S 20:21 %N"hew" ^M.mi
from thee and hitherwards, i.e. on this side of thee (opp. ha'l.h†'w" ^M.mi): repeated 2 K
4:35 hN"he tx;a;w> hN"he tx;a; once hither and once thither = once to and fro;
hN"hew" hN"he hither and thither i.e. in different (or opposite) directions, † Jos 8:20 2 K
2:8; 2:14 1 K 20:40 strangely hN"hew" xN"he hvoe[ ^D>b.[; yhiy>w: lit. and thy
servant was a doer of hitherwards and thitherwards, i.e. was engaged in different directions
(Ew:ì 360, c treats Åh here as the pron. 3 pl. fem. construed irregularly, cf. hL,ae hvoe[: but
rd. prob. with LXX Targum SerVer Vulgate Th Klo hn<Po was turning or looking (Ex 2:12) for
%voe[); hN"he-d[; even hither, Nu 14:19 1 S 7:12 2 S 20:16 hN"he-d[; br;q., 2 K
8:7, to this point (in a book) Je 48:47 51:64 (note of compiler or scribe). (b) here (cf. hM'v' =
there) Gn 21:23 swear to me hN"he here, Dn 12:5 Ål. hN"he Á ¾l. hN"xe on this
side of . . . on that side of . . . † b. of time, in hN"he d[; hitherto Gn 15:16 (with a neg., = not
yet) 44:28 Ju 16:13 Psalm 71:17 & until now do I keep declaring thy wonders, 1 Ch 9:18 12:9
until now (the point reached in the narrative). In late Heb., contracted to hn"dñ,[] hitherto, still
† Ec 4:2, !d,[] † Ec 4:3 hy"h' aol !d,[] rv,a] = who has not yet been (cf. Mish. !yId;[]
hitherto, still, aol !yId;[] = not yet).
_
Literally speaking, an Ebenezer is a "stone of help," or a reminder of God’s Real, Holy Presence and
Divine aid. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of
God’s presence and help: the Bible, the Sacramental Elements, a cross, a picture, a fellow believer, a
hymn – those things which serve as reminders of God’s love, God’s Real Presence, and God’s assistance
are "Ebenezers." © 1998, 2003 (revised), Rev. Gregory S. Neal,
http://www.revneal.org/Writings/whatsan.htm

Memorial Day
Remember

CIT: What we remember on Memorial Day should reflect not only our heritage, but also our
identity and our hopes.
SO: Christians should remember

1. Remember where you came from, Eph. 2:11-12

2. Remember how you got here, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
3. Remember what your doing
a. Your Prayers, Philippians 1:3, 2 Timothy 1:3
b. The Poor, Galatians 2:10
c. Those in Prison, Colossians 4:18
4. Remember where you are going