A few years ago a friend of mine wrote and asked, “Why do Jewish people put stones on top of tombstones?”  I had heard of this practice but never actually seen it until I was in Jerusalem.  I looked up the answer in The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch and found that, “the placing of stones on top of the tombstone is a symbolic act indicating that members of the family and friends have not forgotten the deceased.”  More recently and probably due to the home-going of my father, I've recognized the importance of remembering and memorials.  I decided to make a mental list of all the times stones were used as a memorial or played an important role in the Old Testament.  What a list!
  
          Here’s a partial list of what I compiled:  Abraham builds an altar of stone and sacrifices on it after God promises him a great nation, land and a blessing (Gen. 12:7); Isaac is about to be sacrificed on an altar of stone when God provides a ram instead (Gen. 22:1-14); Jacob uses a stone for a pillow in Genesis 28:11-22; Moses builds an altar at Rephidim to commemorate God’s victory over the Amalekites (Ex. 17:15); the  Mosaic Covenant was written on stone (Ex. 34:1-4);   there are several instances in the book of Joshua where a stone altar is built as a memorial, most notably the altar of remembrance after crossing the  Jordan (Jos. 4:4-9) and the altar built in the valley of Achor (Jos. 7:26).  The list could go on but by now you see that stones are all over the place in the Old Testament.  Why stones?  Well, if you’ve ever been to Israel, you know they’re quite abundant!  But you can also see this by looking at pictures of places like the Judean Hills and Masada.
   
         The more important question is, “Why remember?”  The answer can be found in the book of Joshua.  When Israel crossed over the Jordan and into the Promised Land, they collected twelve stones from the river bed and built an altar of remembrance.  The Lord tells Joshua, “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’  So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” (Jos. 4: 6-7)
    
        I would imagine those stones had a very distinct appearance.  They must have been quite smooth from the water that had rushed over them for years.  The contrast between them and the stones found along the banks of the Jordan was designed to catch the eyes and curiosity of the younger generation.  This memorial was to be an educational tool to teach them about their God and their history.  History has a way of mentally preparing us for obstacles.  We either learn from the mistakes we previously made, or we draw courage from the trials we’ve made it through.  Israel’s Jordan crossing and the memorial that followed also testified to God’s faithfulness because it was through His sovereignty that the waters dried up (during the spring floods no less!) so that Israel could cross safely.
   
      Memorials have always played an important role in Israel’s history.  Sometimes they were altars of stone.  At other times the memorials took the form of holidays and celebrations that focused on God’s deliverance, intervention, and love for His people Israel.  Many of them are still practiced and celebrated today in synagogues all over the world.  The importance of memorials was not lost on the early church either.  Two of our most sacred rites as believers, baptism and communion (Rom. 6:1-11; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), are memorials that the early church practiced and passed on to the generations of believers that followed.  We also have holidays to remember significant events in the Bible.  Christmas and Easter are perhaps the most well-known.  If your sanctuary has stained-glass windows and carvings in the architecture, take a look at the symbols in them.  These too are memorials created to remind you of significant pieces of your Christian walk.  How many crosses, for example, adorn the artwork in your church?
   
         It is good to build “memorials” on our journey of faith.  They are visible reminders of places where we’ve been, aspects of our faith which are meaningful to us and where we’ve felt and seen God’s presence in our lives.  The Israelites had many visual reminders which enabled them to teach their children.  What kind of memorials will inspire us, encourage us, and educate the generations to come?  Finding our own memorials can be a creative and revealing adventure.  What stones of remembrance appear on your faith journey?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; [email protected]; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

When this edition of Ready for the Road Ahead first appeared in the church bulletin back in September of 2012 life was moving along on an even keel.  This week our well ran dry until a good rainstorm refilled it.  So being reminded of  how to deal with obstacles was certainly good timing on my part!

            One of the things I learned as a soccer mom is that you can drive anywhere with a good set of directions and map; even if you’ve never been there before.  I drove all over the state of New Jersey, from the top to the bottom, taking my son Christopher to his soccer games that way.  Nowadays GPS will get you where you need to go, but I still prefer a map and written directions!  Whether you use GPS or a map and directions is up to your personal preference, but unless you get in the car, turn the key and pull out of the driveway, you aren't going anywhere.
 
           In Joshua 3, we find Israel ready to embark on a journey into the Promised Land.  They had wandered through the desert for 40 years, lived on manna, camped in tents and survived a few skirmishes along the way.  And now, after some initial preparation, the people were ready to enter the land.  But there was one final obstacle in the way, the Jordan River.  The Jordan is a pretty river.  Its Hebrew name means “descender”.  And that is just what it does from the base of Mount Hermon all the way down to the Dead Sea (the lowest point on the face of the earth).  Sometimes it’s only as wide as a creek, but at the time of the Spring harvest its banks easily overflow.  The Jordan River at flood stage can extend its width from 35 feet to 1 mile.  Its gently flowing current can become a gushing torrent when the waters fill up.  And this is the time of year when Israel arrives to enter the land.
  
