Leave The Landmarks

Greetings – Thanks – 3 goals for my GNA podcasts: Bible; God’s story in our History and contemporary application.

A man named David lived in the early 1800’s and studied to be a preacher. When he gave his first sermon, he stood only to say that he had forgotten all he had prepared to say. Following the advice of a friend, he became a doctor.

He was so determined to serve Christ, he became a medical missionary to Africa. He cured the sick, taught sanitation techniques, established schools, explored and mapped many areas, preached at every opportunity, and began many churches. He survived much illness and lost his wife to a jungle fever. He refused to leave Africa when many wanted him to come home, saying, “I have so much work to do!”

There in Africa, he died of old age. The natives who had grown to love him began the longest funeral procession in history across 600 miles to the western coast where they would send his body back to his homeland in England. Before they began this journey, they removed his heart and buried it in the African soil because they knew that his heart was in Africa.

Britain’s national cartoonist, Mr. Punch, did not draw a cartoon the day of his funeral. Instead he wrote these words in tribute: “Let marble crumble, this is Living Stone.” You have probably heard of him, David Livingstone.

I. Use of Stones in the Bible:

A. To Commemorate Events. The question that is associated with this type of stone is, “What do these stones mean?”

1. Tel Gezer – Standing Stones

“Why are these stones here?” Those who did it or knew it told the story.

Custom – when something significant happened regarding God (or a god) – you would raise up a stone to draw attention to the event – No one would write on the stone. It was a silent testimony of the event. When people walked by the stones they would ask why they were there; those who knew gave testimony as to what God did.

2. Two kinds of stones:

• Some stones were set by pagans to give attention to their false gods. These were to be dismantled by the Hebrews, and not tolerated. Too often we have tolerated the presence of evil and allowed it to grow, as did the Hebrews.

The dismantling of pagan stones was practiced long before Jesus. Note 2 Kings 23 (Josiah) and 2 Chronicles 30 (Hezekiah) – both chapters are descriptions of the kings going through the nation tearing down pagan idols and altars; burning high places; knocking down their standing stones; even digging up bones of Baal priests and burning them with fire on altar. The entire nation was searched for signs of disobedience. This was a removal of “national leaven.” When it was finished, they had Passover followed by rejoicing (2 Chronicles 30).

• Stones God chose to use included: Jacob, running for his life, had a dream and set up a stone to remember his dream; Elders at Mt. Sinai; Joshua at Jordan (seven times Joshua set up stones in Joshua to have children/neighbors ask what the stones signified).

3. As God’s stones today, we have an application for 1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV):

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We are not to be just stones built into the house of God. Rather, we are living stones and boundary markers. Our lives are to constantly draw attention so others ask, “What is it about you?” Then, we point people to God, just like Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 (ESV):

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

There is a key implication for us. God calls us to be silent stones bearing witness to something greater than ourselves and our accomplishments. That is, we are bearing witness to an active God in history, America’s as well as the world’s.

A standing stone with no witness is useless. It is not enough to be like our Rabbi. We must tell God’s story when others ask. It’s not, “let me tell you about me,” but, “let me tell you about my God.”

B. Landmark Stones were for marking the land. They were boundary stones and also identification stones

1. These stones designated Personal property – Deuteronomy 19:14 (ESV):

14 “You shall not move your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.