Topical Encyclopedia In the biblical context, a "memorial" serves as a tangible reminder of significant events, divine acts, or covenantal promises. Memorials are established to ensure that the memory of God's deeds and instructions is preserved across generations. They often take the form of physical objects, rituals, or specific days set aside for remembrance.Old Testament Memorials 1. Stones and Altars: One of the earliest examples of a memorial is found in Genesis 28:18-22, where Jacob sets up a stone pillar at Bethel after his dream of the ladder reaching to heaven. This stone serves as a memorial of God's promise to him. Similarly, in Joshua 4:1-9, twelve stones are taken from the Jordan River and set up at Gilgal as a memorial to the miraculous crossing of the river by the Israelites. 2. The Passover: The Passover is instituted as a memorial feast in Exodus 12:14. The Israelites are commanded to observe it annually to remember their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. "This day is to be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD. You are to celebrate it as a perpetual statute for the generations to come" (Exodus 12:14). 3. The Sabbath: The Sabbath serves as a weekly memorial of God's creation and His rest on the seventh day. It is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, as stated in Exodus 31:16-17. 4. The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This feast is also a memorial, as described in Exodus 13:9, "It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt" . New Testament Memorials 1. The Lord's Supper: In the New Testament, Jesus establishes the Lord's Supper as a memorial of His sacrificial death. During the Last Supper, He instructs His disciples, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19). This ordinance is observed by Christians to commemorate the new covenant in Christ's blood. 2. The Anointing at Bethany: The act of the woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume is described as a memorial in Matthew 26:13. Jesus declares, "Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her" . Purpose and Significance Memorials in the Bible serve several purposes. They act as reminders of God's faithfulness, power, and covenantal promises. They also function as teaching tools for future generations, ensuring that the knowledge of God's works and commands is passed down. Memorials encourage worship, reflection, and obedience, fostering a sense of identity and continuity among God's people. Spiritual Application For believers, memorials are not merely historical artifacts but are imbued with spiritual significance. They call individuals and communities to remember God's past actions and to trust in His ongoing faithfulness. Memorials also serve as a call to live in accordance with God's will, as they remind believers of their identity and purpose in God's redemptive plan. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (a.) Serving to preserve remembrance; commemorative; as, a memorial building.2. (a.) Mnemonic; assisting the memory. 3. (n.) Anything intended to preserve the memory of a person or event; something which serves to keep something else in remembrance; a monument. 4. (n.) A memorandum; a record. 5. (n.) A written representation of facts, addressed to the government, or to some branch of it, or to a society, etc., -- often accompanied with a petition. 6. (n.) Memory; remembrance. 7. (n.) A species of informal state paper, much used in negotiation. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia MEMORIAL; MEMORYme-mo'-ri-al, mem'-o-ri ('azkarah, zekher, zekher, zikkaron; mnemosunon): "Memorial" as the translation of 'azkdrah is a sacrificial term, that which brings the offerer into remembrance before God, or brings God into favorable remembrance with the offerer; it is used of the burning of a portion of the meal offering, the Revised Version (British and American) (the King James Version "meat-offering"); better, cereal offering, on the altar (Leviticus 2:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "as the memorial"; Leviticus 2:9, 16; Leviticus 5:12, the Revised Version (British and American) "as"; Leviticus 24:7 Numbers 5:26, the Revised Version (British and American) "as"); as the