          Can you imagine what was going through their minds?  Here are a few suggestions: “We can’t cross this river!  Its banks are overflowing!!”, “O.K. Lord, it’ll take a few days, but we can gather some trees from Shittim, get some pitch and build a few rafts”, “What are you thinking Lord?  We are desert people!  No one here knows how to swim!”  Crossing the Jordan must have seemed like an insurmountable obstacle.  But in order to enter the Promised Land, Israel had to cross it.

            Even more surprising are the words in verse 13, "And it shall come about when the soles of the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest (not BY, not NEAR, but...) IN the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap".  Notice there’s no “toe-testing” here (You know that little “dipping motion” we do when we want to see how warm or cold the water is before we dive into it?).  The priests had to plant the soles of their feet firmly in the river bed.  You see to play the game you have to get on the field.  To take the trip you have to pull out of the driveway.  And to cross the Jordan, you have to get in it.
    
        Imagine if every time you hit an obstacle in your walk of faith what might happen to your perspective if you approached it with an air of expectancy as Joshua did in verse 5.  “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”  What if you pushed aside the fears and doubts that you have when confronted with obstacles and tackled those problems with this attitude, “Wow! Another problem!  I don’t know how it’s going to work out, but I know the Lord is going to help me overcome this.  He really came through the last time.  I can’t wait to see how He helps me out of this one!” 
     
When       How can you turn your view of obstacles into visions of opportunity?  How can you see things the way Joshua did?  Like Christopher who practiced countless hours before he set foot on the soccer field or a traveler who studies the directions to his/her destination, you can train yourself to meet obstacles by focusing on the basic skills of your faith and consecrating yourself.  Now I don’t mean that you need to run home, take a bath and do the laundry as those ancient Israelites did when they consecrated themselves!  But making the basic skills of your faith (Bible study, devotions, prayer time and fellowship) a priority in your life will consecrate you for "crossing the Jordan".  They prepare you to look at obstacles from a different perspective and that perspective will help you through whatever challenges you may face.  These tools help you to look at obstacles the way Joshua did- as an opportunity for God to do wonders in your midst.  So keep this in mind when obstacles come your way: To play the game, you have to step on to the field.  To take the journey, you have to pull out of the driveway.  To cross the Jordan, you have to get in.  It’s time to get ready, get set and GO!
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; [email protected]; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

This edition of Ready for the Road Ahead was  originally published as a bulletin insert in October of 2011.

           The leaves have finally turned color and are slowly dropping on to my lawn as I sit and type this week’s column.  Three important holy days, Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, are being celebrated by the Jewish people before both people and celebrations settle in for the long span of time before the festival cycle starts again in the Spring.  The Holy Days will end on a high note in the celebration of Simchah Torah (Rejoicing in the Law).  It occurs on the last day of Sukkot, which is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, and it is a time to rejoice, just as its name states.

            The Torah, or Law, is defined as the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  Torah means to “direct, teach, instruct, guide or show”.  The Torah is divided into yearly readings and read every Saturday morning at Torah Service.  It is customary to complete the cycle of reading on Simchah Torah.  There is an old Jewish adage which says, “Turn the Torah, and turn it over again, for everything may be found in it.”  So to affirm the truth that one must never stop studying God’s Word, it has become customary to turn at once to the beginning of the Torah and start again when the cycle is completed.

            The Torah is highly treasured.  The scroll is usually 2 1/2 feet high and is printed by hand with only a genuine quill pen on kosher animal skin.  A typical scroll is 20 to 30 skins long and weighs 15 to 20 pounds.  The skins are sewn together so intricately that it is virtually impossible to see the seams.  They are then wound around the “Trees of Life” or Torah holders.  The coverings are exquisitely decorated in beautiful brocades or satin with appliqué and sometimes even semi-precious stones.  The Torah scroll itself is never touched by hand.  It is carefully placed on a special reading table, and the reader uses a special pointer, called a yad, to keep his place.

            The Torah is an important part of religious life to devout Jews.  They are mindful of many scriptures which encourage and command them to take its words seriously such as Joshua 1:8 and Proverbs 7:2.  On Simchah Torah the scroll is removed from its special cabinet in the synagogue and paraded about the sanctuary.  The people follow behind with music, singing, and the blowing of shofars.  There is candy for the children (because God’s Word is sweet like honey) and they are called to the platform to say a blessing over the Torah reading.  This is the only time children are allowed to do this.  When a synagogue is vandalized or burned and the Torah is destroyed it is a tremendous loss to the congregation, economically, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

            In light of this, how we should view the Scriptures?  The Bible is the most amazing book the world has ever seen or read.  It has been translated into thousands of languages, printed in every shape and style; maligned, discredited, upheld, misunderstood and underestimated in its strength and power.  Churches today revere it, ignore it and even re-word it.  Yet it has endured and maintained its integrity for centuries.

