God is Our Memorial

This morning I was struck with a phrase I found in the King James Version of Hosea 12:4-5 that speaks of Jacob wrestling with a Man near the Jabbok river crossing as the day began to break:  "Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; ⁵ even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial."  Jacob prevailed over the angel by refusing to let him go, even after his hip was permanently injured by the touch of the Man's hand.  As Jacob wept he begged for a blessing, and the angel (who seems to be much more than an angel) replied in Genesis 32:28:  "And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."  God changed Jacob's name to "Israel" which includes God's name, meaning "God strives" or "one who struggles with God."

Before Jacob's trek to Laban's house, he dreamed of a ladder that reached to God with angels ascending and descending upon it.  He called the place Bethel or "house of God."  Jacob promised God if He would be with him, guide and protect him, provide food and clothing, and cause him to return to his father's house in peace, the God of His fathers Abraham and Isaac would be his God.  The stone he had used for  a pillow would be a pillar in God's house, and he would give God the tenth.  The Hosea passage says Israel found the LORD in Bethel after returning from decades serving his uncle Laban. Genesis 35:7 reads, "And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother."  God met with Israel who prepared himself to draw near to God, and he conversed with God.  Israel met the God of the house.  How awesome is this?

Hosea said as a result of Israel humbly drawing near to the LORD by faith, "the LORD is His memorial."  This phrase stopped me in my tracks.  I have been to memorial services to honour the memory of departed souls, and I have observed cenotaphs--empty tombs adorned with names of soldiers who gave their lives in the service of their country.  Monuments crumble and memories fade, but to have the living God as your memorial is something completely different and wonderful.  God is not restricted to a small plot of ground in a cemetary, nor is He silent like stones that cannot speak.  For those God claims as His people He is their memorial, and Christ is our monument--not of our goodness, accomplishment or courageous exploits but His love, grace, provision and power to save.  God is the one worthy of worship and praise, and He treasures His redeemed people more than we do precious jewels and will spare us from ruin (Mal. 3:17).

In light of God being Israel's memorial and monument, the prophet said in Hosea 12:6:  "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."  God who has redeemed us with the blood of His own Son Jesus and transformed us with the indwelling Holy Spirit is our memorial, and thus we ought to honour Him with our lives by trusting, seeking and serving Him.  God has chosen to honour His saints and glorify them in His presence forever, and we ought to follow His lead by glorifying Him with our words and deeds while we have opportunity.  Because God is our memorial we will never be forgotten or lost, for God provides eternal life in His kingdom for all who trust in Jesus!