translation of zekher (zekher), zikkaron, it is a memorial in the sense of a remembrance (zekher, zekher, Exodus 3:15; the memorial (name) of Yahweh); hence, we have in the Revised Version (British and American) "memorial name" for "remembrance" (Psalm 30:4 the American Standard Revised Version; Psalm 97:12, the English Revised Version "holy name," marin "Hebrew memorial"; Psalms 102:12; 135:13:00; Isaiah 26:8; Ho 12:5, the English Revised Version "memorial"); for "memorial" (Esther 9:28 Psalm 9:6, the American Standard Revised Version "remembrance"); zikkaron, "a remembrance" (Exodus 12:14; Exodus 13:9 Leviticus 23:24 Numbers 5:15 (of the meal offering); Joshua 4:7 Nehemiah 2:20 Zechariah 6:14); the Passover feast was to be in this sense "a memorial.... for ever" (Exodus 12:14; Exodus 13:9); so also the shema` (Deuteronomy 6:4 f); "memorial" occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 4:1 (mneme), the Revised Version (British and American) "memory"; The Wisdom of Solomon 4:19; Ecclesiasticus 45:1 (mnemosunon); Ecclesiasticus 49:1; 1 Maccabees 3:7; 12:53, the Revised Version (British and American) "memorial." Greek 3422. mnemosunon -- a memorial ... a memorial. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: mnemosunon Phonetic Spelling: (mnay-mos'-oo-non) Short Definition: reminder, memorial, remembrance ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3422.htm - 6k 3418. mnema -- a memorial, a sepulcher 3419. mnemeion -- a memorial, a monument 364. anamnesis -- remembrance 3420. mneme -- memory, remembrance Strong's Hebrew 234. azkarah -- a memorial offering... 233, 234. azkarah. 235 . a memorial offering. Transliteration: azkarah Phonetic Spelling: (az-kaw-raw') Short Definition: memorial. ... /hebrew/234.htm - 6k 2146. zikkaron -- memorial, remembrance 2143. zeker -- remembrance, memorial 237. Ezel -- a memorial stone in Palestine 1567. Galed -- "witness-pile," a memorial of stones East of the ... 3026. Yegar Sahadutha -- "heap (of stones) of the testimony, " a ... 8034. shem -- a name 4676. matstsebah -- a pillar, stump 3027. yad -- hand Library A Memorial Intended Memorial The Memorial of Symmachus, Prefect of the City. Memorial of Symmachus, the Prefect of the City. The Memorial of Our Absent Lord, John 16 16 Luke 22 19 John 14 3 Translation of a Memorial to his Excellence the Count D'Ofalia The Memorial of Our Absent Lord. John 16:16; Luke 22:19; John 14 ... A Woman's Memorial The Jordan Memorial Stone Potter -- Memorial Discourse on Phillips Brooks Thesaurus Memorial (54 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Serving to preserve remembrance; commemorative; as, a memorial building. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MEMORIAL; MEMORY. ... /m/memorial.htm - 28k Memorial-part (7 Occurrences) Memorial-offering (1 Occurrence) Reminder (13 Occurrences) Remembrance (74 Occurrences) Memory (181 Occurrences) Frankincense (22 Occurrences) Tabernacles (43 Occurrences) Remember (230 Occurrences) Monument (7 Occurrences) Resources What was the significance of the Jordan crossing? | GotQuestions.orgIs the observance of First Communion biblical? | GotQuestions.org What was the bread of the Presence (Exodus 25:30)? | GotQuestions.org Memorial: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Memorial (54 Occurrences)Matthew 26:13 Mark 14:9 Acts 10:4 Exodus 3:15 Exodus 12:14 Exodus 13:9 Exodus 17:14 Exodus 28:12 Exodus 28:29 Exodus 30:16 Exodus 39:7 Leviticus 2:2 Leviticus 2:9 Leviticus 2:16 Leviticus 5:12 Leviticus 6:15 Leviticus 23:24 Leviticus 24:7 Numbers 5:15 Numbers 5:18 Numbers 5:26 Numbers 10:10 Numbers 16:40 Numbers 31:54 Joshua 4:7 2 Samuel 18:18 1 Kings 10:13 Nehemiah 2:20 Esther 1:7 Esther 2:18 Esther 9:28 Job 18:17 Psalms 6:5 Psalms 9:6 Psalms 20:3 Psalms 30:4 Psalms 34:16 Psalms 38:1 Psalms 70:1 Psalms 97:12 Psalms 102:12 Psalms 109:15 Psalms 111:4 Psalms 112:6 Psalms 135:13 Psalms 145:7 Isaiah 26:8 Isaiah 55:13 Isaiah 56:5 Isaiah 57:8 Hosea 12:5 Hosea 14:7 Zechariah 6:14 Malachi 3:16 Subtopics Memorial: Firstborn Set Apart As A Memorial: Shoulder Stones of the Ephod Memorial: The Feast of Tabernacles Related Terms Memorial-offering (1 Occurrence) Fire-offering (45 Occurrences) Shoulder-pieces (9 Occurrences) Meal-offering (120 Occurrences) |