            How precious is the Bible to us?  Think of all the Bibles that have been smuggled into Communist and Muslim countries at the risk of life and freedom.  Think of all those who have traveled to remote places to learn languages only a few speak so that the Word can be communicated to them.  This Book allows us to truly understand the heart and mind of God.  Life was breathed into it by the Holy Spirit and it brings life to us.  Yet, many times we toss it aside just as carelessly as we would a paperback novel.  I wonder what our brothers and sisters in persecuted countries would think about that.  How would they react if they learned many of us ignore the Bible because our schedule is demanding and we are tired?  What would our brothers and sisters in Haiti, China and the Sudan do if they could hold and read one single page of God's Word when we have more than one copy sitting on a dusty shelf?   Perhaps in the business of our lives, we have placed the Bible in a low spot on the list of our priorities, but is that where it belongs?  Shouldn't we treat it with reverence and rejoice when we come together as God's people to learn from and study it?  If we can proudly display the paraphernalia of our favorite sports team, why don't we do the same for the Bible?  Perhaps we could learn something from our Jewish friends!
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; [email protected]; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            For many women, the make-up is as essential as a survival kit.  The miracle of make-up is that it can cover the little imperfections that gnaw away at our self-esteem.  But make-up can only work wonders on the outside.  Covering the inward imperfections is a much more difficult task and the psychological gymnastics we go through to achieve this status often do more harm than good.  There is one festival in the Jewish calendar whose main focus is that of “covering”.  In Leviticus 16 it is called Yom Kippur.  Yom (rhymes with home) means day and Kippur (kee-poor) means covering, thus, the Day of Covering.  It is also known as the Day of Atonement.  A covering hides something but it does not remove it.  That’s why according to the Scriptures it is necessary for Jews to observe this day annually (Lev. 16:29-34).  No person is capable of removing their sins, only covering them.
 
          In Biblical times, the observance of Yom Kippur involved a rather lengthy process of washing and sacrifices to cover both the sins of the High Priest as well as the nation.  Yom Kippur was the only day of the year that the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies (Lev. 16; 23:26-32).  His sole purpose there was to sprinkle the sacrificial blood on the Ark of the Covenant as a covering for the sins of the nation for another year (Lev. 16:9, 14-19).  But in order to enter the presence of a Most Holy God the high priest washed several times over, wore simple garments made of the purest fabric possible and entered that sacred precinct with a censor filled with an aromatic coals (Lev. 16:4, 12-14,  23-24).  Bringing the stain of sin into the Holy of Holies was very serious and the consequence of defiling it was disastrous to the one who caused it (Lev. 10:1-3).
   
         Another ceremony carried out on this day involved the selection of the Scapegoat (Lev. 16:7-10).  Two identical goats were chosen.  Both goats symbolized the severity of sin.  One died picturing God’s judgment.  The blood of this goat was splattered on the Ark.   The High Priest placed his hands on this goat and “transferred” the sins of the people to the animal.  The same was done to the second goat but this time “the Scapegoat” was not sacrificed but instead led out to the wilderness (Lev. 20-22).  The goats teach us two interesting aspects of God’s judgment.  First, that although the punishment for sin is severe, a substitute can take the penalty.  Second, once the appropriate sacrifice has been made, the Lord sends off the remembrance of that sin “into the wilderness”.  It is gone, forgotten, remembered no more.
     
       Since the destruction of the temple it has become customary for faithful Jews to offer prayers, repair broken relationships and right the wrongs of the past year for the atonement of sins on Yom Kippur.  But the Scripture is clear that no amount of repentance or the intention of good works can atone for sin.  So how can sin be erased like chalk from the blackboard?  How is it that the writer of Hebrews can write, “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more”? (Heb. 10:17)
  
          The answers to these questions lie in the person of Jesus Christ.  His atoning work is represented in the two goats.  First, His shed blood has met God’s requirement and is an acceptable substitute for ours and secondly, through Christ’s atoning death, our sins are no longer remembered by God.  But now at the consummation of the ages, He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9: 26b).  Hebrews 1:3 and Hebrews 9: 11-12 also state that Christ has entered the Holy of Holies and has sat down, meaning His work was complete and finished, something earthly priests never had the privilege of experiencing and therefore Christ does not have to do this over and over again.
          
  To most of us the Berlin Wall merely represented a division between two political ideologies.  But for those who lived in its shadow, it represented separation from the love and warmth of family and friends.  Mankind was separated from God in the same way.  The veil which stood between the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place was heavily woven and six inches thick.  It was only entered once a year.  And like the Berlin Wall, sin seemed to stand solid and cold between man and God.  Who could bridge the gap?  No one but God Himself.  For now there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ.  (Rom. 8:1)  Jesus more than covers sin, He removes it!
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; [email protected]; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre