Have you noticed how often Moses reminds the Israelites to “Remember” in the Book of Deuteronomy. They are to remember God’s promise, His provision, His faithfulness and grace. They’re also to remember the awesome things God did for them: their deliverance from Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and providing food and water in the desert. He also wanted them to remember their own unworthiness, rebellion and sin. Remember! You’ll find the word repeated throughout the book.
Much of what is to be remembered was recorded in the previous books of the Pentateuch. This book is primarily review in preparation for crossing the Jordan and entering the Promised Land. Why all this repetition and emphasis on remembering?
First and foremost, God didn’t want them to forget - He wanted these facts indelibly impressed upon their minds or memorized. If they forget when they succeed and prosper in the Promised Land they’ll likely get proud and self-sufficient. On the other hand, if they forget them they will likely make the same mistakes in the future that they made in the past. In fact, they were to rehearse them with their children and impress them on their minds and hearts so they’d not need to learn them the hard way.
The Psalmist emphasizes this point in Psalm 78. Notice the importance of teaching future generations God’s law and the great things He has done in the past as a basis for building strong and fruitful lives that will glorify God.
Never forget the importance of remembering!
