Yad Vashem (“a memorial and a name”) is Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need. The name “Yad Vashem” is taken from a verse in the Book of Isaiah: “[To] them will I give in my house and within my walls a [memorial] and a [name], better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting [name], that shall not be cut off [from memory]. Outside of the Holocaust museum and memorial is a plaque which reads: Let me prepare the way for Thee, remove each stone that might hinder Thee to make Thy coming sure and soon. These words express both the hope and faith of the Jewish people for the coming Messiah. These words were taken from the prophet Isaiah: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted
and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(chapters 40:3-5)

Interestingly enough the Holocaust Museum is found in a village south-west of Jerusalem called Ein Kerem. Traditionally, Christians have longed believe that this was where John the Baptist was born. If the plaque remains at the Second Coming of Jesus, and John the Baptist happens to stroll by there, he will most likely chuckle to himself as he understands the prophetic implications behind these words. You see every stone was removed; the last and most important stone being the one which covered Christ’s Tomb. As Jesus stated at His triumphal entry: “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Lk. 19:40) The stone of His empty stone has been crying out for 2000 years up until this present day.

Which raises some interesting questions: What stone(s) need to be removed in your life? How can you prepare the way of the Lord? What stone is hindering the coming of Jesus into your place of hiddenness? Keep praying and praising Him till the rocks roll away.