Photo by Alex Chute on Unsplash.
Since the start of 2024, we have been studying some Hebrew words which are the building blocks of the Old Testament message. We have already looked at:
emunah the word which is used for belief or faith;
lechem the word which is used for bread;
ra the Hebrew word for bad or evil;
yare or yirah - Hebrew words for fear.
The next word in our alphabetical list is forget from the Hebrew word shakach. I am attaching a PDF document containing extracts from Bible lexicons and concordances to encourage others to pursue this line of study in more depth. You can download this if you wish. Today's blog will be a reflection on some key lessons from how this word is used in the Old Testament.
I am becoming more forgetful as I get older but I have inherited a tendency to leave behind items of clothing when I pay a visit to another house. My two daughters and my daughter-in-law are only too well aware of this weakness in my personality. Is it possible that I don't value these items such as hats enough? Do I treat them too casually?
As we continue in our study of Hebrew words, it is clear that there is more to being forgetful than simply a failure to remember. Besides literally forgetting, the word can mean to ignore, or not act on a request. Lois Tverberg reminded us that the cupbearer "forgot" Joseph - meaning he ignored his plea to help him (Genesis 40:23). Likewise, God warned Israel not to "forget" their covenant, in terms of neglecting or forsaking God's commands (Deuteronomy 4:23).
Thankfully, I have never forgotten the marriage covenant I made publicly when Janie and I were married in a wee Ayrshire gospel hall away back in 1975. God has ensured that I have remained faithful to Janie and she has been faithful to me. I hope that there is no element of pride in this declaration and I have taken on board the implications of the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 5:28. I do not want to seem to be anything special. It is only by God's grace that I have kept this covenant. Have I been loyal to God over the years? Have there been times when I have forgotten God? What about my heart? It is not external appearances which interests God. God reminded Samuel that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
There is a moral weakness associated with being forgetful. It is a sign of a lack of commitment and loyalty. Israel was not to forget the covenant God had made with them (2 Kings 17: 38) but sadly the nation often forgot about God. There were many reasons for this forgetfulness but it was far more than absent mindedness.
Let's start with Joseph in prison. Joseph's friend who had shared the miseries of the Egyptian prison, forgot all about him when Pharaoh decided on a whim to restore the cupbearer to his post in the Palace. This incident illustrates the fickleness of the human heart. Joseph had spent years in chains in prison falsely accused by Pharaoh's wife and there were two other inmates in the prison both of whom had angered Pharaoh. Both of them had special dreams which Joseph interpreted. But when Pharaoh decided to execute his former baker, he also elevated his butler to his former post in the Palace. But before he left, Joseph specifically requested that the butler should repay him by requesting that Pharaoh also restore Joseph to his position. It tells us that the butler or cupbearer forgot about Joseph. This was far more than being absent minded. This was ignoring the plight of Joseph. The cupbearer was enjoying the luxury of the Palace and did not want to be reminded of his former deprivation and suffering.
Is there a challenge in this incident? We see moving pictures of the plight of the victims of famine or war, but we deliberately and wilfully choose to ignore their suffering. It may be that the cupbearer was reluctant to speak to Pharaoh about Joseph and not without good reason. Pharaoh was whimsical and may have taken umbrage at being reminded of this former Hebrew who was accused of making advances on Pharaoh's wife.
As I made this study of the Hebrew word shakach, I noticed that, when things are not going to plan there is a tendency to blame God for forgetting us. Hannah was a good woman but she accused God of forgetting her.
[10] She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. [11] And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget [shakach] your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” [1 Samuel 1:10-11 ESV]
There is a clue here to explain what prompted Hannah to accuse God of being forgetful. She was deeply distressed. We need to be very careful when we are downhearted and distressed that we don't forget the character of God. He is not forgetful - he keeps his promises for ever.
Hannah was not alone in thinking that God had forsaken her. David, the psalmist, had a similar perspective:
How long, O LORD? Will you forget (Hebrew = shakach] me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? [Psalm 13:1 ESV] David was in a crisis as often happened in his life and he was beginning to think that God had forgotten him.
But we need to remember constantly that our God is not forgetful. He keeps His promises forever. He does not forget in the sense of having a poor memory and he does not ignore us or fail to answer our requests although sometimes it seems as if our prayers are unanswered.
Under the New Covenant God chooses not to remember our sins.
This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbour,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more. [Hebrews 8: 10-12 NIV]
The Psalmist is on a similar theme when he talks about God removing our sins as far as the east is from the west.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. [Psalm 103:11-12 NIV]
Of course, we understand that God is able to act righteously in dealing thus with our sins because His own Son, Jesus Christ bore the punishment which was due to us.
Here are some headlines to remember or not to forget for today.
Human beings are prone to forget
Sometimes, this is due to a lack of commitment or will on our part.
More importantly, we are prone to forget God's promises.
We wrongly imagine that God has forgotten us and this is shown in our prayers
But God is faithful and He does not forget us.
He chooses not to remember our sins.
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