Numbers 15:38,39
“Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. “It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,”
Remembrance is important in scripture. This is one example. They would write scriptures on top of door ways. Physical signs like piling up rocks would be another. Jesus instituted communion as a New Testament ritual. He said to “do this in rememberance of me”, Luke 22:19.
Today’s passage is prompting them to remember the commandments. These were to guide their lives. God has shown them a progressive revelation. The truth about God ended with the New Testament. However, back then knowledge about God was limited and was being disseminated at the rate of His choosing. There may have been some restrictions or guidelines given to Abraham or others, but none are coming to mind. The Ten Commandments were a God given code for His people to follow.
Many of the commandments seem obvious, but I may have that reaction because I have been raised with that code and our American culture is saturated with them. The Israelites of that time probably had neither. So, the commandments may not have been so obvious. That being said, when something is on our minds the applications are more apparent. For example, one command is to “not covet thy neighbor’s goods.” This is a widespread problem. All of us want things. Planning to get things or just craving them does take up a particular percentage of our time. This can be a problem. When our wanting gets toxic, it’s coveting. We become less kind and less focused on others. That’s the test to determine if pursuits become coveting. I’m not sure if this was something new for the people of Moses’ time. Whatever the case, they were to recall the command and live them. The tassles helped them with that.
Another aspect of rememberance helps us to be grateful for the things He’s done for us. The Jews celebrate passover. The miraculous sparing and eventual deliverance of the people from the slavery of Egypt. This was a big deal that wasn’t to be forgotten. They had the annual celebration of that holiday. I referred to communion. The early church partook in this often. The Catholic Church does it at every mass. Most protestant churches do it monthly. Whatever the frequency, we are to remember Christ’s sacrifice. This was because of our sins. We aren’t to forget that. We continue to sin. We are to go to Him and ask for forgiveness. We have been cleansed for all eternity, but we are soiled when we sin. We are to go to Him and ask for forgiveness, cleansing and for assistance to resist in the future.
Lord, help us to remember You, Your Word and all You have done for us.