When we were in Washington DC the biggest impression on my mind was the memorials to the many who have died while serving our country and our God! They voluntarily died to give us freedom. Some died while giving us freedom to form our own government and nation called the United States of America. Some died to give freedom to the slaves in our country. Some died to bring freedom from the tyrannical rule of people like Hitler. Many died to bring freedom to other countries and peoples deceived, taken over by dictators and terrorists who desired worship and power over man. In the case of each memorial, I observed many people reading with reverential, grateful interest the memorials to their life stories.
I was reminded of the memorial set up to the Man who died to give freedom to an entire world from the tyrannical rule of Satan. It is the memorial of His rest being His death. (Romans 6:5-9
Hebrews 4:9,10.) His death was, as in the case of a soldier, more than just death of the body. It was death to self (Matthew 26:38-42). It was the self denying death of a Father, Son, Brother to save His family. Ruled as we were by a forceful dictator, we were too weak to give ourselves freedom. We needed a Savior! And so He died the same kind of death we see when someone dies to give another freedom. (John 15:13). Just as in the case of the soldiers whose memorials we witness, who volunteered to follow their leaders to the death, Jesus invites us to follow him to His rest, His death, a death to self ( Luke 9:23).
You say, Where is this memorial? Or what is this memorial? It is the memorial of “His rest”. (Hebrews 4:9-11). God conveniently placed it where each one of us can read it. It is a memorial in time. (Exodus 20:9-11) A memorial in time given to man (Mark 2:27) which has occurred every week since the beginning of this planet’s history. It is a memorial to remind us to Whom we belong by both creation and redemption! God said “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”
The Bible tells us this memorial was set up after the work of God was finished in the creation of this world. (Genesis 2:1-3) But it also tells us in Hebrews chapter 4 that this memorial set up at the foundation of the world is also a memorial to the Finishing work of the death of Christ in our redemption. (Hebrews 4:3,4) You see as soon as there was sin, there was already a Savior, for the Lamb of God was slain from the very foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8, 1 Peter 1:18-21).
I invite you friend to this memorial in time called the Sabbath, which is a testimony to the Man, our Creator, who died to give us our freedom!. Learn of Him, For He was meek and lowly in heart and He will give you rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:28&29).
Please reverence The Soldier. Don’t trample or remove His Memorial which belongs to you, but treasure and keep it unto Him! And bring your children and family and friends to His memorial in time. Pass His memory on!
REFERENCES:
Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him.
Hebrews 4: 9 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Matthew 26:38 Then said he to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death: tarry you here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.
John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Luke 9: 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Hebrews 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shall you labor, and do all your work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: why the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it
Mark 2:27 And he said to them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Revelation 13: 8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Matthew:11: 28 Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.