I have been pondering Absalom's treasonous act
against David, the divinely appointed king of Israel, and Absalom's death and
burial. Specifically, I have been pondering the significance of his
dishonorable burial under a pile of stones instead of under the pillar he
erected as a memorial to himself or in the burial place of kings and princes. While
considering these things, I began recalling the significance of stones in the
Bible. These daily devotions take you through what I
have read and considered. Hopefully they will lead you to your rightful
place, the Church of God, where He has provided
the Cornerstone.
Monday: Read Genesis
32:22-33:20. Altars were called
Ebenezers, too. Ebenezer translated from the Hebrew means “stone of help.” Who
set up a stone altar? Why? What was the place named because of it? El Elohe
means “mighty is the God of Israel.” What did this ebenezar show about
God? This was a spiritual marker of an
important place where Jacob had an encounter with God. Jacob gave God a
sacrifice of praise here.
Tuesday: Read Genesis 35. Who set up this stone altar? Why? What was the
place named because of it? Bethel means “house of God.” This altar/ebenezar was also set up because of
an encounter Jacob had with God. God is given a sacrifice of praise here,
too.
Wednesday: Read Joshua 4:5-9. Who set up a stone altar here? Who told them to
do it? Why? This altar was set up as a reminder, as a spiritual marker, an ebenezar, so the Israelites always remember God gave them
the victory and their own land as He had promised.
Thursday: Read Joshua 7:20-26. What was
the pile of stones a reminder of in Achor? Achor means “trouble.” Not the
spiritual markers/reminders/ebenezars we will have as Christians will remind us
of good things God did for us. Sometimes
God disciplines us to get us to go on the right path and grow. These will be
spiritual markers, too.
Friday: Read 1 Samuel 7:1-12. Who set up a stone altar here? Who told them to
do it? Why? This altar was set up as a reminder of how God gave them
the final victory over their enemy. This stone was a remembrance to Israel that
“thus far the Lord has helped us.”
Saturday: Read
1 Peter 2:4-8. Who is this Living
Stone? Are we supposed to be
reminded of God by this
stone, too? Is this stone special for everyone? No, these spiritual stones of
the past and this Living Stone are special only for those to whom God has
taught/helped/called. God calls each of us to come to Him. If we call Jesus our Living Stone, then we also become stones built
according to the Father to become an altar proclaiming His praises and
calling others to come out of their darkness to “this marvelous Light.” We
become the stones making an altar of praise to God for people to see God and
come to His light. Are you letting Him do that, to use you as a lighthouse
beacon for His Light? Have you decided to become a part of His Church to be
built in the way He wants others to see Him? You are a “chosen” person, a loved
child. He wants to shelter, lead, and forgive you, too,
just as David wanted to shelter and forgive his son, Absalom, who chose not to
accept it. Absalom’s grave with stones mounted upon it became a marker for
Israel to remind them not to run away from God, but return to Him. God had to
discipline Absalom for attempting to overthrow the
divinely anointed king, David.
