Numbers 15:37-41 (ESV)
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”
Mankind is forgetful. We need reminders. We have an entire app calendar system to keep us on track with what we are supposed to do each day, week, month and year. We have reminders going off on our phones. We have people in our lives who remind us. We can’t live without these electronic and personal bots in our lives. God knew that long ago. For the nation of Israel He had them sew blue tassels on the corners of their garments. Those tassels would remind them about the word of God in their lives. Having a visual reminder is a way to keep us on task with what we are obligated to do. The phrase tie a string around your finger, is a similar thought process and gets its origin from this teaching. Notice what we will read soon in Deuteronomy, that has a similar thought:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
The Pharisees took this concept to an extreme and put verses from the Torah on little pieces of paper and put them in a box, that they tied to their wrist. Today we call those things wristbands. I wear three, with different Bible verses/thoughts on my wrist. Why? I am forgetful. Do whatever you can to remember God’s Word. It might not be a string. It might not be a tassel on your garment. It might not be a wristband. It might not be a daily reminder that goes off on your phone via an app each day. Whatever you need, however, use it because mankind is forgetful and God knew it.
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