Essentials of Memorial and Remembrance

[Mr. M]

 

A Book of Memorial and Remembrance

Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.

17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18 Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.

What is enlightening about Malachi 3:16 is that it illustrates the inconsistency of translating

memorial and remembrance with an understanding, when a comparison is made to this verse:

Exodus 17:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial [H2146- zikaron]

in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out

the remembrance [H2143-zeker] of Amalek from under heaven.

In Malachi 3:16, zikaron is used, and should be translated memorial, because as long

as the conversations are being recorded in His book, they exist as a memorial. It is not 

until verse 17, when the promise is fulfilled, "In that day...I will spare them",

that it becomes a remembrance.

This can be seen in the New Testament also.

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what

was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his

household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God

coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God."

The Lord then sends Peter to His household to bring them the Gospel.

Then after the blessing is received we find:

30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour

I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had

in remembrance in the sight of God.

The dynamics of memorial and remembrance are clearly shown here:

Psalm 50:14 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.
15 then call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.                                                  23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright, I will show the salvation of God.

The better the understanding of memorial and remembrance,

the better the understanding of: "Do this, in remembrance of me".

Why isn't the communion of the saints a memorial?

Because: "when and wherever two or more are gathered together

in My Name, I am there in the midst."

The Communion of the Saints brings an immediate remembrance.

It is not for the future, it is for Today, "if you will hear His Voice."

Edited December 3, 2022 by Mr. M
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