We are in chapter twenty-three of Exodus with our word for today. מַצֵּבָה memorial stone, pillar, stump, standing stone. It is used 34 times in the Old Testament. Our word was used in the worship of the true God. Genesis 28:16-18 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a מַצֵּבָ֑ה pillar and poured oil on top of it … and this stone that I have set up as a מַצֵּבָ֔ה pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth. Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a מַצֵּבָ֔ה pillar and where you made a vow to me. Later we find God condemning this action when people set these up to worship false gods or idols which are really demons as we have seen. Leviticus 26:1 Do not make idols or set up an image or a וּמַצֵּבָה֙ sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God. Not only does God condemn this practice but he commands that these be destroyed. Exodus 34:13 Break down their altars, smash their מַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. Deuteronomy 12:3 Break down their altars, smash their מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 23:23-24 When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם pillars in pieces. This theme of God destroying these memorial stones or sacred pillars used in worshiping false gods, idols or demons is seen throughout the Bible. Here are some more examples. Hosea 10:1-2 Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned מַצֵּבֽוֹת his sacred stones. Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy מַצֵּבוֹתָֽם their sacred stones. Micah 5:13 I will destroy your idols and וּמַצֵּבוֹתֶ֖יךָ your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. This idea of worshiping what we ourselves have made reminds me of the corruption that is associated with this described in Romans which I will close with. Romans 1:20-23, 25 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles … They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
