MEMORIAL, MEMORY (אַזְכָּרָה, H260, זֵ֫כֶר, H2352, זִכָּרﯴן, H2355; μνημόσυνον, G3649).

1. Meaning. Azakarah, tr. “memorial,” is a sacrificial term describing the act “which brings the offerer into remembrance before God, or which brings God into honorable remembrance with the offerer” (cf. Num 5:26). The verb form is zakhar, “to prick,” “pierce,” “penetrate”; hence, of impressing on the memory (Deut 8:2); to keep in mind (Jer 2:2); remember (44:21); to offer a memorial sacrifice (Isa 66:3). The noun forms zekher and zikkeron refer to memorials of “his holy name” (Ps 30:4); of stones (Josh 4:7); offerings (Num 5:15); record or account (Exod 17:14); book of remembrance (Mal 3:16); book of chronicles (Esth 6:1); memorial sayings (Job 13:12); and a celebration (Lev 23:24). The Gr. has similar meanings, plus “tomb,” “monument,” and “sepulcher.” The object of memorials is to preserve and perpetuate the most valuable in persons and incidents (see Exod 13:8). Solomon said, “The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Prov 10:7). Contrarily for the wicked, “His memory perishes from the earth” (Job 18:17; cf. Pss 9:6; 109:15; Eccl 9:5; Neh 2:20).

2. Memorabilia. Every memorial commemorates something, otherwise it loses its significance and becomes worthless. That which qualifies for memorial is the worthily unusual—persons, incidents, or things, usually epoch-making. Memorials are direction markers in history, indicating trends in the course of events. When the Hebrews discovered that there was one living God who participated in human affairs, and with whom covenant could be made, His name became a memorial. An apocalyptic psalmist said, “O Lord, we wait for thee; thy memorial name is the desire of our soul” (Isa 26:8). Also, “the law of the Lord” (Exod 13:9) was to be memorialized. Great acts of God pertinent to man are preserved in memorials: the creation (20:11); the deliverance from Egyp. bondage (13:8); and Christ’s death on the cross (1 Cor 11:24-26). True worship and good deeds were objects of memorials: Israelite worship (Lev 2:2; Num 31:54); Mordecai’s “memorable deeds” (Esth 6:1f.); Mary’s anointing Jesus (Matt 26:6-13; John 12:1-3); and Cornelius’ worship and neighborly service (Acts 10:1-4). These and others are recalled by the various memorials that perpetuate them.

3. Memorials. Memorials are to aid man’s memory in preserving what he cherishes most. Maybe it is a subconscious sense of immortality that has always prompted man to try in some way to survive the grave. Prehistoric men drew pictures on their cave walls, and throughout history man has marked the graves of tombs of his loved ones. Stone is one of the oldest means of memorials. Rulers of Egypt, Babylonia, Assyria, Hatti, Persia, Greece, and Rome, have left their memorials in pyramids, obelisks, cliffs, statues, slabs, and other stone forms. Moses had the names of the twelve sons of Israel engraved on two onyx stones, “as stones for remembrance” (Exod 28:9-12); and the Ten Commandments were put on stone (34:1). Later, Joshua “wrote upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses” (Josh 8:32). Another medium was the book, whether of parchment, papyrus, or paper. It is a mark of inspired genius that Moses began the book which resulted in the Bible, a memorial of divine revelation and human response. The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book” (Exod 17:14); “and Moses wrote all the words of the Lord” (24:4). Eventually the Bible became the most durable, inclusive, and influential memorial in history. Other memorials were religious activities. Israelite priests presented cereal offerings, burned with frankincense, “as its memorial portion” (Lev 2:2). Gold offerings were made “as a memorial for the people of Israel before the Lord” (Num 31:54). The angel said to Cornelius, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). Memorial days, particularly those associated with worship and feasts, have been most meaningful. Two paramount memorial feasts of Bible record are the Passover and the Lord’s Su pper. Moses said, “this day (Nisan 15) shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord” (Exod 12:14). Instituting the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24). The fourth commandment is, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exod 20:8).

Bibliography N. K. Gottwald, A Light to the Nations (1959), 112, 135, 334f., 493, 506; Davies-Mitchell, Student’s Hebrew Lexicon (1960), 182; L. D. Weatherhead, The Christian Agnostic (1965), 182-187; H. M. Buck, People of the Lord (1966), 11, 31f., 136-146, 400f., 554f.